MMENACE
Well-Known Member
- First Name
- Cory
- Joined
- Jun 10, 2023
- Threads
- 11
- Messages
- 50
- Reaction score
- 42
- Location
- Petaluma, CA
- Vehicles
- 2023 Ford Mustang Mach E California Route 1 EAWD
- Occupation
- Retired
- Thread starter
- #1
Must admit to being a little anxious before taking off on our recent first road trip in a 2023 MME CR1 EAWD, driving round trip from Petaluma, Calif. (north of San Francisco), to Eugene, Ore. With no home charger at the time, I charged it to 80% the day before departure at an EA 150kw charger at the local outlet mall. It took a few tries to find one that worked and would connect to the MME.
The car is a BLAST to drive. And I didn’t mind Blue Cruise taking over for me at almost every opportunity. I also immediately turned on one-pedal driving, after having enjoyed that experience in a recent Tesla Model 3 rental.
We ended up charging three times on the 550-mile drive to Eugene and three times on the return leg. Our worst experience was the first charge, and our best experience was the final one. We drove up on a Saturday and returned on a Wednesday.
The first and worst experience was at a Walmart in Willows, Calif. We pulled up to only two (of four) EA chargers working, and three cars waiting in line. My two lessons here — these chargers are going to be busier on weekends and holidays, and they aren’t always operable.
I called EA to try to reset those that weren’t working, and while it looked on-screen like they were able to do so, turned out, they weren’t. Another problem at this location was a fellow MME who insisted on charging to 100 percent. A few of those in line exchanged words with him, but he was not to be deterred. We ended up waiting 90 minutes and charging for just under 30, so two hours and one Walmart pre-packaged salad and we were off, wondering what other charging experiences awaited.
As it turned out, aside from a bad charger choice on my part — a Level 1 in Weed, Calif. — the other charges, one at a Walmart parking lot in Yreka, Calif., and one at a Dairy Queen in Sutherlin, Ore., went relatively smoothly. (I don’t recommend the DQ salads. The cashier couldn’t even find it on the register, so I assume it’s not a popular order. ?)
The Graduate hotel in Eugene didn’t have EV chargers of any kind, so I charged twice during our stay at a nearby Fred Meyer store parking lot. All went well and without a wait either time.
Returning, we again hit the Yreka Walmart and charged without a hitch, and we stopped at a TA Truck Stop in Corning, Calif., on a Shell charger. Using a credit card, that worked fine, but there was only one charger and we were lucky no one was waiting.
We almost attempted to drive all the way to our home in Petaluma without another charge, but this being our first trip, and the car saying we’d have only 16 percent when we pulled into our driveway, we decided to break for dinner at the Nut Tree shopping center in Vacaville, Calif., where a Level 3 EVgo charger was available and, while it fed at only 65kw, it gave us a chance to grab a decent dinner while we waited. (No Walmart or Dairy Queen salad!)
That first charging experience taught me that more time on the road — and at the charger — is not necessarily a bad thing. We talked to some good folks at the chargers and learned from them. And while the 2013 Volvo XC60 is always a backup, I look forward to more driving and charging adventures in the MME.
The car is a BLAST to drive. And I didn’t mind Blue Cruise taking over for me at almost every opportunity. I also immediately turned on one-pedal driving, after having enjoyed that experience in a recent Tesla Model 3 rental.
We ended up charging three times on the 550-mile drive to Eugene and three times on the return leg. Our worst experience was the first charge, and our best experience was the final one. We drove up on a Saturday and returned on a Wednesday.
The first and worst experience was at a Walmart in Willows, Calif. We pulled up to only two (of four) EA chargers working, and three cars waiting in line. My two lessons here — these chargers are going to be busier on weekends and holidays, and they aren’t always operable.
I called EA to try to reset those that weren’t working, and while it looked on-screen like they were able to do so, turned out, they weren’t. Another problem at this location was a fellow MME who insisted on charging to 100 percent. A few of those in line exchanged words with him, but he was not to be deterred. We ended up waiting 90 minutes and charging for just under 30, so two hours and one Walmart pre-packaged salad and we were off, wondering what other charging experiences awaited.
As it turned out, aside from a bad charger choice on my part — a Level 1 in Weed, Calif. — the other charges, one at a Walmart parking lot in Yreka, Calif., and one at a Dairy Queen in Sutherlin, Ore., went relatively smoothly. (I don’t recommend the DQ salads. The cashier couldn’t even find it on the register, so I assume it’s not a popular order. ?)
The Graduate hotel in Eugene didn’t have EV chargers of any kind, so I charged twice during our stay at a nearby Fred Meyer store parking lot. All went well and without a wait either time.
Returning, we again hit the Yreka Walmart and charged without a hitch, and we stopped at a TA Truck Stop in Corning, Calif., on a Shell charger. Using a credit card, that worked fine, but there was only one charger and we were lucky no one was waiting.
We almost attempted to drive all the way to our home in Petaluma without another charge, but this being our first trip, and the car saying we’d have only 16 percent when we pulled into our driveway, we decided to break for dinner at the Nut Tree shopping center in Vacaville, Calif., where a Level 3 EVgo charger was available and, while it fed at only 65kw, it gave us a chance to grab a decent dinner while we waited. (No Walmart or Dairy Queen salad!)
That first charging experience taught me that more time on the road — and at the charger — is not necessarily a bad thing. We talked to some good folks at the chargers and learned from them. And while the 2013 Volvo XC60 is always a backup, I look forward to more driving and charging adventures in the MME.
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