NorCal (Sac) to SoCal (LA) Trip Report

[bdonpwn]

First major road trip with the Mach E after a year of ownership. I drive from Sacramento to Bay Area frequently but that's only ~2 hours and I average around 3.0 mi/kWh on that.

Recently had the 21P22 update performed prior to this trip. Unsure if the update impacted driving efficiency in any way, but for some reason I saw a surprising increase in my typical efficiency for similar drives. Anecdotally, for long highway trips, I drive ~75 mph and get 3.0 mi/kWh in the summer and 2.75 mi/kWh in the winter (cooler CA weather so nothing too extreme). This trip saw over 750 miles of driving (not including around town at destination) and had a weighted average efficiency of 3.25 mi/kWh. This in general was 75 mph+, 70 F cabin temp, 40-60 F outside temp, mostly dry with a portion at the end in very heavy rain.

Overall, I was very impressed and had zero issues charging at EA locations along highway 99 and never had to wait. I theorized highway 5 would have been worse with fewer charging locations which are also packed and more beat up. Wish I had an extended range to take advantage of higher charging rates, but bought this one off the lot in 2021 so had no choice. The SR rates in my experience are typically 110-90 kw below 20% and 90-75 kw below 80%. Having the 21P22 update resulted in a very consistent 35 kw 80%-95%. I had a 1 year old with me so needed to stop frequently anyways.

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[GreaseMonkey]

I had a surprisingly good experience with EVgo in Chicago yesterday. I’m always skeptical about per minute pricing, but this particular charger was a 100 kW and the mme charged at an average of 65 or so rate. So pricing with no subscription ended up being $0.27/ kW vs the $0.43 for EA. It took 41 min to charge an extended range battery from 29% to 75%. I did notice that rate dropped to ~50 when battery reached 75% SOC. Also, EVgo’s pricing in California is higher and more complicated, so might not make as much sense.

 

[intensifi]

I was under the impression charging past 80% at the public chargers would take extended time.

what was your experience?

 

[DevSecOps]

I routinely make this exact same drive in the summer and I only stop twice. I however, take I5 down and I have an ER battery, but a GTPE which sucks down a bit more juice.

Full Charge leaving Sacramento
First stop - EA Target, Los Banos
Second Stop - EA Target, Bakersfield
Final Destination - Newport Beach

I do the exact same returning. 6 stops would drive me up a wall.

 

[bdonpwn]

I was under the impression charging past 80% at the public chargers would take extended time.

what was your experience?

With the 21P22 update, charge rate dropped to 35 kw above 80% for my SR (pre update it was around 12 kw I believe?). This is slow but manageable. Normally I would stop at 80 and go, but we were eating dinner so came back to the car with 97% charge. This had the added benefit of technically making it so that we wouldn't have to stop again if we didn't want to. One stop from NorCal to SoCal in a standard range is pretty good. Granted, it would be a long stop. Probably 40 min 15-80% then 20 min 80-97% if I had to guess.

I do the exact same returning. 6 stops would drive me up a wall.

Sorry for not clarifying in the image, but that was 6 stops for the weeklong trip. 2 stops on the drive down, one at destination for around town driving during the weekend, one to top off the day before prior to leaving, and then 2 stops on the return. Surprisingly, on the drive down, in my SR I technically didn't need the second stop since we had a long stop in Selma for dinner. We needed a bathroom break and the Tejon Pass rest stop had free charging so we snagged a free 10% for a few min stop.

Leave Sac 100%
First stop - Selma, CA - EA Walmart - charge 15-97%
Second stop - Caltrans Tejon Pass - 5 min bathroom break and a free 10%
Arrive Northridge, CA with 21%

Leave Northridge 94%
First stop - Selma, CA - EA Walmart - Charge 21-81%
Second stop - Atwater, CA - EA Target - Charge 46-70%
Arrive Sac 8%

 

[meinhard57]

I routinely make this exact same drive in the summer and I only stop twice. I however, take I5 down and I have an ER battery, but a GTPE which sucks down a bit more juice.

Full Charge leaving Sacramento
First stop - EA Target, Los Banos
Second Stop - EA Target, Bakersfield
Final Destination - Newport Beach

I do the exact same returning. 6 stops would drive me up a wall.

Do you start in SAC at 100%??

 

[DevSecOps]

Do you start in SAC at 100%??

Yes.

Getting to Los Banos only requires about 50-60% charge but starting at 100 means less time sitting at target.

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