The Joy of Driving from Wichita to Kansas City

[Mirak]

Started in Wichita this evening at 100%. Arrived Kansas City at 8% in my 4X Premium. I have a quick turnaround tomorrow morning, so I needed a quick fast charge.

I arrived at 8% BECAUSE THERE IS STILL NO DAMNED DCFC IN EMPORIA. THIS IS I35 PEOPLE. A MAJOR HIGHWAY.

So no problem, right? I arrive at EVGo station conveniently located at Oak Park Mall in the suburbs, right along my way. And the 350kW charger tops out at a whopping 17kW. I try another charger. 17kW.

So now I’m plugged into a nearby L2 charger, my parents are coming to pick me up so it can charge overnight, and even then I’ll only be up to about 70% tomorrow morning, which means I’m going to have to route through Topeka just to get home.

Two years after buying this car, and DCFC road tripping STILL SUCKS.

/rant

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[TGIF]

I would posit there is never joy to be had in road tripping from Wichita to KC, but I take your point.

 

[Ride_the_lightning]

There are DCFCs going in at Matfield Green. Can’t come soon enough.

edit: I’ll add that this section of I-35 is the only place in my 20 years of driving that I almost ran out of gas in an ICE vehicle. It’s more than 50 miles between gas stations! My first experience with range anxiety.

 

[Ride_the_lightning]

I’ve always had a good experience with the oak park EVGo. That 17 kw seems like your car is limiting the speed to me, given my MME only initially charged at 45kw on a 29 degree day, and KC has been around -5 F. We need battery preconditioning!

 

[gpgrim]

At 17 kW, the time from 8% to 90% for an XP should be 4.2 hours, no?

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