MY weekend #EV #RoadTrip:
Atascadero, CA - Auburn CA (round trip)
Charged my #Tesla M3 to 95% the night before.
Drove 163 miles to [Santa Nella][1] and arrived with 30% charge. I used the restroom and walked to Starbucks where I picked up the mobile app order that was waiting for me when I arrived. by the time I got back to the car it was at 80% and I left. 18 minutes
Got to Sacramento with 38% charge. Visited friends went to lunch did 20 or so miles around town. There was a wait at both local super charger locations so I drove to [Loomis][2]. Arrived with 16% left in the battery. Spent 25 minutes at Raleys buying car snacks for the ride home. Left with 80% charge.
Spent the night with friends near Auburn (76%). Could have plugged into their 110AC but they pay a lot for electricity after dark and I didn't need to charge. Went to my medical appointment the next morning then drove all the way back to Santa Nella, 147 miles 28% charge.
Got a burger to go at In-n-Out and just barely got back in time to catch the car at 80%; 25 minutes.
Drove 163 miles home with the A/C on and going a few mph over the 70 speed limit. Got home with 25% charge. If I needed to I could make it to work and back tomorrow with the remaining charge, but I will charge over night.
642 miles. Total cost of supercharging $44 at $0.46/kWh
Yes, it is very easy to take an electric car on a road trip.
@antares I wonder what things will be like after the majority of cars are electric. What happens to all the gas stations? Do the local ones that are near a highway just go automated and ditch the convenience store aspect?
@mkaatman I don't know.
It takes 15 - 25 minutes to charge and #EV up to 80% That is just long enough to make a quick fast food stop. Stations with an embedded fast food place probably add charging and do just fine. The smaller ones may find it challenging.
My understanding is that Tesla is breaking even on their Supercharger network right now so I think it will be hard to make money off the charge itself and not be undercut. In theory EV drivers with a little more time to kill might be more likely to buy something that an ICE driver who can just gas-n-go and should stay my their car while fueling, but will they spend that money on convenience store items?
I think it will be 8-10 years at least before we see any significant drop in demand for gas along the freeway maybe a few years sooner for stations that depend on commuters. Either way I thing gas stations are selling buggy whips in the next age of the automobile.
@antares @mkaatman I'm amazed whenever I see a new gas station or a remodel and they don't put in a couple DC fast chargers. Blockbuster much?