While planning this trip I considered stopping at hotels with chargers. After thinking it through I decided against it. When I am on the road traveling I am not to picky about accommodations, a clean comfortable bed is enough for me. It seems that the hotels that have chargers are usually $50+ more than cheaper hotels that don't have chargers. So I figure that paying $50 more is a pretty expensive charge. So I will just be charging on the road and sleeping where it is cheap and convenient. Now if the hotel was the best charging option or at a destination stop, I would probably go for it.
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1,450 MILE ROAD TRIP, AND BACK
Next month I will be doing a road trip for Easter, from the Gulf Coast of Louisiana to Northeast PA in my 23 Bolt EV. The trip is roughly 1,450 miles , then will be driving a different route back home. I used Plug Share to plan my route and will mostly be using Electrify America stops. Many of the distances between stops are much shorter than the range of my car. To minimize charging times, my plan is to just charge enough to get to my next stop, instead of to 80%. My question is, how many miles of cushion should I add to the distance required to reach my next charge stop?
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I just got home from a trip from Galveston to North Carolina. See my post here. My advise is to be very caution until you get to the Alabama-Georgia boarder. This is because in Louisianan, Mississippi and Alabama there is nothing but Electrify America. So, if you roll up to a dead site and you only have a 10% margin, you are screwed. I always charge enough to get the the site after the one I intend to stop at next. Once you cross into Georgia things are much better.
As for charging at hotels. You are right that the hotels that have chargers are more expensive (and nicer). Charging at your hotel can save you up to an hour of charging time at a DCFC. Because I could not charge at my hotel last night, I got home at 12:00 instead of 11:00. That is just what you have to weigh.
Good luck on your trip.
As for charging at hotels. You are right that the hotels that have chargers are more expensive (and nicer). Charging at your hotel can save you up to an hour of charging time at a DCFC. Because I could not charge at my hotel last night, I got home at 12:00 instead of 11:00. That is just what you have to weigh.
Good luck on your trip.
You’re braver and have more patience than me. My EUV is great for home charging and commuting but I would not do a long drive like that. With 55kw max charging and iffy DCFC network too much angst. When I get a car that can charge at 200kw+, has over 300mi range and reliable DCFC’s are ubiquitous then I’m there. Might be another 7-10 years for me 😁
If you'd be stressing the whole way in the EV, I say go gas. The car won't care. And anyone who would give you grief about your supposed impurity or infidelity (EDIT: I forgot MAGA's favorite word, hypocrisy!!!) can go ICE themselves.This year we are planning a 1,200 mile road trip each way and trying to determine if the money we would save on gas is worth the hassle.
Cars are tools. Just pick the best one.
A lot of good information posted here.
I am a fervent user of the MyChevrolet app and the Energy module that is great for planning a trip. What I like about MyChevrolet app is that is takes in consideration the car informations (efficiency), the elevation of the road and the traffic. In all my drives, the difference between the %SOC at arrival and the app was minimum. We don't have enough DCFC stations (in some cases) to be able to chose, if one doesn't work, to go to the other one. That's why the reliability is very important to us. I would charge maybe 10 miles above the needed charge, just to compensate in case there is a sudden headwind and this if the %SOC to the next destination is below 10%. If not, 6 miles above is enough for me.
I am a fervent user of the MyChevrolet app and the Energy module that is great for planning a trip. What I like about MyChevrolet app is that is takes in consideration the car informations (efficiency), the elevation of the road and the traffic. In all my drives, the difference between the %SOC at arrival and the app was minimum. We don't have enough DCFC stations (in some cases) to be able to chose, if one doesn't work, to go to the other one. That's why the reliability is very important to us. I would charge maybe 10 miles above the needed charge, just to compensate in case there is a sudden headwind and this if the %SOC to the next destination is below 10%. If not, 6 miles above is enough for me.
I try to stay in mid-priced hotels, my wife absolutely hates the cheap ones. I have found hotels with L2 on two of my ~2000 miles trips, the 100% overnight save me from having to charge 45+ minutes in the evening, and lengthens the first leg in the morning. I really like the pace it sets having overnight charging on route.While planning this trip I considered stopping at hotels with chargers. After thinking it through I decided against it. When I am on the road traveling I am not to picky about accommodations, a clean comfortable bed is enough for me. It seems that the hotels that have chargers are usually $50+ more than cheaper hotels that don't have chargers. So I figure that paying $50 more is a pretty expensive charge. So I will just be charging on the road and sleeping where it is cheap and convenient. Now if the hotel was the best charging option or at a destination stop, I would probably go for it.
On our 7 week, 7100 mile trip last year we found no overnight charging and it was a grind at times. I really hope to see more L2 Hotels in the future.
Beware of any route that may have you using I-64 crossing West Virginia to I-81. I-81 is pretty well covered by Electrify America.I will be traveling from sea level through the Appalachians, and a few steep inclines in the final 100 miles.
A good reality check is to check the route from Georgetown, KY to Lexington, VA in ABRP vs. Google Maps.
With many DCFC charging rates you may not end up saving much, or at all over a decent mpg ICE on a road trip. The savings are in home charging. And with recent utility rates here in the Northeast even those savings have been significantly shaved.On my first moderate length trip I learned a lesson on the very first stop. DON'T USE ABRP to guide you to a charger. I ended up in an industrial district with no charger in sight and my wife was already nervous about the whole "running out of battery" thing. So for every stop after I used ABRP to plan the next stop, pull up the charger in Plug Share to verify it exists and see if there is a better charger near by, then plug that address into Waze to route me there. (I like knowing where abandoned cars, roadkill, and cops are on the road). The only other bad stop we had was in Gainsville which was a very popular charger since it was the only one on I-75 for many many miles.
This year we are planning a 1,200 mile road trip each way and trying to determine if the money we would save on gas is worth the hassle.
This is what we do in airplanes. We plan enough fuel to get to the destination, then to an alternate, then 45 minutes of fuel after that. Sound advice for the Bolt. Have enough to get to the primary charger, and a reserve to get to an alternate.I always charge enough to get the the site after the one I intend to stop at next.
I don't necessarily agree with this. We did a 7100 mile trip last year that cost $487 in public charging costs. Granted we had occasional opportunities for free charging, but not many. We calculated what it would have cost in my wife's 25MPG ICE car and it worked out to around $1300. Gas prices were peaking during this trip, the most common prices were north of $4 across the country, and over $6 in SoCal. When gas prices drop, as they always do, the margin is much closer.With many DCFC charging rates you may not end up saving much, or at all over a decent mpg ICE on a road trip. The savings are in home charging. And with recent utility rates here in the Northeast even those savings have been significantly shaved.
Of course YMMV. But the sweet savings spot is that daily commute on home purchased electrons (off peak if available). Or better yet free electrons from your employer or other free sites along the way (while grocery shopping, etc.).I don't necessarily agree with this. We did a 7100 mile trip last year that cost $487 in public charging costs. Granted we had occasional opportunities for free charging, but not many. We calculated what it would have cost in my wife's 25MPG ICE car and it worked out to around $1300. Gas prices were peaking during this trip, the most common prices were north of $4 across the country, and over $6 in SoCal. When gas prices drop, as they always do, the margin is much closer.
When I needed a new car, I needed it quickly. The nearest dealer with a Bolt in stock was 750 miles and driving through 5 states away. It cost me $138 in gas to drive my trade in to the dealership. Driving my new Bolt home cost me $32 in electricity. That's pretty significant savings. However, I do realize that that kind of savings wont hold true for everyone.
This!This is what we do in airplanes. We plan enough fuel to get to the destination, then to an alternate, then 45 minutes of fuel after that. Sound advice for the Bolt. Have enough to get to the primary charger, and a reserve to get to an alternate.
Yes, it's probably most efficient if you arrive at a charger with <10% left. The extra charge needed compared to arriving with 20-30% won't take long since it'll be sucked up at the maximum rate. But what if, as is too common, the target charger is broken/blocked/ICEd/whatever - IOW not available. Oops. Even with the old ICE cars, I would plan on about 1/3 tank of cushion when on a trip away from my normal routes, to allow for stations being closed, price too high, etc. Especially with the diesel in the early '80s.
It's worth looking on Plugshare for charging locations, then looking at Google Maps for hotels near those locations. Many hotels may be near enough a charging location to walk, even if they don't have charging "on site." I've done that a few times, and have found both free Level 2 (at a dealership) and paid DCFC (at a grocery store) near hotels where I would stay.While planning this trip I considered stopping at hotels with chargers. After thinking it through I decided against it. When I am on the road traveling I am not to picky about accommodations, a clean comfortable bed is enough for me. It seems that the hotels that have chargers are usually $50+ more than cheaper hotels that don't have chargers. So I figure that paying $50 more is a pretty expensive charge. So I will just be charging on the road and sleeping where it is cheap and convenient. Now if the hotel was the best charging option or at a destination stop, I would probably go for it.
In both cases, having the charging network app or MyChevrolet report when charging is complete can be handy. With the DCFC station, I walked back and moved the car to the hotel. With L2, I left the car overnight, but went to get it first thing in the morning (before the dealership opened) just to be courteous to the dealership's customers.
I’ve found the biggest variable for unpredictability is terrain. I can control speed. I can control my use of the heater. But, on a trip, hills just seem to really suck power. Beware of long uphills and plan for them with some extra in the “tank.”Next month I will be doing a road trip for Easter, from the Gulf Coast of Louisiana to Northeast PA in my 23 Bolt EV. The trip is roughly 1,450 miles , then will be driving a different route back home. I used Plug Share to plan my route and will mostly be using Electrify America stops. Many of the distances between stops are much shorter than the range of my car. To minimize charging times, my plan is to just charge enough to get to my next stop, instead of to 80%. My question is, how many miles of cushion should I add to the distance required to reach my next charge stop?
You have to have a number of apps on your phone from Evie connect Francis energy to blink and wherever up in the east
You might want to write down some information about the charging locations so if and when you loose the internet you can still have a reference as to where the stops will be. Lastly as someone who has done longer trips, 20 to 30 miles is fine but I wouldn’t pass up one at 50 just to be safe.
Plan on about 130 miles max on a charge.Next month I will be doing a road trip for Easter, from the Gulf Coast of Louisiana to Northeast PA in my 23 Bolt EV. The trip is roughly 1,450 miles , then will be driving a different route back home. I used Plug Share to plan my route and will mostly be using Electrify America stops. Many of the distances between stops are much shorter than the range of my car. To minimize charging times, my plan is to just charge enough to get to my next stop, instead of to 80%. My question is, how many miles of cushion should I add to the distance required to reach my next charge stop?
Having recently completed a round trip from Boston to Orlando, and back, you’ll probably find the the EA chargers are fine. Don’t worry about 350 kW chargers, as the Bolt can’t handle them. Most EAs use at least 150 kW. Some EVgo chargers only go up to 50 kW.
My only issue with EA chargers is most of them are at Walmarts. I prefer Bucees, Sheetz, Wawas, and places like that.
For overnights, you might want to purchase a Tesla-J1772 converter (~$150, Amazon), as some hotels have Tesla Destination chargers (free).
On such a trip, even with DCFC, you’ll find the Bolt charges a lot slower than some of the other vehicles.
My only issue with EA chargers is most of them are at Walmarts. I prefer Bucees, Sheetz, Wawas, and places like that.
For overnights, you might want to purchase a Tesla-J1772 converter (~$150, Amazon), as some hotels have Tesla Destination chargers (free).
On such a trip, even with DCFC, you’ll find the Bolt charges a lot slower than some of the other vehicles.
Bolt can use the 350kW units, if that is the only one available. But courtesy suggests use the 150kW units if available and leave the 350s for those who can take full advantage of the increased power. Also, avoid the CHAdeMO units as there is typically only one of these. My priorities are 150kW (no CHAdeMO), then 150 (w/ CHAdeMO), then 350kW.Don’t worry about 350 kW chargers, as the Bolt can’t handle them.
But there are times units are out of service, in use, or difficult to use due to the odd positions the units are installed at some sites that makes it difficult to adhere to the above.
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