[E Drivetrain Future]

Given conditions are 65 degrees F average . Full charge / 250 miles indicated leaving home. Winds forecast light head wind starting at 10 mph tapering down to 4 mph. Mostly flat terrain majority of route (stockton ca area down to Selma CA hwy 99). Elevation gain is about 200 feet only. Total crew, passenger, cargo weight is 300 pounds.
Again, I need to go about 190 miles starting on a full charge driving 60 to 65 mph. No heat or AC required.
Can I make it ? I say yes. Arrive with about 20 miles remaining, orange light on.

 

[Nemy]

I'd say yes - so long as the temps aren't expected to change and you stick with 60-65 mph. I get 180-190 at mostly 75 mph with AC.

 

[Sean Nelson]

Can I make it ? I say yes.

Just keep an eye on your range indicator and if it starts dipping faster than you'd like then pull in somewhere for a quick charge. You don't have to charge much, just long enough for whatever the shortfall in range is, plus a safety margin.

 

[BoltFan]

You'll make it

Given conditions are 65 degrees F average . Full charge / 250 miles indicated leaving home. Winds forecast light head wind starting at 10 mph tapering down to 4 mph. Mostly flat terrain majority of route (stockton ca area down to Selma CA hwy 99). Elevation gain is about 200 feet only. Total crew, passenger, cargo weight is 300 pounds.
Again, I need to go about 190 miles starting on a full charge driving 60 to 65 mph. No heat or AC required.
Can I make it ? I say yes. Arrive with about 20 miles remaining, orange light on.

99 thankfully has quite a few DCFC's so you shouldn't have any issue finding a quick charge if need be; but you'll make it.

 

[XJ12]

Arrive with about 20 miles remaining, orange light on.

No speculation required. If I understand correctly, you made it just fine. Congrats. Controlled speed, no climate control, and planned ahead. Love it when a plan comes thru.

 

[E Drivetrain Future]

The cross country charge and drive plan is to leave full, drive as far as possible (188.9 miles), then charge up to only 80% SOC maximum until destination , charge full overnight at destination, drive around LA within 20 miles of destination hotel the following day, charge full again, then return with shorter legs but more stops. All charger locations are on google maps, evgo, chargepoint and plugshare apps on phones and tablets.
Thanks for your advice, input and shared cross country exepriences. I believe I will arrive with about 20 miles indicated remaining on the GOM side of the DICU.

 

[E Drivetrain Future]

Dont forget to check California highway conditions for your route date and time of travel . Late night detours and re-routing from **** occurs on I5 and Hwy 99 during dry season highway road repair / construction. How could this affect you? Check!

 

[frenchfry]

You'll make it no problem if everything you described is accurate. If you stay more to the 60mph and draft a semi you should make it without the light even coming on...

 

[E Drivetrain Future]

Any recommendations on the art and science of semi drafting and other range extension techniques?

 

[quirkySquirt]

From my personal experience watching others tailgate semis, it's not worth it. The semis typically keep to the 2nd-most right lane and when merging traffic enters, they will eventually pause briefly in front of the semi as they make their way to the faster left lanes.

That slowing and speeding up I think eats any drafting benefits. The Seattle drivers I deal with are utter idiots and will merge haphazardly in front of semis, causing them to stop pretty hard (not quite panic).

When I was hypermiling in my 2017 Volt, I just stuck to 60-65mph or whatever the slowest traffic was doing so everyone else would pass me. If I can, I aim for a lane with a train of cruise-control drivers.

Oh, and your road trip sounds totally doable. My commute has a much larger elevation change multiple times than yours and with similar temps to yours and light traffic (avg 60 mph) at the 55% SOC I've covered 107 miles consistently. I think you're realistic in your expectations. Happy trails!

 

[Sean Nelson]

Any recommendations on the art and science of semi drafting and other range extension techniques?

I often follow semis, but not at a particularly close distance. I follow them so I can go as slow as they go, letting other drivers get irate at the semi for the slow speed instead of at me. And I figure that if I weren't there they'd have to pull into the next lane to pass the semi anyway, so it's not like I'm really being a particular obstacle to anyone.

 

[beeguz]

I can't stand being behind trucks, I can't see the road ahead, this is real life not NASCAR.


I would rather pass if the trucks are not making enough speed, or stick way back if they are moving too fast, I prefer to see as far ahead as possible that way I can slow or speed up.

 

[keeperchris]

Given conditions are 65 degrees F average . Full charge / 250 miles indicated leaving home. Winds forecast light head wind starting at 10 mph tapering down to 4 mph. Mostly flat terrain majority of route (stockton ca area down to Selma CA hwy 99). Elevation gain is about 200 feet only. Total crew, passenger, cargo weight is 300 pounds.
Again, I need to go about 190 miles starting on a full charge driving 60 to 65 mph. No heat or AC required.
Can I make it ? I say yes. Arrive with about 20 miles remaining, orange light on.

I did a similar drive from Houston area to San Antonio (208 miles, most all on I-10). I drove at about 65 mph and arrived with 30 miles remaining.

 

[E Drivetrain Future]

Thats actually quite a good idea as a range extension technique on a critical leg of a x-country trip.

 

[E Drivetrain Future]

You are correct. The topography would be very much like CA's central valley. Texas never ends when you drive across it! Are we out of Texas yet? (I-20 / I-40 )

 

[Sevenfeet]

I'm in a similar situation. I'd like to take the Bolt a total range of 170 miles round trip outside of town. But this is mainly interstate driving and not stop and go where you are regularly returning energy to the battery. The Bolt doesn't have fast charging but there aren't any along the route anyway. There are some regular charging stations at some stops on the highway in case we get into trouble on the way back. Car will be loaded....4 passengers, about 700 lbs total with scuba gear (including tanks) which will make things heavier (probably another 100-150 lbs). I could easily take my Cadillac CTS but the Caddy is lower to the ground and the dive quarry destination has lots of rocks which the Bolt is a bit better about due to ground clearance.

 

[dakev87]

Interstate vs Secondary roads

I'm in a similar situation. I'd like to take the Bolt a total range of 170 miles round trip outside of town. But this is mainly interstate driving and not stop and go where you are regularly returning energy to the battery. The Bolt doesn't have fast charging but there aren't any along the route anyway. There are some regular charging stations at some stops on the highway in case we get into trouble on the way back. Car will be loaded....4 passengers, about 700 lbs total with scuba gear (including tanks) which will make things heavier (probably another 100-150 lbs). I could easily take my Cadillac CTS but the Caddy is lower to the ground and the dive quarry destination has lots of rocks which the Bolt is a bit better about due to ground clearance.

I just wanted to chime in and agree with Sevenfeet that Interstate driving is an important factor in range. Not being able to regenerate as often as one might do on a highway with all the stops and starts can make a big difference. On the other hand, last year I used only about 7-9 miles of available range to make it 38 miles (32 of it on the Interstate) because I was coming down a mountain range. I went up that same mountain range yesterday and after driving 50 miles I lost close to 100 miles in range (very strong winds as well contributed to that).

I might be concerned with the range in your circumstance. But if you can plug into a level 2 for awhile before the return leg you might not have a problem at all. (I find myself going out to eat, or shopping much more often when I am on a trip, killing time while the Bolt charges). Best of luck on your trips.

 

[Sean Nelson]

Not being able to regenerate as often as one might do on a highway with all the stops and starts can make a big difference.

Regenerating power by starting and stopping doesn't increase your range because you never regenerate as much power as you need to get going again. The reason city driving gives you more range is because you're traveling at a slower speed. If you traveled at the same slow speed on the Interstate without stopping and starting you'd get even better range than you do in the city with all the stopping and starting.

 

[redpoint5]

Thank you Sean.

I sometimes wonder if the verb "regenerate" is misleading to people, as the action isn't so much generating power, but instead gathering back some of the energy already spent. Perhaps "recapture" is a better word, or a new word should be created like "recapturate".

No matter what you drive, efficiency is increased by driving in a way that avoids brakes / regeneration as much as possible. These slowing events always waste energy.

 

[XJ12]

Thank you Sean.

I sometimes wonder if the verb "regenerate" is misleading to people, as the action isn't so much generating power, but instead gathering back some of the energy already spent. Perhaps "recapture" is a better word, or a new word should be created like "recapturate".

No matter what you drive, efficiency is increased by driving in a way that avoids brakes / regeneration as much as possible. These slowing events always waste energy.

The term 'regenerative braking' is to differentiate from using the friction brakes. The shorthand of just calling it 'regen' might be what's causing some confusion.

I like the term they use on race cars. KERS (Kinetic Energy Recovery System)