Thanksgiving Travels - Who's taking the Lightning?

[PA Lightning]

We're heading to southern NH for the day, it will be about a 170 miles round trip, I don't anticipate any problems to and from Nashua.

My brother in law has added a 14-50 outlet to his garage for our convenience, he is seriously concerned we will run low on juice and not be able to make a round trip with out topping off at his place.

Your BIL is either very nice or he really wants to make sure he doesn't have overnight guests.

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[RickLightning]

I have a trip coming up about 150 miles each way from Massachusetts to the boonies of Maine. There's plenty of 150kW DCFC on 95 south of Portland, but after that its a 62.5kW charger in Auburn and Level 2 chargers.

I keep going back and forth on if I should take the Lightning or the family minivan purely out of convenience. The last thing I want to do is have to stop and charge for an hour with the cranky kids and upset wife. I could charge on 120VAC at the house we're staying at or even a Level 2 charger a mile away if I want to leave my truck there for hours, but is it worth it? I'm struggling.

Also, the mi/Kwhr is unknown when the temps will be in the 20s, cabin heat cranking, etc.

Who's taking the trip with the family and in a similar position? The comfort, safety and enjoyable driving experience of the truck is why I want to go for it. It'll be my first public charging and range anxiety experience.

That's another concern.... increased traffic. I keep looking at ABRP and PlugShare assuming that the stations that I may hit will be available when I get here. I can't imagine pulling in, seeing them all filled up, wait an hour for my turn and then another hour to charge. My wife, 3yo, 5yo and 7yo will freak out.

Honestly, I tend to agree. It's just the unknown of the Rumford, ME area. I'm trying to use ABRP at 666watts per mile. That's about 1.5 miles/kwhr which is think is fair with cold temps, highway speeds and heat on. It's suggesting like you said. Hit the Scarborough WA on the way up to fast charge to 80%. 120VAC charge while staying at the house for 24hrs. Then Kennebunk on the way back.

I think it's the kid and wife factor that gives me anxiety more than anything else. No way can I justify driving home at night, kids sleeping in the back, and pull over for 30 minutes in Scarborough.

If there's a lot of traffic, there will be a lot of people charging. ABRP allows you to change the reference mileage at 65mph. If you're getting 2.1 in warm weather on highway, then using 1.5 might be ok. I'd use 1.3.

Keep in mind that using 110v, you will get about 1kW per hour. That's it. So 24kW total. 24 x 1.3 = 31 miles of range.

Your planning is good. Assuming you won't have one stop without a 1 hour wait, is not logical. Plan for it. Oh - Ford suggests turning off the heat during DC charging to allow the battery to get all of it. Use seat heaters, and have people wear coats and put blankets on their legs.

 

[hturnerfamily]

You're saying they both are going to college in different places and they each live in a camper near their college?

yep - and they love it

 

[Joneii]

Going PA to SC and back over the holiday. Probably 1500 miles. The charging infrastructure is decent, except near the destination. I, the wife and kids have already done 700 miles towing with sketchy infrastructure, so I think this trip will be quite relaxing comparatively.

 

[boggle]

As somebody that has driven to up to St. Agatha numerous times 1.5 hours into Maine is hardly the boonies. Past Bangor ABRP has me drive into Canada to charge. Ford needs to get their dealerships equipped with L2 if they want any hope of getting these trucks adopted out in the sticks.

 

[GDN]

As somebody that has driven to up to St. Agatha numerous times 1.5 hours into Maine is hardly the boonies. Past Bangor ABRP has me drive into Canada to charge. Ford needs to get their dealerships equipped with L2 if they want any hope of getting these trucks adopted out in the sticks.

They have L2 - which is 240 volt chargers, but almost all are behind locked gates which aren't accessible after hours. They are working on DCFC at the EV dealerships, but I bet those aren't even in place a year from now.

I know that DCFC is very likely what you meant, but it gets into semantics and someone that doesn't know may not understand.

 

[boggle]

They have L2 - which is 240 volt chargers, but almost all are behind locked gates which aren't accessible after hours. They are working on DCFC at the EV dealerships, but I bet those aren't even in place a year from now.

I know that DCFC is very likely what you meant, but it gets into semantics and someone that doesn't know may not understand.

DCFC would be great, but I imagine most of these dealers in the sticks are put off by the initial investments required and will not be EV certified for some time. For such dealers I would be content with L2 in these times of desperation, but they would need to be accessible around the clock as you mention is currently not the case.

 

[Blainestang]

yep - and they love it

Never even occurred to me that could be an option. Obviously it depends on the university’s location, but I like the idea. Did you buy the camper and land, then? And then at the end you own it rather than paying rent for dorms or whatever.

 

[GDN]

Never even occurred to me that could be an option. Obviously it depends on the university’s location, but I like the idea. Did you buy the camper and land, then? And then at the end you own it rather than paying rent for dorms or whatever.

I know we are off topic here, but my brother did similar. We had friends with kids a few years older than his. The friends bought a trailer house that was set up on a lot. His kids lived in it while in college. The friends sold it to my brother for what they paid for it. My brothers two boys lived in it for 6 years and then my brother sold it for what he paid for it. Some of the cheapest college housing you could find.

 

[VTbuckeye]

DCFC would be great, but I imagine most of these dealers in the sticks are put off by the initial investments required and will not be EV certified for some time. For such dealers I would be content with L2 in these times of desperation, but they would need to be accessible around the clock as you mention is currently not the case.

Even a fcsp at 80 amp (commercial 208V would give 16kw)(less than the Chevy dealerships with 25kw DC charging). Though not as fast as DCFC it would be better than 6.4kw L2 charging. It is the holiday peak travel that would have me concerned about long drives in the EV. Luckily we don't have a long drive, and if we did there is always the phev parked next to the garage.

 

[Coolbreeze704]

I tend to agree. But, when I run my 100ft extension cord to charge off the 120VAC outlet at the house, the EV naysayers will make their comments then!

I would plan your trip so you find a fast charger as close to their home and do a full charge before arrive.

 

[hturnerfamily]

Never even occurred to me that could be an option. Obviously it depends on the university’s location, but I like the idea. Did you buy the camper and land, then? And then at the end you own it rather than paying rent for dorms or whatever.

exactly: bought two very inexpensive campers, $6k or so each, and rent the land they sit on, which for both was an existing 'old' mobilehome location, so the electricity, water, and sewer were existing infrastructure that is otherwise expensive.

 

[Blainestang]

exactly: bought two very inexpensive campers, $6k or so each, and rent the land they sit on, which for both was an existing 'old' mobilehome location, so the electricity, water, and sewer were existing infrastructure that is otherwise expensive.

Seems like a great idea

 

[Blainestang]

I know we are off topic here, but my brother did similar. We had friends with kids a few years older than his. The friends bought a trailer house that was set up on a lot. His kids lived in it while in college. The friends sold it to my brother for what they paid for it. My brothers two boys lived in it for 6 years and then my brother sold it for what he paid for it. Some of the cheapest college housing you could find.

Yeah, seems like a pretty good option!

 

[skyak]

Heading to Big Bend for the week with travel trailer so will be taking the F250

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