Electric Winter Camping Trips in Montana. Used Rivian Charging Station

[YellowstoneLightning]

I've been scheming a camping setup for winter that doesn't kill range but can keep me warm. I ended up getting a flated inflatable topper that I can store easily with somewhat limited space. To that, I've added a good truck bed mattress and a tiny 200 watt electric heater. There's a place I like to go backcountry snowboarding that is only about 100 miles from my house through Yellowstone National Park, and there is a brand new Rivian fast charger on the way that really just eliminated any concerns about range and using extra energy for heat.

For the first trip, I only stayed one night, running the little space heater in the bed all night long with the truck on with pro power onboard going. With the truck on and the space heater running all night, I only used 4% battery.

I can also report that I stayed nice and toasty all night. I should caveat that it was not as cold as normal, probably only getting into the 20s at night (usually in this location it drops below zero at night).

I just wanted to share this successful test with anyone considering winter camping in the bed of their lightning with an electric heater. So far, it seems like a really good option. I'll be heading back down there a few more times this winter and I'll report again if anything goes differently from the first test night.

 

[Maxx]

This is how we do camping in Maryland in winter:

 

[Maquis]

This is how we do camping in Maryland in winter:

The only thing missing is snifter of cognac.

 

[Maxx]

How did charging at Rivian worked? I didn’t know they were open to us. Did you need an account or a credit card works?

 

[YellowstoneLightning]

They opened up to the public recently. I'm not sure if they are all open to us--this one just came online and was open to everyone from the start. It's a good interface that doesn't require an app. Plug in then pay with a tap card/phone wallet. The charge speeds were just ok, but that might have been due to battery condition in the cold.

 

[MTcowpoke]

Thank you! Found it, recognized the bridge in the back ground. This will make running around Yellowstone much easier. The only other game that I know of on our side is the Sinclair.

 

[YellowstoneLightning]

Thank you! Found it, recognized the bridge in the back ground. This will make running around Yellowstone much easier. The only other game that I know of on our side is the Sinclair.

This one is significantly faster than the sinclair. Time will tell whether it's as reliable. Great to have some redundancy down there now.

 

[Joe.....Montana]

That Sinclair charger is brutal. Took the truck to Yellowstone last summer. Both times I went to charge at Sinclair someone else was there and had to trickle on the 6kwh until the "fast" charger opened up. Pulled up PlugShare the other day to see if there were any new chargers in MT and saw the Rivian in Gardiner.

 

[Heybucket]

How did charging at Rivian worked? I didn’t know they were open to us. Did you need an account or a credit card works?

I heard that they were going to open up to non Rivian EV. But not sure if it’s a slow roll. So far only known RAN site open to us is Joshua Tree. It was pricy but easy to use just used Apple Pay on my watch!

 

[OCSTEVE39]

This is how we do camping in Maryland in winter:

THAT's campin!

 

[FloridaMan655321]

This is how we do camping in Maryland in winter:

I assume this is one of those "AI" created images? Because the smoke is not leaving this room lol

 

[Maxx]

I assume this is one of those "AI" created images? Because the smoke is not leaving this room lol

It is definitely digitally composed but I am not sure if AI has done it. Pillow shadow looks off. The whole couch seems pasted on and the fire place seem to be developed in a 3D modeling program. All that said, it still looks better that where OP was sleeping to me

 

[Rip]

I've been scheming a camping setup for winter that doesn't kill range but can keep me warm. I ended up getting a flated inflatable topper that I can store easily with somewhat limited space. To that, I've added a good truck bed mattress and a tiny 200 watt electric heater. There's a place I like to go backcountry snowboarding that is only about 100 miles from my house through Yellowstone National Park, and there is a brand new Rivian fast charger on the way that really just eliminated any concerns about range and using extra energy for heat.

For the first trip, I only stayed one night, running the little space heater in the bed all night long with the truck on with pro power onboard going. With the truck on and the space heater running all night, I only used 4% battery.

I can also report that I stayed nice and toasty all night. I should caveat that it was not as cold as normal, probably only getting into the 20s at night (usually in this location it drops below zero at night).

I just wanted to share this successful test with anyone considering winter camping in the bed of their lightning with an electric heater. So far, it seems like a really good option. I'll be heading back down there a few more times this winter and I'll report again if anything goes differently from the first test night.

Curious...how did you get the Rivian charger to work? I have only tried it once, and got an error message saying it was not compatible. Do you have to join a Rivian network or use a Rivian app or something?

 

[YellowstoneLightning]

Curious...how did you get the Rivian charger to work? I have only tried it once, and got an error message saying it was not compatible. Do you have to join a Rivian network or use a Rivian app or something?

Plug in then tap card. They just started the process of opening up their network. This station came online a few weeks ago and has been open to all from the start.

 

[Brons2]

I think this is really cool, but I'm never going to camp in the bed of the Lightning unless they make at least a 6.5 bed version as I'm 6'7". Even laying diagnally I don't know if I would fit stretched out. Perhaps if someone makes a tent that also incorporates the tailgate as part of the design, that might work.

On a side note, thank you for trying the Rivian network, as the Rivian adventure station in Cisco, TX is best for driving from Central TX to Lubbock, when I look on Plugshare. There is a charging desert NW of the Austin area until you get to I-20. Lubbock itself is another issue for CCS charging, but they do have Ford compatible Tesla superchargers now.

A couple of years ago my parents got stuck on an L2 charger in Lubbock with their ID.4 for something like 4 or 5 hours to get enough juice to make it to EA in Sweetwater, TX. And they ended up driving to Sweetwater going 60 with no AC on in the middle of summer, just to make it. Dad just "had" to get home that night. I had told them not to go that way at that time because I was following their trip steps using ABRP. Being the concerned son that I am when your 70-something parents are driving across the country with their EV that has no Tesla Supercharger compatibility. What could possibly go wrong...

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