Living in The Lightning On The Road -- Almost a Year and Counting

[Heybucket]

Thanks for report and safe travels!

glad to hear you are making it work and for giving us all hope lol! We have done 6 national parks since getting truck. We have a 3000#popup and avg 1.7kWh.

Once you get your Tesla adapter it hopefully should be a game changer! It’s made it so easy to travel (at least in western states!). Over new years we did 2000 miles (Grand Canyon/joshua tree) (no trailer stayed in hotels/family) , 15 DCFC and 10 were SC. Only had to wait 1 time! And it was maybe 15 min for 2 slots to open. All others had >20 stalls so no need to wait. Also saved maybe $80 by getting a Tesla membership as most times it was cheaper than EA. Funny with cold/speed of AZ highways we avg 1.8kWh almost like having the trailer lol.
Good luck!

Sponsored

 

[Jseis]

I enjoyed reading your report and comments. In the 70’s I car camped a fair amount in a ‘62 VW Type 2 WestFalia and enjoyed the available USFS, BLM, state & county camping areas, many off the beaten path and very inexpensive/free. I always packed 5 gallons of gas, a canoe, couple bikes. Some of the most fun adventures ever. Didn’t know I was “overlanding”. That portal axle narrow Type 2 was amazing “off road” .

50 years ago our alternative fuels were propane, Coleman fuel, “white” gas, wood, candles (yep), etc. Nowadays battery tech has really helped with lighting, communications, computers, GPS, navigation, etc. Devices I’d never dreamed about using a half century ago. Could a reasonable portable-mast wind generator assist in any significant way for longer stays in coastal or windy places?

In our area power is .0634$/kWh. Very inexpensive. A few L2 chargers (motel-hotel) but zip on DCFC. Some RV types buy a lot with septic, water well, power and that makes for a uh, getaway. Though we locals get weary of the weekend warrior drunks. It’d be more than a modest investment nowadays. I do see a price wars for e-chargers happening eventually but not for a few years.

Thanks again for posting.

 

[The Weatherman]

- we downsized from a diesel-pusher Class A Motorhome, having traveled across the country, to all contiguous states, most all provinces of Canada, and ALASKA, and loved it, to a 'tiny' 20' single-axle 3,800lb Camper, with queen-walkaround, and dining room slide... behind the LIGHTNING Pro SR... 'plugged in' to ProPower, AS WE TRAVEL.

- we no longer worry about campgrounds - we have our own power. We bring our own bottled water, and can get some 'showering' water, in the tank, and for the water heater, whenever we do hit a campground, but mostly never travel with water in the tank. We dump when we can.
It frees us up to travel 'spontaneously', with more intent to find DC Fast Chargers, or other charging options, versus 'having to be at campgrounds.
Walmarts and other big box parking lots are like Tesla Superchargers, too: we have a LOT more options.

- since the LIGHTNING has ProPower output, everything 'electric' is no problem. Even wifi/internet. We simply carry our T-MOBILE Home Internet device everywhere we go - it simply is 'plugged in' to a 120v outlet, whether in the camper, or in the truck, providing constant INTERNET, always. We've never traveled anywhere yet where there was any real signal issue. But, we also have our AT&T iPhone hotspots, too, so a 'back up' is always available, one way or the other.

You might be interested in the Pebble. It’s an all electric motor propulsion assit travel trailer.

 

[Granger Ford]

It has been some time since I have posted. But I hope my experiences living "Homeless" on the road for almost a year might be of interest to other Lightning Owners. I am homeless by choice, having sold almost everything to live "light" as a constantly moving individual.

I have travelled nearly 30,000 miles from Maine to San Diego and North Carolina twice and from the Great Lakes to Texas in my early '22 Lariat ER. Most of my lodging has been in hotels and B & B's but In October I picked up my new 14 foot Bean teardrop trailer in Utah. Because of weather I just began camping out fulltime just after Christmas here at the Salton Sea State Park, near Palm Springs, CA. Lately, I have been surprised that more middle-tier hotels offer a 30A EV Charge Station (sometimes free).

Now at about 40k miles, my truck battery shows no degradation. In fact, it actually is getting better. I am very conservative and normally drive around 55 mph, especially while towing my 3000# trailer (400# tongue weight). There are so many variables of temperature, humidity, wind, aerodynamics, speed and elevation that it is folly to tell someone my MPG (eMPG). Overall, without towing, I average 2.5-2.9 kW/mile, and 1.5-2.1 kW/mile with trailer. With my preferred reserve (25%) I drive trailer-less about 225 miles station to station, and 125 miles with trailer. But adjustments must be made frequently depending on conditions, such as my trips over the Rockies or the cold and snow. I normally fast charge to 90%.

I have DC Fast Charged hundreds of time coast to coast, normally at Electrify America. In the early days they were awful but now seem to be getting much better, especially at their newer updated stations. Here on the West Coast things are worse than back East; more broken or full. I have often had to go to my EVGO and Chargepoint backups with their higher cost. I have yet to receive my Tesla adapter and once when I tried a Rivian station it was packed.

Nearly everyday I ride around my locations 10+ miles/day on my Aventon Sinch 2.5 ebike. While at hotels this is my transportation around towns. Several months ago, while at a hotel, my old bike, a chained and locked Lectric 3.0, was stolen.

Normally I carry an AT&T 5G mobile hotspot for internet and tv streaming connections but out here in the desert I am forced to rely on my Lightning mobile wifi, which has been very reliable everywhere I have been. I am happy to pay the $20/month as my backup.

Currently, I am at a semi-primitive state campsite ($8/day) for a week with power supplied from my truck. Every other week I switch to a powered site ($28/day) with a 30A plug and water. I have to bell down from a 30A to a 120V plug to charge at about 1%/hour (up to 90%). When the nighttime temperatures become liveable in late February I will be camping mostly at desert dispursed sites heading east back to Kentucky for the springtime.

I would be happy to answer any questions members might have about this truck's abilities towing or camping. My truck has been mostly bug-free for the past 2+ years.

Thank you for showing your experience with your Lightning! I enjoyed your post and will look forward to hearing more! You are doing a fun thing and in your Lightning is even better!

 

[Joe.....Montana]

You might be interested in the Pebble. It’s an all electric motor propulsion assit travel trailer.

Doubt he's looking to drop 100 grand...but the Pebbles look pretty awesome.

 

[Sdctcher]

I have followed the development of both the Pebble and Lightship for the past few years and I believe it will not just be their $100K+ price tags that doom them to eventual failure. They are both based on "current" battery technology and will certainly be obsolete before they reach a scale they will have a mass market. It will only happen after solid state battery production becomes available, which we all hope for year after passing year.

 

[Brons2]

Cool thread, thanks. I hope I have the health and the mental acuity to do the things you are doing when I'm almost 80. Probably should have never played football but it is what it is.

 

[The Weatherman]

Doubt he's looking to drop 100 grand...but the Pebbles look pretty awesome.

He could get a Lightship. It’s $250k.

 

[hturnerfamily]

You might be interested in the Pebble. It’s an all electric motor propulsion assit travel trailer.

not for me.... $175k 'camper' is asking a little too much for such a simple vehicle...

 

[DVader2023]

[How fast is your Lightning mobile wifi? Any limits on data?]

It is the unlimted AT&T $20/mo. plan you can add to the Lightning. It is 5G and I get fast streaming coverage most everywhere I have been, surprisingly even places I go blank with my ipad and iphone 5g cell coverage. But I also carry an unlimted AT&T mobile hotspot so the truck is my backup.

[And how do you like the camper? Do you recommend it?]

I love my Bean but it can be expensive. My model is the Meaner Bean that is outfitted with every option except air conditioning. Base I believe is around $35K but mine is closer to $50K. I have hot water, furnace, awning and annex, shower, 2 105a Lithiums, 1000w inverter, 140w removable solar, fridge and propane stove, running water (17g), 3500# axeles, front storage, rock sliders, and articulating hitch. I like how it is heavy duty and well insulated one piece composite. It is set up for off-grid and off-road.

[I like you telling people, Lightning is not always Lightning fast]

HA! Yes, I can beat most everyone off the line but choose to drive like an old lady at 55 and go twice as far.

Thanks for the questions and comments.

Great notes.

Question: Why propane stove? I've been thinking about a 'Bean' and wondered about having an all electric trailer system.

 

[Sdctcher]

I am super conservative so always want as many back ups as possible. I seldom use the stove (especially poor in the winds one finds while camping) but if I need to conserve my electric reserve (for instance I am miles from the nearest fast charge station) I will put my electric hotplate and oven away and turn up the temperature on my fridge.

In the same manner I have a 1000 watt inverter off my two 105A batteries that I seldom use, but they add to my reserves. In decent weather I can conserve and not have to use my truck to power everything I really need in the Bean (AC & DC). In an extreme pinch I can connect the inverter to my mobile charger and eck out about 5 more miles of range in a few hours.

It is helpful to imagine camping with all the appliances (hotplate, fan, fridge, lights, water pump, water heater, furnace, and USBs) you will use and add up the watts each will use for each hour. Note that in the Bean both the water heater and furnace require 120v input so that is when I connect my AC inverter to the AC input to the camper for short periods and allow my solar to try to keep up with my usage.

 

[Sdctcher]

Lightning + Bean =

Just thought I would add a post about how well my Bean Trailer meshes with my Lightning. I did my research for months before the purchase and this was the only one that fit my requirements.

First, being over 6 foot, I needed a teardrop where I could not just sleep in a full queen, but also sit up comfortably with an inside table (for inclement weather) and couch. The Bean was the only choice. I also carry a portable Thetford toilet that fits in my storage, even though most of the time public toilets are readily available.

It had to be the best availablle aerodynamic shape and with storage container onboard the distance between truck and camper is minimal. The Bean is also just a few inches taller than my truck and I carry a full tonneau. I choose to carry my foldable ebike in the bed rather than on a carrier behind the camper as to not disrupt airflow.

I wanted to stay away from "stick and seam" campers because of rugged offgrid travels. The Bean is all composite and has no upper seams to leak or move and rub. This brand holds it value well over time.

My original weight requirement was nearer 2000 lbs. but I ended up with loaded weight of nearer 3000 lbs, and a tongue weight of nearer 400 lbs. The only downside of the higher weight is pulling hills and starting out from a complete stop (better slowly). After that, weight on flat land makes little difference. And at 55 mph (wind adjusted) aerodynamics play little part in kW/mile.

The trailer pulls like a dream and I am completely sold on my articulating hitch, especially because it makes the camper hard to steal.

Sponsored