CD4TNF
Well-known member
The rest of the trip range looks good and safe. I agree with your strategy better safe and charge more often than waiting for a tow.
The Miles City to Billings makes me the most nervous. At 1.2 mi/kWh that gives 137 miles of range from 97% to 10%. I would feel more comfortable charging up to 95% to 99% SOC to get thru that leg.
I used the Lightning calculator a owner on this forum made. You must get better than 1.2mi/kWh is how I am interpreting it.
https://lightningcalcs.pages.dev/?battery=131
During the trip, I usually glance at the dash mi/kWh and compare that to what I should ideally get. In this case, getting 1.2+mi/kWh on this segment is good. Seeing 1.1mi/kWh or less is going to need a backup stop.
I looked over PlugShare. Those two cities are the only ones with level 3 chargers. The backup is a level 2 in Custer. Meaning by Custer, you need to decide if you can make it. That's 62 miles between Custer and Billings. So the dash needs to read better than 49% or 77 miles at 1.2 mi/kWh. If it's not, stopping at Custer for an hour or two would make it.
The only other advice is what folks have already said. Driving slower at 55-65mph. If conditions are that bad, you might be driving that anyways.
I'm optimistic you can make it.
Now for my own experience. The lowest temp I've driven with the Lightning was 19F and I got 1.5mi/kWh. I drove through an active moderate snowstorm, plowed highway and got 1.6mi/kWh
The Miles City to Billings makes me the most nervous. At 1.2 mi/kWh that gives 137 miles of range from 97% to 10%. I would feel more comfortable charging up to 95% to 99% SOC to get thru that leg.
I used the Lightning calculator a owner on this forum made. You must get better than 1.2mi/kWh is how I am interpreting it.
https://lightningcalcs.pages.dev/?battery=131
During the trip, I usually glance at the dash mi/kWh and compare that to what I should ideally get. In this case, getting 1.2+mi/kWh on this segment is good. Seeing 1.1mi/kWh or less is going to need a backup stop.
I looked over PlugShare. Those two cities are the only ones with level 3 chargers. The backup is a level 2 in Custer. Meaning by Custer, you need to decide if you can make it. That's 62 miles between Custer and Billings. So the dash needs to read better than 49% or 77 miles at 1.2 mi/kWh. If it's not, stopping at Custer for an hour or two would make it.
The only other advice is what folks have already said. Driving slower at 55-65mph. If conditions are that bad, you might be driving that anyways.
I'm optimistic you can make it.
Now for my own experience. The lowest temp I've driven with the Lightning was 19F and I got 1.5mi/kWh. I drove through an active moderate snowstorm, plowed highway and got 1.6mi/kWh
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