3400 Mile Road Trip Charging Performance Report

[Denver_Paulie]

Typo: you mean 14-50. These are available at any RV supply as they are used to connect RVs to 14-50R outlets at parks. On the subject of extension cords there are J1772 extension cords available (Amazon) which, with a Tesla Tap, will let you charge from a Tesla Level 2 EVSE even when it is ICED.

Updated my post, so thank you for pointing it out.

I meant to respond to Jesse's email on how he got ICED. With the J1772 extension cord, that possibility gets reduced significantly.

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[ajdelange]

...so the rating appears to be a bit conservative...

It's the lawyers. It is legal (per NEC) to install a 14-50R receptacle on a 40A circuit in which case the derated rating would be 32A. As I guess there are some 14-50 out there hooked up this way to be completely sure that 80% will never be exceeded they assume tht 40A is the case thus costing the 99% of users with 50A circuits 8A. The original Tesla UMC's allowed 40A with the 14-50 adapter. With the current generation they dropped it.

Tesla still sells a "Corded Mobile Connector" for, I think, $200 with a fixed (no adapter) 24-50P plug. As $200 isn't that much Rivian owners might want to think about adding that to their charging kit but then they must be sure that any receptacle they plug it into is indeed 50A or reduce charge rate to 32A in the truck

 

[IRun]

Great to read this as I may be doing a road trip to Denver area later this year. I just did an 800 mile trip Thursday-Saturday from Traverse City, MI to Indianapolis and back. It was my longest trip to date. My efficiency was 2.36 (pretty flat with 8-10mph headwind on the way back north). All EA charging with only one plug that would not work, plus some free RV charging (it would only pull 34 amps on a 50 amp 14-50 plug) at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

A highlight of the trip was parking next to 3 other R1Ts at the EA station in SE Indianapolis! Two of the owners are Rivian employees - great speaking to them!

Heading up to TC early August from Toledo area. I know Cadillac is the last EA FC location up that way but do you know of any decently fast chargers around TC? Staying at Great Wolf Lodge and will be traveling out to Sleeping Bear or around Leelanau peninsula most days. Fastest i've seen on plugshare is at Blaines Farm and Fleet south of town.

 

[bhopkins]

Thanks for the great write up. Planning on doing a similar road trip later this summer from mid-MI to Gunnison, CO. Will watch out for that stretch in KS.

 

[EzMev]

Nice write-up. I'll be a first time EV owner as well, so interesting to see others explore a multi-day road trip!

BTW, what tires/wheels do you have on your Rivian?

Edit: Saw the IG link, 20"'s...look great!

 

[brbecker]

Great to read this as I may be doing a road trip to Denver area later this year. I just did an 800 mile trip Thursday-Saturday from Traverse City, MI to Indianapolis and back. It was my longest trip to date. My efficiency was 2.36 (pretty flat with 8-10mph headwind on the way back north). All EA charging with only one plug that would not work, plus some free RV charging (it would only pull 34 amps on a 50 amp 14-50 plug) at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

A highlight of the trip was parking next to 3 other R1Ts at the EA station in SE Indianapolis! Two of the owners are Rivian employees - great speaking to them!

OMG, I was there. Lol.

 

[fastwheels]

Heading up to TC early August from Toledo area. I know Cadillac is the last EA FC location up that way but do you know of any decently fast chargers around TC? Staying at Great Wolf Lodge and will be traveling out to Sleeping Bear or around Leelanau peninsula most days. Fastest i've seen on plugshare is at Blaines Farm and Fleet south of town.

I've used the Cadillac EA several times - it's never busy, is somewhat trailer friendly (usually) and I normally get over 200 kW for a while. In TC Blain's has the highest charge rate (62.5 kW), but there is a Blink station at Clinch marina that is 50 kW (most in town are 19.2 kW), and another in a parking lot on Hall street (just a block closer to downtown) that I think is 62.5 kW also - but I'm not certain of that, or if it is even operational. I will try to check it this week and edit this post.

Both of those are very close to downtown and the beach so plug in and make a day of it!

FYI - I have been out to Blain's twice since I got the R1T in March to go into the store, and both times the charged was ICEd - so if you plan on using that I suggest you avoid business hours.

If you are driving North and East of TC, there is an EA (350 kW) in Gaylord and CP (125 kW) in Eastport.

 

[CO-rayman]

Totals from Dispensers33.8109.37$0.34$518.121841.96Rivian Trip Distance3,428Rivian Trip Total kWh1,617Charging Loss (kWh)225Cost Per Mile$0.15Average Miles per kWh1.86

Fantastic write up and videos, thanks for sharing!

Is it safe to assume you stopped every 130 miles? Did you make the decision to stop based on when you would reach the next charger or a comfort factor?

 

[Darkon]

Average Miles per kWh

1.86

Nice infos. How did you calculate that 1.86 miles/kWh ? compared to the reported 2.12 from the truck ?

 

[RivianBowerbird]

On your #1 - are you placing the key card at the right place in the door?

#2 - This is a bug in software (it's been in at least the last 2 builds). The vents don't react properly or respond in any meaningful manner to inputs. The fix is to turn off each vent for about 10 seconds, then try again. This will "reset" the vent and you will be able to point it wherever you want.

#3 -As others have said - use recirculate. There's no reason not to.

#4 - All EVs make a lot of noise when cooling systems are blasting or the HVAC is at a high fan speed. My Tesla sounded particularly embarassing when the AC was going. The Rivian at least has some white noise to go with all the fan racket.

 

[hilld]

Here are all the charging stats:

Network	Date	Location	Ending SOC	Charging Mins	Avg Speed	Price/kWh	Total Cost	Total kWh
Electrify America	June 9, 2022	Portage, MI	96%	51	62.35	$0.31	$16.43	53
Electrify America	June 9, 2022	Joilet, IL	87%	37	108.65	$0.39	$20.77	67
Shell Recharge	June 9, 2022	Iowa City, IA		54	163.33	$0.70	$37.11	147
Private	June 9, 2022	Des Moine, IA		90	6.67	$0.00	$0.00	10
Electrify America	June 9, 2022	Waukee, IA	73%	30	138.00	$0.40	$21.39	69
Tru by Hilton	June 10, 2022	Omaha, NE		420	6.57	$0.00	$0.00	46
Electrify America	June 10, 2022	Lincoln, NE	81%	33	121.82	$0.15	$7.83	67
Electrify America	June 10, 2022	Lexington, NE	90%	62	101.61	$0.28	$14.80	105
Electrify America	June 10, 2022	Ogallala, NE	64%	10	174.00	$0.05	$2.49	29
Electrify America	June 10, 2022	Ogallala, NE	86%	22	73.64	$0.10	$5.17	27
Electrify America	June 10, 2022	Fort Morgan, CO	81%	31	127.74	$0.39	$20.46	66
Electrify America	June 11, 2022	Lakewood, CO	74%	26	147.69	$0.37	$19.84	64
Electrify America	June 12, 2022	Frisco, CO	15%	4	105.00	$0.04	$2.17	7
Electrify America	June 12, 2022	Frisco, CO	72%	33	141.82	$0.46	$24.18	78
ChargePoint	June 12, 2022	Estes Park, CO		15	84.00	$0.17	$9.24	21
RV Park	June 12, 2022	Estes Park, CO		660	8.36	$1.61	$85.24	92
ChargePoint	June 12, 2022	Bennett, CO		39	83.08	$0.00	$0.00	54
EV GO	June 13, 2022	Goodland, KS		42	82.86	$0.53	$28.32	58
Electrify America	June 13, 2022	Hays, KS	4%	3	160.00	$0.01	$0.72	8
Electrify America	June 13, 2022	Hays, KS	68%	40	135.00	$0.18	$9.52	90
EV GO	June 14, 2022	McPherson, KS		29	80.69	$0.25	$13.47	39
Electrify America	June 14, 2022	Wichita, KS	86%	57	117.89	$0.26	$13.74	112
Electrify America	June 14, 2022	Vinita, OK	76%	41	137.56	$0.55	$29.14	94
Electrify America	June 15, 2022	Rodgers, AR	82%	36	128.33	$0.45	$23.87	77
Electrify America	June 15, 2022	Lebanon, MO	71%	30	152.00	$0.44	$23.56	76
Electrify America	June 15, 2022	Collinsville, IL	75%	41	131.71	$0.53	$27.90	90
Electrify America	June 16, 2022	Bloomington, IL	82%	38	129.47	$0.48	$25.42	82
Electrify America	June 16, 2022	Joilet, IL	81%	25	115.20	$0.28	$14.88	48
Electrify America	June 16, 2022	Portage, MI	75%	27	146.67	$0.39	$20.46	66
Totals from Dispensers				33.8	109.37	$0.34	$518.12	1841.96
Rivian Trip Distance	3,428
Rivian Trip Total kWh	1,617
Charging Loss (kWh)	225
Cost Per Mile	$0.15
Average Miles per kWh	1.86

I am confused as to the EA charing rates as some of them don't match what they have on their website, such as the IL and IA rates. Did you incur idle fees or something that you added to the average of the rates. I also assume that you have a pass membership as that basically pays itself with 2 or so charges.

On the ICE cars blocking the chargers, does the hotel do anything about that such as contacting the guests to have them move their cars?

 

[RBR1S]

I love the long trip info - except that it makes me want to go on road trips in the R1S I don't have yet.


Question on the EV charging stations being ICED - is there such a thing as a CCS extension cord? A cord that you could carry in the frunk, and plug in to make the cord long enough to charge anyway *like parking right in front of them to block them in while charging*.

 

[rodhx]

I love the long trip info - except that it makes me want to go on road trips in the R1S I don't have yet.


Question on the EV charging stations being ICED - is there such a thing as a CCS extension cord? A cord that you could carry in the frunk, and plug in to make the cord long enough to charge anyway *like parking right in front of them to block them in while charging*.

I haven't seen a CCS extension cord but I have used several EA stations that, if ICEd, the suspension capability of a Rivian would give the option to "jump the curb" and approach from the grassy side, if I was desperate of course.

 

[vollmarj]

Fantastic write up and videos, thanks for sharing!

Is it safe to assume you stopped every 130 miles? Did you make the decision to stop based on when you would reach the next charger or a comfort factor?

Thanks!

For the most part we let the built in navigation tell us when and where to stop for a charge. Every 130 miles seems about right, but I didn't tally that up.

 

[vollmarj]

Nice infos. How did you calculate that 1.86 miles/kWh ? compared to the reported 2.12 from the truck ?

Thanks.

I used the total energy from the charging receipts instead of the energy the truck said we used since that's the amount we had to pay for. The truck only calculates by the amount of energy drawn from the battery pack and doesn't count the energy lost during charging.

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