Long road trip? Drive faster for less total travel time

[WoodChips]

Good point Ihave the impression that charging stations along those stretches are in short supply. You have to divert to a town to find one.

I've looked at ABRP more than a few times. Many of the charge locations in Idaho are level 2 with a few fast chargers mixed in but somewhat limited, you wouldn't want to miss one if you're wanting to hold to a schedule. You can plan a decent route but jumping on and off the interstate to maximize your speed and limit your stops isn't as easy as other areas.

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[badger4149]

Nor is it simply "30 minutes from 10-80%." Its time getting off the freeway. Finding the stall. Getting your adapter out. Initiating charge in app or p.o.s., time getting back on the freeway, etc.

I love studying stuff like this, so not trying to be a hater. But I'd venture to say every "30 min 10-80%" dream is closer to 45 min when its said and done.

It also does not account for higher charging expense. I'll be taking my 3rd 2k+ road trip later this month (R1S Tri). I take my time, and stop and see the sights along the way. It's not about the destination, but the journey.

Adventure on!

 

[asellus]

I take my time, and stop and see the sights along the way. It's not about the destination, but the journey.

teach me your ways.

when I'm on the road it's just go go go. a semi-regular 650 mile trip is usually a sub-9 hour ordeal for me.

maybe I'm just too cheap for a hotel.

 

[badger4149]

teach me your ways.

when I'm on the road it's just go go go. a semi-regular 650 mile trip is usually a sub-9 hour ordeal for me.

maybe I'm just too cheap for a hotel.

Well, first of all, I'm retired, so life is a bit more relaxed than it used to be. When I'm on my road trips, I generally alternate - one night in the Rivian and one night in a hotel. In both cases, I seek out free level-2 charging options. This is not uncommon at hotels, but it is a bit more challenging in the Rivian nights. Still, I've had pretty good success sleeping in government or college parking lots and getting a free charge. I also purchase a Tesla membership (available month-to-month for $12.95/mo plus any taxes). When you have to pay, unless you find an IONNA charging station, I find Tesla to be easily the cheapest and best option. On my road trips I do not have a set schedule, itinerary, or deadline. I seek out interesting stops and off-the-beaten-path side trips along the way. I have done a 2,000 mile trip, a 5,000 mile trip, and have another 2,000 mile trip planned for later this month.

Best wishes, and adventure on!

 

[CharonPDX]

Just for fun, I asked Claude to estimate how long it would take to do a 2000 mile road trip in the R2 at various speeds. I used a pretty reasonable efficiency curve (3.15 mpk at 65, 2.74 at 75, 2.39 at 85) and charging speed (30 minutes 10-80%) as assumptions.

Turns out that, taking charging into account, you're better off driving faster. Total travel time decreases steadily up to over 100 mph. Less efficiency at higher speed means more charging stops, but you make up for it in actual driving time.

So if you're doing a shortish trip and trying to just get there without having to charge, then go a bit slower. But if you really want to eat some miles, forget about the efficiency vs speed and just go as fast as you're comfortable.

I made a spreadsheet for this a few years ago, that took into account lower efficiency and charge overhead of more charge stops at higher speeds - yep, for basically every distance, "faster = faster".

(I forget what vehicle the currently-entered distances were for. The idea what you would change those for your vehicle. )

Mine also doesn't take into account charge curves of different vehicles or available charge speeds.

Yeah, "30 minutes 10-80%" is great - if it's a fast enough charger and there's no line. I'm planning a trip now, and there are some strange tradeoffs I'm having to make. It's a trip towing a trailer, which also skews *A LOT*. Towing a trailer at 80 MPH, and there are stretches where I'd run out of energy between possible charging stations. And in a couple possible routes, while a non-towing vehicle could make it from one 220+kW station to the next 220+kW station no problem, while towing, if I want that route, I'd have to stop at a 50kW station for over an hour and a half! Clearly in that instance, a "slower route" might actually be faster overall, because I won't be forced to stop and charge for nearly two hours at a 50kW station.

 

[iansriv]

I just can't drive slow. There I've said it. You now know what my friends and family have long suspected-I'm addicted to speed! I'm half joking. I've tried to go slow but it's impossible with everyone flying by so, I just go with the flow of traffic. Have not been paying attention to the time difference and efficiency because you see; I have a problem.

 

[asellus]

Clearly in that instance, a "slower route" might actually be faster overall, because I won't be forced to stop and charge for nearly two hours at a 50kW station.

does the trailer profiling in the rivian take this into account?

seems like it's be relatively straightforward with the ABRP backend and all the data available in the moment.

I have this pipe dream that an R2 will be able to tow a 7x12 SA enclosed trailer at any sort of reasonable efficiency, but even at 1.2 mi/kwh, from Minneapolis to Road America that's 4-5 stops one way.

 

[CharonPDX]

does the trailer profiling in the rivian take this into account?

seems like it's be relatively straightforward with the ABRP backend and all the data available in the moment.

I have this pipe dream that an R2 will be able to tow a 7x12 SA enclosed trailer at any sort of reasonable efficiency, but even at 1.2 mi/kwh, from Minneapolis to Road America that's 4-5 stops one way.

From what I can tell, it does.

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