Is charging in Wisconsin as bad as it looks?

[Wefty]

We will be taking a trip from Chicago to Copper Harbor soon and the charging situation in Wisconsin looks pretty bad. We will have to make some pretty long stops at chargers that make me a little nervous to rely on being up. I'm nervous because there aren't other chargers in their vicinity. This will be my longest trip in the R1T and I have only needed to charge on public chargers a handful of times now. I am still in the range anxious category.

Does anyone have tips for driving Wisconsin from bottom to top and back? The U.P. doesn't look great either. I know there are destination chargers up there but those aren't great for road tripping.

Thanks

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[Dark-Fx]

We will be taking a trip from Chicago to Copper Harbor soon and the charging situation in Wisconsin looks pretty bad. We will have to make some pretty long stops at chargers that make me a little nervous to rely on being up. I'm nervous because there aren't other chargers in their vicinity. This will be my longest trip in the R1T and I have only needed to charge on public chargers a handful of times now. I am still in the range anxious category.

Does anyone have tips for driving Wisconsin from bottom to top and back? The U.P. doesn't look great either. I know there are destination chargers up there but those aren't great for road tripping.

Thanks

There are a couple of 62.5kW chargepoints in houghton/hancock area and a 175kW Juicepump up in copper harbor. I think there are enough slower DCFC options on the way up for you, but it's definitely going to take longer than a trip in an ICE vehicle.

 

[jjswan33]

Not sure what sources you are looking at but there are some chargers that are not on the Rivian NAV for example the 150kW charger that just came online this summer in Prentice.

Also the EA station in Wausau is close allegedly with equipment in the ground that isn’t fired up yet. Edit: EA in Green Bay is also in this same state.

 

[Wefty]

I've been using the Rivian app and ABRP. I see I have to make this more complicated and look around for more chargers.

 

[Budman]

I make frequent trips to the Hayward area in NW WI. Yes, the charging options there are very limited as they are everywhere in the upper midwest.

There is a charger in Trego (a small town near Spooner). Only 50 kW and you will need to download the app for that network (network is called ZEF). ZEF also has a charger in Clam Lake WI.

A brand new charger just opened in Siren. Have not used it but it looks to be unaffiliated with any network.

Plan carefully. Check Plugshare for recent reports on charger reliability.

 

[defcon888]

Look for Camp grounds or RV Parks. Most of them have 14-50 plugs. Yes, it isn't the best option, but, if you get stuck and there is one close by......give up 2 hours and you will get about 30 miles....again, not ideal, but just know that is an option.

 

[Riviot]

I've been using the Rivian app and ABRP. I see I have to make this more complicated and look around for more chargers.

PlugShare

 

[Craigins]

Check plugshare before you leave to make sure any stations you want to use are actually up and running.

Getting to Minocqua/Boulder Junction isn't bad, I make the trip about once a month. But I'm in the western suburbs, so I take 90 up and stop in Madison (walmart Ea) and Stevens Point(chargepoint). Can't wait for the EA in Wausau.

I wouldn't recommend putting the chargers as the destination in the rivian nav system. Preconditioning will eat through a lot of range that you'll need to make it to the charger. Like i navigate to the Walmart, not the charging station in Madison.

 

[rhumbliner]

PlugShare is your friend. Don’t leave home without it.

 

[Wefty]

I wouldn't recommend putting the chargers as the destination in the rivian nav system. Preconditioning will eat through a lot of range that you'll need to make it to the charger. Like i navigate to the Walmart, not the charging station in Madison.

This is definitely not something I would have thought of. Preconditioning probably isn't necessary for lower power charges, right?

 

[Craigins]

This is definitely not something I would have thought of. Preconditioning probably isn't necessary for lower power charges, right?

Correct. Usually the Madison chargers aren't working at full 350kW and the stevens point charger is only 62.5kW. preconditioning is literally just throwing away energy at that point.

 

[downranger12]

We will be taking a trip from Chicago to Copper Harbor soon and the charging situation in Wisconsin looks pretty bad. We will have to make some pretty long stops at chargers that make me a little nervous to rely on being up. I'm nervous because there aren't other chargers in their vicinity. This will be my longest trip in the R1T and I have only needed to charge on public chargers a handful of times now. I am still in the range anxious category.

Does anyone have tips for driving Wisconsin from bottom to top and back? The U.P. doesn't look great either. I know there are destination chargers up there but those aren't great for road tripping.

Thanks

There are twɔ level twos right at the front door of Lambeau Field in Green Bay. Go Pack.
There is a totally free charger at Hy Vee grocery store in Green Bay. I waited till eleven pm and then plugged in all night while visiting my sister's family.

 

[Wefty]

I was just checking routes this morning using ABRP and it came up with something different taking me to an EA charger in Schofield WI. I checked Plugshare and that charger is listed as coming soon. I checked EA and it also says coming soon. You really have to double check everything before leaving. It's too bad because it would cut our charging time for the trip by about an hour.

Edit: Is this charger in Schofield the one people are talking about when mentioning the Wassau site? https://www.plugshare.com/location/527576

 

[Craigins]

How does it cut your charging time by an hour?

Use the ChargePoint in Stevens Point.

Edit: and if your margin to destination depends on those extra 15-20 miles, don't rely on that. You'll get stuck in any adverse weather/road conditions.

Looks like 94 is still the better option.

 

[Vegoelectric]

I drove from northern California to northeast Wisconsin and back. Wyoming and Wisconsin were the worst for charging on the route. As others have said verify with plugshare. My trip was in December and I used ABRP (not built in yet), plugshare, and Google maps to coordinate the best route. Plugshare let's you search for hotels with charging and such like that. It's an adventure...to find charging

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