Best way to drive from San Francisco to LA using JdeMO???

Hi forum members,

Any tips on the best route to get from San Francisco to Los Angeles using CHAdeMO stations? I am planning to do this drive soon. I wanted to see if you all who have gone before me have pointers or any other advice about optimizing the trip. How long would it take with the Rav4 including all of the charging stops?

Thanks in advance for any tips ^_^

evdrive said:

Hi forum members,

Any tips on the best route to get from San Francisco to Los Angeles using CHAdeMO stations? I am planning to do this drive soon. I wanted to see if you all who have gone before me have pointers or any other advice about optimizing the trip. How long would it take with the Rav4 including all of the charging stops?

Thanks in advance for any tips ^_^

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When you go the 101, the only problem is between Salinas & San Louis Obispo
Charge it as much as you can (i did something like 93%) using the QC in Salinas
and drive 50mph to SLO.
You should make it with 10+ miles of range
From SLO go to the one in Solvang (Santa Ynez) and take the 154 route to end up in Santa Barbara again along the cost

I try to charge to 83% with the QC and try not to touch the lowest 2 bars (about 20 miles of range left)
Apart from the above, should be smooth ride

Sounds good. I'll try this route.

I highly recommend having the NRG / eVgo monthly subscription of $14.95.

Thanks Tony and Fromport.

I left Berkeley fully charged,
took the 880 south to the 101 south stopping to charge in Gilroy,
topped off in Salinas,
drove 127 miles to San Luis Obispo,
I landed in SLO with 15 miles range and 3 bars by taking the Catleman's road parallel to 101 for 8 miles and drove 30mph to make sure I made it,
Drove from SLO to Santa Barbara and filled up,
Drove from Sata Barbara to Anaheim,
Arrived at Disneyland with 3 bars 18 miles range.

460 miles, four full charges at EVgo stations. Left at 6:30am and arrived in LA at 7:00pm, bought food at whole goods (no charging), arrived at my destination in Anaheim at 9:00pm.

Average speed was 50-55mph.

Big thanks to Tony's quick charge option and Governor Browns Office for punishing NRG for getting caught ripping off ratepayers and installing quick charge stations as said punishment.

On the way back, not so lucky, flat tire. Luckily 20 miles from a town with a tire store, Sata Maria. Toyota paid for a tow, thanks safety connect free for 3 years. The tire patch goo of course did not work. It's a garbage solution. Next time, I'll bring a spare. I want to mount the spare to a bike rack in the tow receiver.

Had to charge in Paso Robles at the park and ride for a half an hour on L2 and made it back to Salinas with 6 miles range VLB warning. . 5 charge stops on the way back including 4 full quick charges and the 30 minute L2 that should have been an hour.

Overall a good first voyage using all quick chargers on the way there. When we get quick chargers every 40 miles ideally or at least every 80 miles on major roads, we'll be in great shape for everyone to adopt EV's. We'll need lots of bays like 10-20 in each location, then nobody will.

I'm excited about where were going with long range EV's.

Northbound 101 tends to be into a headwind, so that's why you had to charge more between SLO and Salinas than the opposite direction. If we could just get a 50kW fast charger in King City it would be a cake walk.

evdrive said:

Average speed was 50-55mph... On the way back, not so lucky, flat tire... 4 full quick charges and the 30 minute L2 that should have been an hour.

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I want to emphasize that the ideal speed while making a 500 mile trip is about 70-75mph. Of course, that speed doesn't apply if you have to slow down just to make the next charger (like 127 miles from Salinas to San Luis Obispo), but if you have ubiquitous fast charging opportunities, then 70-75mph is the ideal speed. Here's a graphic that I did:





I put a jack, a lug wrench and a spare tire (mine is from a Nissan Altima, but a Toyota Camry would work) in a heavy duty black plastic bag and throw it in the back of the car for long trips. Cheap and simple.

Public charging on J1772 (208 volt @ 30 amps) is about 1/3 slower than at an RV park using "50 amp service" at 240 volts and 40 amps. Of course, you need a JESLA or similar product that can plug into the RV park.

miimura said:

Northbound 101 tends to be into a headwind, so that's why you had to charge more between SLO and Salinas than the opposite direction. If we could just get a 50kW fast charger in King City it would be a cake walk.

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Can't wait, We're almost there. There are becoming a good amount of fast chargers in CA. Making progress.

Posted this on FB but got no response.

Anyone taken HWY 99, SF to LA or vice versa? Looks like 2 new CHAdeMO location at Holiday Inn Express in Merced and Selma. Only weakest link might be Bakersfield Nissan, otherwise it would be a better route than 101?

Driving 50 mph from Salinas to SLO w/o DCFC is too painful!

I highly recommend having the NRG / eVgo monthly subscription of $14.95.

Do Nissan dealers usually let Toyota RAV4 EV's charge on their Chademo chargers? Seems like there are still times when the Nissan dealer is the only game in town.

tcboyd said:

Do Nissan dealers usually let Toyota RAV4 EV's charge on their Chademo chargers? Seems like there are still times when the Nissan dealer is the only game in town.

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If it's a "pay-to-play" vending service (like a Coke machine, use it.

If it's free, you might ask first.

I almost never go to a Nissan dealer.