Last Minute Memorial Day Camping trip EV or ICE?

[Luckyduckie]

So we're trying to do a last minute camping trip from the Bay Area (Fremont) to Pinnacles National Park (no reservations for campgrounds, trying our luck with walk-in). Distance seems very do-able for the EV:

Approximate miles
Fremont to Hollister - 70 miles
Hollister to Pinnacles - 34 miles
Pinnacles to King City - 31 miles
King City to Salinas - 50 miles
Salinas to Fremont - 70 miles
2 or 3 day trip


BUT, this is a family (2 adults + 2 kids) trip with all the typical luggage (both physical and mental) that comes with taking 3 girls camping! The thought of all the time spent charging plus not having a spare tire in case of flat is giving me second thoughts.

Do I take the EV or ICE? Am I a "chicken" or just being a responsible parent? What would you do?

 

[Terran]

According to PlugShare, there is a NEMA 14-50 and TT-30 outlet at the Pinnacles Campground. If you can bring a compatible mobile charger it shouldn't be an issue.

Address of the location of the outlet is:
2400 California 146 Paicines, CA 95043
(831) 389-4538

Not sure the cost to plug in.

 

[mark_rivers19]

So we're trying to do a last minute camping trip from the Bay Area (Fremont) to Pinnacles National Park (no reservations for campgrounds, trying our luck with walk-in). Distance seems very do-able for the EV:

Approximate miles
Fremont to Hollister - 70 miles
Hollister to Pinnacles - 34 miles
Pinnacles to King City - 31 miles
King City to Salinas - 50 miles
Salinas to Fremont - 70 miles
2 or 3 day trip


BUT, this is a family (2 adults + 2 kids) trip with all the typical luggage (both physical and mental) that comes with taking 3 girls camping! The thought of all the time spent charging plus not having a spare tire in case of flat is giving me second thoughts.

Do I take the EV or ICE? Am I a "chicken" or just being a responsible parent? What would you do?

Use the ICE.
Save yourself the " range anxiety" and hours at charging location.

Our electric cars are driven 90% of the time in a normal work week.
Weekends/ Vegas trips and other 300plus miles are for the gas guzzlers.
That's our made up rule in the house.

 

[smkettner]

If you need to charge en route to make the destination.... take the ICE and focus on some holiday fun.

 

[TonyWilliams]

Approximate miles
Fremont to Hollister - 70 miles
Hollister to Pinnacles - 34 miles
Pinnacles to King City - 31 miles
King City to Salinas - 50 miles
Salinas to Fremont - 70 miles
2 or 3 day trip

I would take the Rav4 EV is you had confirmed reservations at campgrounds with NEMA 14-50 (so-called "50 amp" service at RV parks).

I assume you'll camp at Pinnacles, so that's an easy 104 mile trip. Extremely easy to do.

Wake up, and with a full charge, you can make the entire rest of the trip with just a small amount of charging somewhere (about 2 hours total). If you camp a second night in King City, or Salinas, well that whole trip is almost too easy, since it would require no enroute charging. Just fully charge again, overnight at King City or Salinas.

Do you have something that can plug into a NEMA 14-50 (like a JESLA) and pull 40 amps? If not, then I absolutely would not do it.

 

[ggodman]

ICE