Planning trip: SF to LA in June

[Luckyduckie]

Driving down to LA in June and staying for 3 weeks. The original plan was to take the old Lexus RX 300 but I'm wondering if I can take the Rav4ev instead (if it's not too inconvenient). I'll be staying with my sister in Rowland Heights and she will have nema 14-50 plug installed in the garage (wires already run in conduit from the breaker box, I just need to send her the correct plug and have it wired up). M-F on weeks 1 & 3 , our daily commute is about 80 miles RT to Toyota Center in El Segundo. Weekends and week 2 will be spent doing the "tourist" thing. So here are my questions:

1.) How long is the drive down from Fremont? If I need to be there by Tuesday afternoon, should I leave on Sunday? (I will bring my Jesla & buy a Jlong for the trip, but JdeMO would have been helpful). Is 101 still the best choice? I've read that the Rabobank clipper creek EVSE are the best bet, is that still the case?

2.) Any recommendations for museums, parks, beaches where we can leave the car charging while we play?

3.) If we decide to take any toll roads in LA, are the Fastrak transponders in LA different? I remember reading about settings for number of passengers (I don't have that on mine, but it's 8 years old)

TIA for and advise or recommendation (even if it's just take ICE).

 

[miimura]

Spend some time with Plugshare and look at your options. The most important part is to bridge the Monterey / Salinas area to at least Atascadero. If you have time to play, I would recommend charging in Monterey instead of Salinas. A short charge in King City is helpful just to make sure you make it to Atascadero or San Luis Obispo. There are lots of charging spots in San Luis Obispo and Morro Bay. I would recommend an overnight stay in that area. Don't drive any faster than the speed limit or you will spend a lot of extra time charging.

 

[DevinL]

It can be done in a day. My SO used the RAV4 to travel between Van Nuys and Hollister and made it. She left Van Nuys at about 5:30AM and reached Hollister around 9PM if I recall. She charged at Rabobanks along the 101 route as these offer higher current charging than most other units.

I've never used a toll road in Southern California in the >20 years I've lived here. There are toll roads in Orange County, but the only thing toll-ish in LA is the HOT (high occupancy toll) lanes. These require the set-able transponder but you can avoid those altogether by simply not travelling in them since HOT lanes are just converted carpool lanes.

 

[TonyWilliams]

I've made the San Diego to LA to San Francisco trip a few times now in the RAV4.

The easy answer is just drive 55mph with cruise control and use PlugShare (they have an app) to find J1772 (L2) public charge stations.

Plan 100-120 miles between stops.

I highly recommend the Rabobank charge stations (because they are able to deliver the full 40 amps that your car can handle).

Fremont

74 miles

Rabobank, 1285 N Davis Rd, Salinas, CA

111 miles

Rabobank, 6950 El Camino Real, Atascadero, CA

116 miles

Rabobank, 5340 Hollister Ave, Santa Barbara, CA
***may be broken***

126 miles

Rowland Heights, CA

Yes, JESLA will allow you to charge at full speed at RV parks using "50 amp service" outlets (NEMA 14-50). There are lots of apps to help you find 50 amp service... I use "All Stays".

That will provide 9.6kW, where normal (other than Rabobank) will only be 30 amps (about 6.2kW). That's a difference between a maximum 5 hour recharge to about 8 hours per charge.

 

[TonyWilliams]

This is a two day trip. I would stay overnight in Atascadero or Paso Robles. There are several hotels in Paso Robles with overnight J1772.

I recommend The Oaks Hotel, 3000 Riverside Ave, Paso Robles, CA 93446-1305.

So, you'll fully charge at home, then leave Sunday morning. Drive 1.5 hours to Salinas. Have lunch, walk, charge for 3 hours.

Drive to Paso Robles. Stay overnight, get full charge.

Drive to Goleta / Santa Barbara on Monday. Have lunch, charge for 4-5 hours, unless that charger is broken. Then find an RV park and charge with your JESLA.

NOTE: don't be tempted to charge at "normal" public charge stations unless you're sleeping !!! It will take 7-8 hours to charge the car!!!

Drive to destination.

 

[swogee]

I have driven between SLO and Sunnyvale with my RAV4 EV several times. I kept my speed at about 50 mph and when the temp was in the 60's I would make the Nortbound trip to Salinas with 3 to 4 bars left on the gauge (135 miles). There isn't really any 40A+ J1772 charging stations in Monterey County with the exception of the one at Rabobank in Salinas, CA on North Davis Rd.

In SLO County there is one 40A+ EVSE located inside the parking garage on Marsh St. The unit is on the far right (of the three) and it is a Tesla Branded Clipper Creek unit. There is a fee of 0.75 per hour to park in the garage though. The Rabobank on El Camino Real in Atascadero also has Tesla/Clipper Creek 40A+ EVSE unit. There's also a Sun Country EVSE at Paso Robles Inn in Paso Robles that will supply 48A of current. It's technically for hotel guests but if eating at the inn's restaurant or coffee shop it probably would be OK to use.

There's also a second Tesla Branded Clipper Creek unit at the Santa Maria Rabobank on Broadway in Northern Santa Barbara County. It is 35 miles south of SLO.

 

[miimura]

Most of the 40A J1772 stations mentioned above are on 208VAC, so they will still be marginally slower than a 14-50 RV outlet (240VAC) and a 40A portable EVSE.

 

[swogee]

I forgot to mention there is one other 40A charging station at Toyota of Santa Maria just off of Betteravia in Northern SB County. It happens to be open 24/7 and it is located right in front of the dealership showroom. It's a Leviton branded unit.