Driving Distance Poll

[Dana]

Lots of comments about only driving 30-40 miles a day in context of range. I’m curious as to how this group compares to the “average”… as example, I work from home three days a week, drive eight miles RT one day, and 160 miles one day (though the plant manager took pity and had the electrician install a NEMA 14-50 outlet for me). But weekends I take trips to remote parks without much charging opportunity. So I wouldn’t use my workday driving as my benchmark…I’d use my weekend jaunts. Harvester is nice but if you’re primarily using a gas engine why not just have an ICE? So mostly thinking of electric range because of how cost effective it is.

Different commentary makes me think a fair number of folks have hobbies. As of now I’m assuming Tesla superchargers aren’t going to be an option in 2027-28 if that changes your answer…if towing assume 140% mileage, eg, a 100 mile trip needs 140 miles range.

 

[LastDayScout]

I am generally about 60 miles per day. For February it was 57.82. Some days it might approach 80 miles but that’s unusual. I’m averaging 3.0 mi/kWh. It does go up in the summer months. BMW iX 50e.

 

[dreamweaver]

I have a round trip once a month of 212 miles.

 

[R1TVT]

I do either a ~360 mile roundtrip on weekends in the winter, or a ~180 mile round trip on weekends in the summer. I also travel to lacrosse tournaments all over the NE for my kids. Longest tournament distance ~850 miles round trip to Annapolis. All done in a 2022 first generation launch edition R1T.

Not sure I understand your comment about Tesla Superchargers. I rec'd an adapter to charge at Tesla Superchargers last summer, but have yet to use it. Infrastructure keeps popping up everywhere along the I-95 corridor, and Rivian has done a decent job with their own charging network in spots like RI, MA, NH, ME and VT along strategic routes for activities like skiing, boating, mountain biking, etc. I have charged at numerous Tesla destination chargers that are open to all EV's (at hotels, ski areas, etc.)

Also, when you say how far do you "need your vehicle to go in a single day" what are you trying to get at? Not having to stop and charge? Are you asking about desired range? Everyone wants an EV that will go 600 miles without stopping, but that isn't really practical in a truck. It would be a waste of a massive battery pack, significantly increase costs, add unnecessary weight, and take a LONG time to top-off. Road tripping in an EV is simple when you plan a stop at a DCFC around meals, which is generally when most people prefer to stop, stretch, pee, eat etc. - every 3-4 hours or so.

 

[J Alynn]

Daily is 8 miles RT. Once a month I judge and can be 12 miles RT or 90 miles RT. Most weekends we run errands in my wife’s SUV. If I take over those with EV I’d say we put on maybe 60-70 on a relatively busy weekend and sometimes 250 miles-depends on the weekend. Based on that 350 mile range is plenty. Used to drive PA to FL but most the time that’s now flying. College pick up/return-twice a year so that’s 1500 miles each way and an overnighter and a couple charge stops each leg- and not sure I wouldn’t just take the Pilot for the extra room. Will try it once so long as recharging on route is solid for stops

 

[nolen]

Work commute is about 70 miles round trip. Grocery stop adds another 10 to it probably. About every other month we go visit family and that's about 280 miles round trip. Then usually 2-3 times a year we either go to the beach (a little over 360 miles round trip) or the mountains (about 560 miles round trip). So I could probably be fine with the EV only version. Haven't decided for sure which way to go yet though.

 

[MaddMatt]

I picked the 250-350 bucket. Daily driving is pretty short, but on weekends we like to go skiing, 90-100 miles each way, often very cold so less efficient, but lots of downhill for regen purposes.... Haven't yet taken the Hyundai up there (no racks) but we go to the same mountains often in the summer. On the good side, there's a bank of Tesla superchargers right next to a Starbucks, so a quick top-up is not likely to be a huge issue if necessary, assuming we have access.

That's one of the reasons I'm considering passing on the Harvester option, as I get used to driving a BEV, I'm noticing more and more charging options all the time, so I'm thinking a reliable 300 mile range might get it done for us.

 

[Chaz26]

I work from home but usually we do just over a 400 mile round trip every month, can charge at our destination so just need about 210 mile range with a ideally 15% or more left when we arrive as a little buffer. We do longer trips on a yearly basis. Just got back from Quebec a couple of weeks ago and that was over 1,500 miles of total driving. Needs to be good in the cold and snowy driving conditions, it was -25 when we were there and a lot of snow!

 

[J Alynn]

I work from home but usually we do just over a 400 mile round trip every month, can charge at our destination so just need about 210 mile range with a ideally 15% or more left when we arrive as a little buffer. We do longer trips on a yearly basis. Just got back from Quebec a couple of weeks ago and that was over 1,500 miles of total driving. Needs to be good in the cold and snowy driving conditions, it was -25 when we were there and a lot of snow!

Wow. I was in Quebec for first time last fall. We flew and discussed driving but wow, now I know what it takes from Lancaster to Quebec. Would you drive a pure EV there and back?

 

[Dana]

I do either a ~360 mile roundtrip on weekends in the winter, or a ~180 mile round trip on weekends in the summer. I also travel to lacrosse tournaments all over the NE for my kids. Longest tournament distance ~850 miles round trip to Annapolis. All done in a 2022 first generation launch edition R1T.

Not sure I understand your comment about Tesla Superchargers. I rec'd an adapter to charge at Tesla Superchargers last summer, but have yet to use it. Infrastructure keeps popping up everywhere along the I-95 corridor, and Rivian has done a decent job with their own charging network in spots like RI, MA, NH, ME and VT along strategic routes for activities like skiing, boating, mountain biking, etc. I have charged at numerous Tesla destination chargers that are open to all EV's (at hotels, ski areas, etc.)

Also, when you say how far do you "need your vehicle to go in a single day" what are you trying to get at? Not having to stop and charge? Are you asking about desired range? Everyone wants an EV that will go 600 miles without stopping, but that isn't really practical in a truck. It would be a waste of a massive battery pack, significantly increase costs, add unnecessary weight, and take a LONG time to top-off. Road tripping in an EV is simple when you plan a stop at a DCFC around meals, which is generally when most people prefer to stop, stretch, pee, eat etc. - every 3-4 hours or so.

Not all Tesla SC can be used by other OEMs…only ones with Magic Dock. Also, Musk has gotten erratic. It wouldn’t surprise me if he decided other OEMs couldn’t use them…don’t know how the contract is written. The L2 NACS chargers at hotels, etc, aren’t owned by Tesla, no problem there. But that’s not a practical solution for travel. As example, when I drive to Yellowstone that’s about 500-600 miles day 1. It’s fine with Superchargers. I have 400mile electric range, which means I really see about 365 miles (I don’t have the patience to do 70ish). My last trip cost me about $20. If I only have 150 mile electric and the remainder 450 is gas (I’m going to assume 30mpg since I have no idea what Harvester will have) and $3/gallon that’s $45. I’m definitely hoping for more electric range and ability to charge rather than fuel. Just more economical. But I also travel to remote parks that don’t have RV posts or charging stops along the route…I have to not only get there but get back to a charger. I realize I’m more an exception than the rule. But I was thinking this group might be more range than average since outdoorsy stuff is a different game than city driving,

 

[Dana]

I work from home but usually we do just over a 400 mile round trip every month, can charge at our destination so just need about 210 mile range with a ideally 15% or more left when we arrive as a little buffer. We do longer trips on a yearly basis. Just got back from Quebec a couple of weeks ago and that was over 1,500 miles of total driving. Needs to be good in the cold and snowy driving conditions, it was -25 when we were there and a lot of snow!

Fargo here…totally understand. Going to Ely or Lake Metigoshe in winter can be a nail biter!

 

[Chaz26]

Wow. I was in Quebec for first time last fall. We flew and discussed driving but wow, now I know what it takes from Lancaster to Quebec. Would you drive a pure EV there and back?

I did actually drive my Tesla there and back. Left home at 100% on Friday evening after work and stopped in Middletown, NY at a hotel with a free level 2 charger. Left in the morning at 98%.

My efficiency in Canada was definitely lower with the cold and also snow on the roads pretty much the entire time. We went to Quebec City as well as Montreal. We also did a national park north of Quebec City which is why we did so many miles. That was also the only stop I really had to wait for since there wasn’t as much charging towards the park so I went to 95% which takes a lot longer.

There was actually a lot more EVs and much better charging infrastructure than in PA so while I had to charge more often than normal it was pretty easy and there was always a restaurant or coffee shop nearby to charge at. Montreal was mostly metro so I only had to charge once in 3 days there.

Only real issue I had was getting into some parking spots on the road that had snow higher than the front of my car but I still managed to plow through and get it parked.

 

[SolarDrive]

Lots of comments about only driving 30-40 miles a day in context of range. I’m curious as to how this group compares to the “average”… as example, I work from home three days a week, drive eight miles RT one day, and 160 miles one day (though the plant manager took pity and had the electrician install a NEMA 14-50 outlet for me). But weekends I take trips to remote parks without much charging opportunity. So I wouldn’t use my workday driving as my benchmark…I’d use my weekend jaunts. Harvester is nice but if you’re primarily using a gas engine why not just have an ICE? So mostly thinking of electric range because of how cost effective it is.

Different commentary makes me think a fair number of folks have hobbies. As of now I’m assuming Tesla superchargers aren’t going to be an option in 2027-28 if that changes your answer…if towing assume 140% mileage, eg, a 100 mile trip needs 140 miles range.

Dana,

I'd be a little concerned about using a BEV in remote areas today, unless Tesla NACS charging is truly worked out by the time Scout is released. I've owned an EV for 10 years now as our second or third around town car. I find that the cost isn't as much of an issue to me as superior performance, smooth and quiet ride. I also love going to the shop for a check only once a year, no other service work to speak of, except replacing tires. I don't mind not feeling like I have to keep track of the cheapest gas around town to get the best fuel price, or dealing with congestion at Sam's budget fuel, nor paying $5-6 a gallon for gasoline in California.

My wife and I took a road trip up the sparsely populated Oregon Coast last summer, first long EV trip... 1250 miles in all. Everyone said it was going to be a disaster. I mapped out my charging stops and made sure there were backup charging networks in case of charging system outages along with the range calculations, all things that the Tesla Supercharger network figures out automatically. The other option is using ABRP (A better route planner), but it doesn't work well unless you have good cell coverage. https://abetterrouteplanner.com/ The software takes your vehicle, speed, grade, etc. and calculates best stops based on your preferred charging network(s).

I registered my monthly trip requirements in the survey above your post as under 150 miles. My daily average trips are under 60 miles. At the present time we have a 4WD ICE as the other family vehicle, so we're covered. If that became an electric vehicle by choice or legal requirement, I'd have to list that I want the convenience of range and recharging similar to an ICE vehicle with 350+ miles of range and hassle free charging 4 trips a year. If the Scout gets a 50 mile battery and range extender, I would not be very happy with the configuration. The battery would get completely drained often and the range extender would need to kick in, just like the Chevy Bolt did. If the battery was 100 miles and has a range extender, that would probably be ideal to ditch the conventional car. The gasoline generator would probably get used on 6 trips a year and the norm for me would be routine charging at home. Directly connecting the engine to the wheels at freeway speeds is more efficient than generating electricity to power electric motors, so I'm going to agree with your question that if you need to use a gas engine routinely in the range extender, today, why not just get an ICE vehicle? -Brad

 

[J Alynn]

I did actually drive my Tesla there and back. Left home at 100% on Friday evening after work and stopped in Middletown, NY at a hotel with a free level 2 charger. Left in the morning at 98%.

My efficiency in Canada was definitely lower with the cold and also snow on the roads pretty much the entire time. We went to Quebec City as well as Montreal. We also did a national park north of Quebec City which is why we did so many miles. That was also the only stop I really had to wait for since there wasn’t as much charging towards the park so I went to 95% which takes a lot longer.

There was actually a lot more EVs and much better charging infrastructure than in PA so while I had to charge more often than normal it was pretty easy and there was always a restaurant or coffee shop nearby to charge at. Montreal was mostly metro so I only had to charge once in 3 days there.

Only real issue I had was getting into some parking spots on the road that had snow higher than the front of my car but I still managed to plow through and get it parked.

Thanks for the insight. Knowing you are very local to me helps get a better understanding of we had strongly considered driving to Quebec but had limited time. Loved it there so hoping to go back some summer to see it in a different season

 

[SolarDrive]

Not all Tesla SC can be used by other OEMs…only ones with Magic Dock. Also, Musk has gotten erratic. It wouldn’t surprise me if he decided other OEMs couldn’t use them…don’t know how the contract is written. The L2 NACS chargers at hotels, etc, aren’t owned by Tesla, no problem there. But that’s not a practical solution for travel. As example, when I drive to Yellowstone that’s about 500-600 miles day 1. It’s fine with Superchargers. I have 400mile electric range, which means I really see about 365 miles (I don’t have the patience to do 70ish). My last trip cost me about $20. If I only have 150 mile electric and the remainder 450 is gas (I’m going to assume 30mpg since I have no idea what Harvester will have) and $3/gallon that’s $45. I’m definitely hoping for more electric range and ability to charge rather than fuel. Just more economical. But I also travel to remote parks that don’t have RV posts or charging stops along the route…I have to not only get there but get back to a charger. I realize I’m more an exception than the rule. But I was thinking this group might be more range than average since outdoorsy stuff is a different game than city driving,

 

[SolarDrive]

Agreed,

When the US manufacturers hopped on-board the NACS charging standard, EV's, including CCS fitted ones like Ford F-150 Lightning were supposed to get access to Superchargers with adapters and MagicDock stations. The Youtube of one trying to charge at a Superstation probably blew it for all non-Tesla owners. Musk fired his charging team pretty much top to bottom last year. PlugShare shows 5 MagicDock stations in all of California today. With federal funding of fast charging infrastructure on the chopping block, I think what you see is what you'll get except for Tesla and the CCS projects that are underway. Now He's suggesting that all vehicles should have charging ports on the left rear of the vehicles to support the Super Charger configuration for efficiency. Maybe someone at Scout could chime in with their plans to secure access to NACS charging networks, Tesla as the big consideration for Scouting about in the back woods. -Brad

 

[R1TVT]

Not all Tesla SC can be used by other OEMs…only ones with Magic Dock.

This is not true. With a NACS adapter (which Rivian provided to me for free to charge at select Tesla Superchargers) I can go to other Supercharger sites (not just the magic dock sites). The only thing the magic dock sites do is eliminate the need for the adapter. The magic dock is the adapter.

Either way, and as I mentioned, this doesn't impact me (personally) since I have yet to have a need to charge at a Tesla Supercharger site. I will have access to ~25,000 DCFC chargers, as will other owners of other brands. What brands? In addition to Rivian, Ford, Volvo, Polestar, GM, Mercedes, Jaguar and Nissan have access to enabled Tesla Superchargers.

The L2 NACS chargers at hotels, etc, aren’t owned by Tesla, no problem there. But that’s not a practical solution for travel.

It is a very practical solution for 2 things in my case: #1: a day of skiing while plugged in is awesome. My car sits and charges all day while I ski, for example. And L2's are great for overnight travel, since you can wake up at 100% and hit the road.

But I also travel to remote parks that don’t have RV posts or charging stops along the route…

I do this all the time, but usually in a place like the Green Mountain National Forest. The amount of "buffer" required to get back to a charger after a day in the mountains isn't high. If I charge up en route, I can make it back out of the forest with plenty of energy to spare, and generally I'm on a downhill route out with a tailwind and with regen working in my favor.

 

[LastDayScout]

This is not true. With a NACS adapter (which Rivian provided to me for free to charge at select Tesla Superchargers) I can go to other Supercharger sites (not just the magic dock sites). The only thing the magic dock sites do is eliminate the need for the adapter. The magic dock is the adapter.

Either way, and as I mentioned, this doesn't impact me (personally) since I have yet to have a need to charge at a Tesla Supercharger site. I will have access to ~25,000 DCFC chargers, as will other owners of other brands. What brands? In addition to Rivian, Ford, Volvo, Polestar, GM, Mercedes, Jaguar and Nissan have access to enabled Tesla Superchargers.

It is a very practical solution for 2 things in my case: #1: a day of skiing while plugged in is awesome. My car sits and charges all day while I ski, for example. And L2's are great for overnight travel, since you can wake up at 100% and hit the road.

I do this all the time, but usually in a place like the Green Mountain National Forest. The amount of "buffer" required to get back to a charger after a day in the mountains isn't high. If I charge up en route, I can make it back out of the forest with plenty of energy to spare, and generally I'm on a downhill route out with a tailwind and with regen working in my favor.

That's what I thought about the adapters, but another member on here told me that only some superchargers will work even with the adapter. BMW is supposed to release their adapter pretty soon and it was my understanding that it will work with all superchargers. Guess I will find out one way or another.

 

[LastDayScout]

I still think there should be a mix of providers for fast charging. In my opinion, most if not all, gas stations should have one. I hate to see one company control the charging infrastructure...and internet for that matter.

 

[R1TVT]

That's what I thought about the adapters, but another member on here told me that only some superchargers will work even with the adapter. BMW is supposed to release their adapter pretty soon and it was my understanding that it will work with all superchargers. Guess I will find out one way or another.

Correct, not every Supercharger site is available to non-Teslas.

We are seeing more and more gas stations with DCFC's, and certainly the bigger players in the C-Store space have been ahead of the curve compared to the big gas station brands. The ones that want to sell food (the WaWa's, the Sheets, etc.) are adding many locations, as that makes perfect sense. The entire landscape for charging will evolve, and hopefully it will look more like a Rivian outpost than a dark gas station with a vending machine and a dirty bathroom that requires a key on a wooden dowel.