Moab / Canyonlands NP / Arches NP trip in a Terra-like Electric Pickup (F-150 Lightning)

[SpaceEVDriver]

Some brief statistics:
Total miles Driven: 1277 miles
Total energy used: 450 kWh
Average efficiency: 2.8 miles/kWh
Approximate average mpg equivalent: 96 miles/gallon
Average range on a full battery: 367 miles (2.8 * 131)
Maximum speed limit: 65 mph
Total cost for energy: $83.04, including one-month charger network subscription
Cost per mile driven: $0.07/mile
Off-road miles driven: 102 miles
Number of photos taken: Thousands
Number of photos processed: 0

Here’s a cellphone photo of one of us pulling a camera out of a bag stored in the frunk. And also the magnificent Monument Valley.

 

[SpaceEVDriver]

Here’s another cellphone pic taken from above to show the 300 Watts of solar that was used to run the fridge in the bed of the truck. Totally not necessary on this trip since we had L2 charging at the first hotel and the townhome we rented in Moab. But it’s necessary to do shake-down runs when setting up a new configuration. I’ll probably add a 100 Watt panel on the side doors of the cap too.

I was able to charge the truck for about an hour using the L1 charger drawing from the power station. It worked exactly as it should have. But there were some issues with the panels recharging that power station due to some kind of internal issues on the cheap power station. I will do some diagnostics over the next week. I may end up using just bare batteries and an inverter instead of the power station.

 

[cyure]

Here’s another cellphone pic taken from above to show the 300 Watts of solar that was used to run the fridge in the bed of the truck. Totally not necessary on this trip since we had L2 charging at the first hotel and the townhome we rented in Moab. But it’s necessary to do shake-down runs when setting up a new configuration. I’ll probably add a 100 Watt panel on the side doors of the cap too.

I was able to charge the truck for about an hour using the L1 charger drawing from the power station. It worked exactly as it should have. But there were some issues with the panels recharging that power station due to some kind of internal issues on the cheap power station. I will do some diagnostics over the next week. I may end up using just bare batteries and an inverter instead of the power station.

View attachment 13473

That’s scenery is just gorgeous. I miss mountains.

 

[SpaceEVDriver]

Speaking of charging...

We stopped once to get a charge about 2/3 of the way to our destination in a small, very remote town called Kayenta. We needed the restroom break and lunch. Instead of eating at the Burger King where the chargers were located, we walked to the nearby grocery store and picked out healthier lunches. Then we walked back to the picnic tables near the chargers to eat. About halfway through lunch, I had to go move the truck because it was done charging. The cost of this charge was about $40.

The hotel in Bluff where we stayed for the first night had two L2 chargers available for free. We got in late (lots of photography along the way), so had dinner at a nearby resort, which also had L2 chargers. We charged there for an hour, then went back to our hotel. The L2 chargers were overheating, so I unplugged one and plugged in my L2 charger. That worked and I charged up to 100% overnight. Cost: Free.

The townhome we rented in Moab had an L2 charger that they asked us not to use between about 1 PM and 8 PM. We got in around 7 PM, so I waited an hour before charging. The first night we started at 28% and got to 89% by the very early morning (4:45 AM) when we headed out to beat the sunrise.

Over the next several nights, we recharged more than we used despite driving around 100-200 miles each day, and reached 100% charge steady state. We left Moab with 100% charge. All charging in Moab was free.

The last hotel in Monument Valley didn’t have L2 charging, but they let me use an outlet for L1 charging. It wasn’t necessary, but it gave me 9 kWh overnight, or about 7% charge. We didn’t need it as we were stopping in Kayenta on the way home and that was only ~20 miles away. This charging was free.

We way overcharged in Kayenta and paid too much for the charge, about $43. We again went to the grocery store for lunch and by the time I’d had about half my lunch I remembered to move the truck. By then it was already up to 84%.

We got home with about 28% remaining. Way too much to be arriving home. But it is what it is.

Overall: lots of free charging, lots of convenient charging. We never had a need to run to a nearby fueling station and instead just plugged in when we were done with our morning or evening outings.

 

[SpaceEVDriver]

That’s scenery is just gorgeous. I miss mountains.

I couldn’t handle flatland, I don’t think.

 

[cyure]

I couldn’t handle flatland, I don’t think.

Flat as a pancake over here in Illinois. Coming from California where I saw mountains out my windows everyday it took a while to get used to that’s for sure.

 

[J Alynn]

That’s scenery is just gorgeous. I miss mountains.

I couldn’t live there but would love to visit every other year or so