Got a call this morning, that the electrician that was to install my charging station is sick with the flu and that they wouldn't make it. I wish this call would have come the day before, as I woke up early to admit them. They're trying to get a different guy either Friday or Saturday (12/26-27). If they can't, I've been told the soonest I'd see them is Monday, Jan 5. I think that date is holiday related, as in they're off from now until then.
If the Tesla does come in before the charger is installed, that leaves me to use a regular 120V AC wall plug to charge. With that connection, it recharges 3 miles an hour. Even so, that mean I'd be able to recharge enough overnight to easily offset a regular day driving to and from work. If I need more range I can default to my pickup truck, or go to a local quick charger, which should charge about 20-30 miles in an hour. The Tesla superchargers in Denver can do about 170 miles in HALF an hour.
Wednesday, December 24, 2014
Saturday, December 20, 2014
Tesla Model S P85%?
I just received a call that my Tesla would be arriving without the next generation seats, and was given the option to get the correct seats installed sometime this spring, or get a credit for not having that option. I went with the delayed install.
Back in 1999 I ordered a F-150 Lightning. It was supposed to have all three options that were available, but when it arrived there was no bed cover, so I was credited the difference. I mention this only to demonstrate that this Tesla isn't that unusual.
So, I should be receiving an ~85% complete car when I get it later this month. The car is going through final assembly, they're guessing delivery this Friday, Dec 26, but I expect it a few days later, but maybe before the new year.
Back in 1999 I ordered a F-150 Lightning. It was supposed to have all three options that were available, but when it arrived there was no bed cover, so I was credited the difference. I mention this only to demonstrate that this Tesla isn't that unusual.
So, I should be receiving an ~85% complete car when I get it later this month. The car is going through final assembly, they're guessing delivery this Friday, Dec 26, but I expect it a few days later, but maybe before the new year.
Wednesday, December 10, 2014
Tesla update and trip planning
Just scheduled the installation of the electric charger in my garage, the day before Christmas, Wednesday Dec 24th. Car was scheduled to be delivered about then, but I read about a delay on the line, so it may arrive later.
Reading an interesting thread on the Tesla board. Trip planning with a Tesla is different than in a gas car for more reasons than I expected. Yes, the first thing is to make sure you can recharge along your route.
What's interesting is trying to minimize the amount of time on the road, or I should say, minimize time charging. As with most rechargeable batteries, the charge rate is greatest when the battery is empty, with the speed being reduced as the battery gets filled. To minimize your charging time you should be as close to empty as possible when you start charging. Therefore, when you do charge, you want to only get enough miles to make the next charger, plus a small safety factor.
There's also the question of speed: does the extra charging that's needed if you drive faster take longer or less time than you gained by driving faster. The Tesla needs 14hp to go 65mph and 26hp to keep 85mph. Going 85 gets you to the next charger 150 miles away, in 1 hour, 52 minutes, while at 65mph it would take you 2 hours 18 minutes. With the 26 minutes saved, you need to charge roughly twice as much power. If it would take 30 minutes to charge enough for the next 150 mile stretch for the 65mph car, would it take 56 minutes to do the same with the 85mph car?
The followup question would be about skipping a charger. Going west from Denver, there's a charger in Silverthorne, Glenwood Springs, and Grand Junction. Then Green River, UT.
90 miles from Silverthorne to Glenwood Springs
86 miles from Glenwood Springs to Grand Junction
101 miles from Grand Junction to Green River, UT
Knowing I need to recharge in Green River, UT, would it be faster to charge at all four or faster to skip one? Looking at the route Tesla took in their cross country ride this past winter, it looks like they stopped at every charger they could.
Reading an interesting thread on the Tesla board. Trip planning with a Tesla is different than in a gas car for more reasons than I expected. Yes, the first thing is to make sure you can recharge along your route.
What's interesting is trying to minimize the amount of time on the road, or I should say, minimize time charging. As with most rechargeable batteries, the charge rate is greatest when the battery is empty, with the speed being reduced as the battery gets filled. To minimize your charging time you should be as close to empty as possible when you start charging. Therefore, when you do charge, you want to only get enough miles to make the next charger, plus a small safety factor.
There's also the question of speed: does the extra charging that's needed if you drive faster take longer or less time than you gained by driving faster. The Tesla needs 14hp to go 65mph and 26hp to keep 85mph. Going 85 gets you to the next charger 150 miles away, in 1 hour, 52 minutes, while at 65mph it would take you 2 hours 18 minutes. With the 26 minutes saved, you need to charge roughly twice as much power. If it would take 30 minutes to charge enough for the next 150 mile stretch for the 65mph car, would it take 56 minutes to do the same with the 85mph car?
The followup question would be about skipping a charger. Going west from Denver, there's a charger in Silverthorne, Glenwood Springs, and Grand Junction. Then Green River, UT.
90 miles from Silverthorne to Glenwood Springs
86 miles from Glenwood Springs to Grand Junction
101 miles from Grand Junction to Green River, UT
Knowing I need to recharge in Green River, UT, would it be faster to charge at all four or faster to skip one? Looking at the route Tesla took in their cross country ride this past winter, it looks like they stopped at every charger they could.
Tuesday, December 02, 2014
The Great Experiment
Around Christmas I'm trading in my Dodge for a Tesla sedan. I've owned an electric scooter (Vespa style, not Razor) since 2008, so I have some idea what I'm getting into.
Range is the overriding concern of people to getting an electric car. However, electric charging infrastructure has gotten to a point that I think one could own one vehicle, all electric, if it's a Tesla, as only Tesla has a 300 mile range. I'll admit that the rate of recharging is still too slow (unless you're using a Tesla Supercharger, and even then it's slightly slower than refueling a gas tank on a car). What most people don't consider is that I'll be leaving the house with a full charge every day, so unless I'd be driving further than 300 miles, I'll just recharge at home that night.
Still, there are different standards for recharging out there, each with it's own plug and speed of recharging:
Level 1: 110v ac, the plug that's everywhere. It's the weakest charger, giving an electric car about 5 miles in an hour.
Level 2: 240v ac, this is the plug you have for an electric dryer, electric oven, a welder, an RV plug, and most charging stations, like ChargePoint. While it's possible to get 70 miles back in an hour, your car needs to be equipped to convert it that fast. A dual convertor Tesla will get about 58 miles, while a single convertor about 26 miles in an hour. 26 miles is also the 'speed' limit paid for by Federal grants, so expect this to be the standard on every public funded charger.
DC fast charging: 240 miles per hour. This should get most to all of the charge back in the time it takes to eat a meal. Downside is the variable plugs, and higher price per mile to charge up (unless it's a Tesla at a Tesla Supercharger, which is free)
That only deals with speed. Every electric car carries a series of adapters to be able to plug into whatever charger is available. For example, there's a DC fast charger near me that has a CHAdeMO plug. My car doesn't come with that adapter, which is the standard for the Nissan Leaf and Mitsubishi iMiEV. I might get one to take advantage of these "level 3" chargers, but it'll cost me $400 to do so.
Range is the overriding concern of people to getting an electric car. However, electric charging infrastructure has gotten to a point that I think one could own one vehicle, all electric, if it's a Tesla, as only Tesla has a 300 mile range. I'll admit that the rate of recharging is still too slow (unless you're using a Tesla Supercharger, and even then it's slightly slower than refueling a gas tank on a car). What most people don't consider is that I'll be leaving the house with a full charge every day, so unless I'd be driving further than 300 miles, I'll just recharge at home that night.
Still, there are different standards for recharging out there, each with it's own plug and speed of recharging:
Level 1: 110v ac, the plug that's everywhere. It's the weakest charger, giving an electric car about 5 miles in an hour.
Level 2: 240v ac, this is the plug you have for an electric dryer, electric oven, a welder, an RV plug, and most charging stations, like ChargePoint. While it's possible to get 70 miles back in an hour, your car needs to be equipped to convert it that fast. A dual convertor Tesla will get about 58 miles, while a single convertor about 26 miles in an hour. 26 miles is also the 'speed' limit paid for by Federal grants, so expect this to be the standard on every public funded charger.
DC fast charging: 240 miles per hour. This should get most to all of the charge back in the time it takes to eat a meal. Downside is the variable plugs, and higher price per mile to charge up (unless it's a Tesla at a Tesla Supercharger, which is free)
That only deals with speed. Every electric car carries a series of adapters to be able to plug into whatever charger is available. For example, there's a DC fast charger near me that has a CHAdeMO plug. My car doesn't come with that adapter, which is the standard for the Nissan Leaf and Mitsubishi iMiEV. I might get one to take advantage of these "level 3" chargers, but it'll cost me $400 to do so.
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