[Trip Report] - I'm peddling as fast as I can to generate electrons… PEC ATL to Santa Cruz in a Macan EV Turbo?

[daveo4EV]

33.3 at 78 mph avg is BONKERS!!

Now I'm wondering if there really is a longer break in period. The elevation is one thing but those first stretches were oddly bad.

33.3 is just fantastic at that avg speed. And it's still on the cooler side temperature wise, right? 50s?

and you haven't even seen our "peak" speeds as we _FLY_ past the trucks…OMGl this thing is awesome

but I think the HWY 40 west path is a "challenging" path for an EV - HWY 40 east would be interesting exploration…

I'm learning soo much about this car…

 

[Yves]

down hill into Albuquerque - consumption has dropped from 50'ish kwh/100 mlies to less than 40 - and is still dropping…

wow - we hauled a 5000 lbs SUV up to 7000 feet at well over 75 mph over 900 miles in less than day…perhaps this is not as bad as it looks…

5800 ft now…but 22 F temp…

At 5800 flat (not going down I hope) of course you will see better efficiency. I’m at sea level, and see 37 at 78miles/h

 

[4sCT21]

and you haven't even seen our "peak" speeds as we _FLY_ past the trucks…OMGl this thing is awesome

but I think the HWY 40 west path is a "challenging" path for an EV - HWY 40 east would be interesting exploration…

I'm learning soo much about this car…

It's great hearing someone falling in love with their new car, there's nothing quite like it.

 

[daveo4EV]

• order a Macan in March/april of 2024 expecting Jun/Jul Delivery
• suffer delivery delays
• get no status from vendor as to car's status
• suddenly you have to pick 3 delivery dates less than a week out
• fly 2500 miles to Atlanta from San Jose on short notice
• con a dear friend into joining you
• plan to road trip an EV 2500 miles home with an iffy sh*t show EV charging network
• have a wonderful delivery day experience at PECATL
• rush out at the end of the day and drive 400 miles the first night in a new car and EV that you don't know really well
• 2nd day drive 960+ miles and get sleep late and get up early
• 3rd day cross the treacherous Albuqurque to Winslow segment…
• sail into the Grand Canyon National park at 3 pm
• do a lovely afternoon sunset walk along the south ridge and view the stunning sunset under clear cool skies with one of your dearest and oldest friends…

100% worth it!

dinner's at 8:30 pm - I plan to enjoy it!

 

[PSPJames]

Daveo4EV, I've enjoyed your posts and watching your journey across country. You have more courage than I would. Thank you for allowing us to follow your adventure!

 

[PanameraFrank]

I forget how insanely beautiful the Grand Canyon is! Thanks for the update!

 

[Awaz]

@daveo4EV
Nice to read your posts of your journey. Lovely.
What about your sleeping breaks? Taking naps in the car?

 

[daveo4EV]

we are in the most lovely grand canyon hotel tonight - waiting for dinner - we'll wake up tomorrow and do some hiking - and then on to Las Vegas to visit family - overnight in vegas - and then one more day to home!!

the next two days are not a lot of driving - nothing like yesterday - we pushed hard yesterday so we could be at the Canyon before sunset and not arrive late/after-dark!

 

[daveo4EV]

Dateline: Grand Canyon - Nov. 18th, 2024 - 9:30 am

Headline: Man has first positive EA charging experience - is dazed and confused!

Summary: it's the equipment stupid! It's the gosh darn equipment!

So I pull into the Grand Canyon Visitor Center's 6 stall EA 350 kW charging stations with some tripedation cause this entire site is 350 kW chargers! And I've been having trouble getting EA 350's to activate.

So I back in - get out - and plug-in. And it just works, works fast, works flawlessly, and immediately starts charging with no action's/debugging required on my part! Shocked! Amazed! Happy! Satisfied are the emotions I'm experiencing.

Why you say? I obviously can't know for sure - but I'm thinking the equipment makes a difference!

Well all 6 of these EA chargers are not the two cord pieces-o-sh*t chargers that most 4 stall EA sites have that we all know/love/hate - no this beauties are the new single cord, long cord charging stalls. And I've heard good things about these mythical uni-corn (or is it uni-cord) chargers - and apparently the rumors are true!

It is possible to have a good charging experience with electrify america if they would just install the right equipment…there is hope, but we're not there yet!

unfortunately I did not get to test the charging speed: battery was too cold aftrer being cold-soaked overnight at the Grand Canyon (got down to 29F overnight) - and my SOC was too high (38%) - but the battery did start charging immediately I promptly got 85 kW, and it slowly crawled up to 125 kW before it started reducing again…

right now I'm at 43.1 kW @ 86%…battery temp 94F up from 43F when I started charging.

I would totally use EA if they had this experience at all their charging sites!!

I almost want to go out and run the battery down to 5% and come back and plug in for a fast charging test!!! But I don't have time and that would be a stupid way to spend one's time…

I'm not just negative for sh*ts and giggles - I can share good news! I'm just critical and want this stuff to actually work!!!

the ABB units EA has deployed in a lot of sites are simply crap - these SK units - well them seem to have some spit on the ball and could make supercharging something I only use if it suites my needs…I'd use EA if they worked this well!!

walking distance to Starbucks also helps, and there is a pizza hut in the charging parking lot - and visitor center in the same parking lot has IMAX theater and clean bathrooms - this is a 5* site!!! I may never leave.

pics below of the sort of EA stalls you want to see when pulling up!!

 

[PanameraFrank]

Yes, I've had much better success with the single cord stalls.

 

[alxman]

Dateline: Grand Canyon - Nov. 18th, 2024 - 9:30 am

Headline: Man has first positive EA charging experience - is dazed and confused!

Summary: it's the equipment stupid! It's the gosh darn equipment!

So I pull into the Grand Canyon Visitor Center's 6 stall EA 350 kW charging stations with some tripedation cause this entire site is 350 kW chargers! And I've been having trouble getting EA 350's to activate.

So I back in - get out - and plug-in. And it just works, works fast, works flawlessly, and immediately starts charging with no action's/debugging required on my part! Shocked! Amazed! Happy! Satisfied are the emotions I'm experiencing.

Why you say? I obviously can't know for sure - but I'm thinking the equipment makes a difference!

Well all 6 of these EA chargers are not the two cord pieces-o-sh*t chargers that most 4 stall EA sites have that we all know/love/hate - no this beauties are the new single cord, long cord charging stalls. And I've heard good things about these mythical uni-corn (or is it uni-cord) chargers - and apparently the rumors are true!

It is possible to have a good charging experience with electrify america if they would just install the right equipment…there is hope, but we're not there yet!

unfortunately I did not get to test the charging speed: battery was too cold aftrer being cold-soaked overnight at the Grand Canyon (got down to 29F overnight) - and my SOC was too high (38%) - but the battery did start charging immediately I promptly got 85 kW, and it slowly crawled up to 125 kW before it started reducing again…

right now I'm at 43.1 kW @ 86%…battery temp 94F up from 43F when I started charging.

I would totally use EA if they had this experience at all their charging sites!!

I almost want to go out and run the battery down to 5% and come back and plug in for a fast charging test!!! But I don't have time and that would be a stupid way to spend one's time…

I'm not just negative for sh*ts and giggles - I can share good news! I'm just critical and want this stuff to actually work!!!

the ABB units EA has deployed in a lot of sites are simply crap - these SK units - well them seem to have some spit on the ball and could make supercharging something I only use if it suites my needs…I'd use EA if they worked this well!!

walking distance to Starbucks also helps, and there is a pizza hut in the charging parking lot - and visitor center in the same parking lot has IMAX theater and clean bathrooms - this is a 5* site!!! I may never leave.

pics below of the sort of EA stalls you want to see when pulling up!!

Although I am not sure it has rained during your journey, if it has or does, can you comment on whether there is water pooling on the sides of the frunk or entering the frunk and/or trunk when opening either one. One of the video reviewers complained of that. Thank you.

 

[daveo4EV]

Although I am not sure it has rained during your journey, if it has or does, can you comment on whether there is water pooling on the sides of the frunk or entering the frunk and/or trunk when opening either one. One of the video reviewers complained of that. Thank you.

no rain or water to test this issue!

 

[daveo4EV]

range today is magnificent - Grand Canyon Village to EA Chargers in Henderson, NV - Car thought it could make it with 9% buffer - that's over 270 miles - turns out that's a bit optimistic, but today the car is easily 260 mile vehicle but not a 270 mile vehicle.

we're doing "controlled" test - we are running speed limit + 8 mph - (8 mph is because Porsche under-reports by 2-3 mph on the main speedo - so speed limit +8 means in real life you are +5 mph to anyone wanting to write you a speeding ticket)

we also have the HVAC _OFF_ - and the car could easily do 260 miles @ 83 mph setting on this segment…

range is right in line with expectations and way way better than we saw on the segment from Forrest City to Albuquerque

so I'm honing in on:

• 220 miles seems to be the minimum range under adverse conditions - and that's pushing the limits
• 250 should be easy for "normal" driving with sub 70 mph and limited elevation changes
• 260 or more in favoriable ideal conditions - possible but not be relied upon you have montior your consumption and adjust your driving or have ideal conditions to achieve these sorts of ranges

we also seemed to have a head wind - so that made things worse today - couldv'e we made it all the way to EA Henderson, NV with no head wind? I'm 90% certain yes…

but given today's conditions and very controled driving the 9% buffer "disappeared" by Kingman, AZ - we charged from 39% to 90% in Kingman, AZ - but we really only needed like 10% to make this work given today's conditions…but we lunched!

car's range is really really good if you don't climb 7000 feet @ 70+ mph in one day's worth of driving…

but 220 is "full range" worse case at 70 mph+ highway speeds…and that can be a bit short if you're not on your game.

 

[daveo4EV]

4* charging experience in Kingman, AZ - 8 stalls - one out of comission - we used the 350 kW charger - plugged in - it "just worked" - and promptly gave us 193 kW charger experience, I'm wiling to bet we'd have done better if we were not at 39% SOC

so this is our first EA experience where a 350 kW station delivered more than 175 kW - so woot!!

hard to the find the stations, and one stall was "unavilable" - but the food choices walking distance from this site are excellent - a full range of choices

we plugged in, walked to food, ate, and came back and we were right on the 30 minute mark - unplugged at 90% and we're back on the road - a great charging experience and just as it should be.

these chargers again were not the ABB pieces-o-sh*t that were the rule between Forrest City, AR and Albuqurque, NM - so I'm leaning into "the equipment" theory - because I've had great charging with EA at the non-ABB chargers…but don't have enough data to draw conclusions.

but we're on our way to Vegas to visit family - and charging options there are robust - should be any easy trip home on Tuesday after an family visit and overnight in Vegas!!

 

[dgkhn]

Headline: Man has first positive EA charging experience - is dazed and confused!

Summary: it's the equipment stupid! It's the gosh darn equipment!

First of all, (and as my second post on this forum), I just want to thank you so much for your posting about this saga; reading about your progress is both entertaining and a great learning experience).

I just want to comment, in my so-far limited DC charging experience, I have so far tried to charge from 3 different EA 350 KW two-cord chargers, and failed every time (but have been able to successfully charge on the 150 KW chargers at the same sites.) Is this an EA problem, or is it an EA/Porsche problem?

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