You continue to must plan effectively and use charger downside fixing expertise when endeavor an extended journey in Australia as a consequence of incomplete charging networks, as now we have beforehand written about right here and right here.
Arthur and Laurel Hunt not too long ago made a return journey from Yeppoon in Central Queensland to southern Tasmania of their three-year outdated Tesla Mannequin 3 SR+, stopping off to see household and pals alongside the best way. Their final vacation spot was Nicholls Rivulet, south of Hobart. They took their automobile throughout Bass Strait on the Spirit of Tasmania ferry. They travelled 7,002 km, consuming 1,022 kWh of electrical energy at a mean of 14.6 khj/100 km.
That is their story.
Bugs love the white Tesla. Photograph courtesy of Arthur Hunt.
By Arthur Hunt, as informed to David Waterworth
The primary day from Yeppoon to Brisbane down the Bruce Freeway, with a detour via Gladstone, was our longest, overlaying 706 km with charging at Miriam Vale (the place we queued for 10 minutes), Gin Gin, and Gympie. Since we had been passing via Brisbane, we booked a service for the automobile the subsequent day — the second service in three years. It was booked on the Tesla service centre at Mt Gravatt. The wiper blades had been modified and the brake fluid was checked — no top-up required. The cable to the rear digicam was changed below guarantee as a precaution despite the fact that it had not malfunctioned. The battery was partly charged throughout the service and the full price was solely $125.
As we had been staying in a single day on the Gold Coast, we made use of the brand new 75 kW Chargefox charger on the Miami Aquatic Centre to high up the battery — a giant enchancment over the older 50 kW Chargefox installations elsewhere.
We continued down the Pacific Motorway in the direction of Sydney, having fun with the liberty of an open highway. We charged on the Knockrow Supercharger earlier than staying in a single day with pals at Grafton and utilizing our first free NRMA charger there. We continued the subsequent day, utilizing the Tesla Superchargers at Coffs Harbour and Port Macquarie earlier than one other in a single day cease with pals at Bonny Hills. The subsequent day was not our greatest. We had left ourselves in need of cost to succeed in the subsequent Supercharger at Heatherbrae, close to Newcastle, so we determined to strive the brand new quick Evie chargers at South Taree. Alas, we had not learn the advantageous print on the PlugShare app. After we had diverted off the motorway, we found the chargers had been put in however not but operational. So, we headed to the one charger at Nabiac solely to search out it occupied by a Volvo taking over a cost for half-hour. After ready, we made a restricted cost there and reached the Heatherbrae Supercharger with 11 km of vary remaining and the co-pilot stewing. From Heatherbrae we had loads of cost to succeed in Sydney. An excellent instance of utilizing charger downside fixing expertise.
The journey was made a lot much less arduous by utilizing cruise management and Autopilot as a lot as doable. There is no such thing as a want to observe the velocity when cruise management matches the velocity restrict and the automobile slows for curves and slower automobiles. There is no such thing as a must steer when Autopilot retains the automobile on monitor — simply preserve a reassuring hand on the wheel. It’s doable to benefit from the view. We had a minor situation for 2 days after Grafton when a software program replace was incomplete after utilizing a cell phone as a wifi hotspot. Autopilot was out of motion and the GPS didn’t direct us, regardless of the map displaying on the display screen. We actually missed these features however the issue was solved in Sydney after we used a house wifi to obtain the software program replace once more and set up it correctly.
We stayed just a few days with household in Sydney and made use of a home energy level and our cellular charger to maintain the battery topped up. We travelled on to Wollongong south of Sydney for one more in a single day keep after which headed to Canberra. The journey up Macquarie Move to the Southern Highlands was a very good probability to check the facility and torque of our electrical motor. We stopped on the BP service centre at Marulan to strive the brand new BP Pulse community. We had turn out to be used to utilizing the Chargefox RFID card for identification as an alternative of the app and we discovered it a bit difficult to make use of the BP app in brilliant daylight, though we had beforehand registered. When will we get some shelter over EV chargers? Why ought to petrol pumps get choice?
As we approached Canberra, we noticed Lake George crammed to a document degree after which did some sightseeing in our nationwide capital. We stayed at a motel at Murrumbateman that marketed EV charging and located two Evie chargers within the automobile park. Though we had an Evie RFID card, they’d not work. The motel employees weren’t and mentioned it was not their downside. When phoned, the Evie abroad name centre defined that there was a communication downside on the community and so they couldn’t talk with the chargers. There have been no exterior energy factors obtainable on the motel, so we ran an extension twine into our room and used our cellular charger for some time. Arthur utilizing his charger downside fixing. We discovered that the communication situation had been rectified and we had been in a position to hook up with the charger to refill and be prepared for the subsequent day.
Lake George after current rains. Photograph courtesy of Arthur Hunt.
We re-joined the Hume Freeway at Yass and headed south to the Tesla Supercharger at Gundagai the place we shared the financial institution of six chargers with two different Teslas. Assembly different EV drivers at charging websites is an effective probability to share EV experiences. We then continued to Albury to fulfill a pal, keep in a single day, and use the free NRMA charger. We by accident left the air-con on in a single day, and after we left the subsequent morning for Euroa in Victoria, the navigation system within the automobile warned that we had been too optimistic and must go to the Tesla Supercharger at Wodonga close by first. After a fast pitstop there, we had been again on the motorway to Euroa.
This time we had been the one automobile at a financial institution of six Superchargers, so after a lunch and charging cease, we headed south following the automobile’s course to the Supercharger at Moonee Ponds,on the outskirts of Melbourne. In unknown territory, we felt like blow-ins from the bush. Nevertheless, the GPS system directed us via the maze of one-way streets to a multi-level automobile park. Happily, the Tesla chargers had been clearly signposted and we descended to the underside degree the place we discovered a financial institution of six chargers with two vacant. Nevertheless, metropolis Tesla drivers are too busy to talk whereas charging. Possibly they had been on the telephone to their stockbrokers.
Discovered the chargers within the maze. Photograph courtesy of Arthur Hunt.
Fortunately, the GPS system extracted us from the town and we headed round Port Phillip Bay to Geelong, making ready to board the ferry to Devonport. After a while to buy and chill out, we headed again just a few kilometres to the Tesla Supercharger at Corio the place we had been the one automobile at a financial institution of six chargers. Earlier than it bought darkish, we travelled the brief distance to the ferry terminal to examine the boarding procedures. We had booked in a single day crossings of Bass Strait each methods, boarding at 9:30 pm, departing at 11:30 pm, and arriving at 9;30 am. After spending a while utilizing the free wifi within the ferry terminal, it was an fascinating expertise to hitch tons of of different automobiles of all kinds packed carefully on the automobile decks. A gaggle of about 30 Harley-Davidson bike riders made certain that we heard them as they embarked and disembarked. The crossing to Devonport was amazingly, unusually clean, with time to get to sleep earlier than coming into Bass Strait and solely slight rocking throughout the night time earlier than a relaxed method to Devonport.
Spirit of Tasmania berthing at Corio. Photograph courtesy of Arthur Hunt.
Laurel was eager to go to the Bridestowe lavender farm close to Scottsdale, northeast of Launceston. After disembarking from the ferry, we let the GPS system take us on minor winding roads eastwards to the John Batman bridge over the Tamar River to the lavender farm. Harvesting had been accomplished for the season, however we noticed the rows of lavender bushes able to shoot once more. We had booked scarce lodging on the outskirts of Launceston, however the direct highway was closed by a landslide so we headed again to Scottsdale. There we had been capable of cost at a single Chargefox charger within the automobile park of an artwork gallery and café which provided a reduction on purchases to these utilizing the charger!
Charging at Scottsdale Artwork Gallery. Photograph courtesy of Arthur Hunt.
After our in a single day cease close to Launceston, we topped up at a quick Evie charger in a suburb of Launceston earlier than heading south on the principle freeway. We needed to see the east coast, so we turned off at Campbell City and headed east for Swansea. On the lengthy winding descent from the highlands to Swansea, Laurel was driving and was capable of go the entire manner down with out utilizing the brake pedal, accelerator, or steering wheel. As a bonus, we picked up 11 km of vary by regeneration of energy for the battery. We stopped for lunch and charging at Swansea. The speed on the charger was designed to encourage fast turnover. It was 25¢/kWh and 25¢/minute of cost time, so we paid $6 for vitality and $9 for time on our Chargefox account. This charger additionally had an attachment to permit vacationers driving EVs to pay instantly by bank card.
One of many fundamental functions of the journey was to go to Arthur’s older brother and his members of the family south of Hobart. After a fast name to them in Kingston, we headed to the Yellow Door B&B, at Nicholls Rivulet, the place we had booked for our keep. It was a pleasant place the place we might decide our personal greens and had been supplied with recent eggs.
Arthur’s Tasmanian household are eager EV house owners, with 4 Teslas and a Nissan Leaf between them. At some point we organised a household photograph at Peregrine College, displaying all six EVs with a decommissioned Melbourne tram within the background.
Hunt household EVs — 5 Teslas, Nissan Leaf, and Melbourne tram in background. Photograph courtesy of Arthur Hunt.
At some point, 4 of us drove in our Tesla, up Mt Wellington, towering over Hobart, to admire the view and take a look at the regeneration. As we ascended for 21 km, the battery misplaced 24% of battery cost. As we descended the identical distance, we regained 11% of battery cost. It was a very good instance of the effectivity of the Mannequin 3.
View from Mt Wellington, Tasmania. Photograph courtesy of Arthur Hunt.
After extra sightseeing and household time, it was time to start the return journey, as we had been on a deadline. The return journey of two,900 km needed to be accomplished in six days. Our plan to drive on a minor highway up the center of Tasmania was thwarted after we couldn’t join the automobile to the weird charger community at New Norfolk, out of Hobart. As an alternative, we diverted to Oatlands the place we used free charging at a financial institution of latest chargers put in by Electrical Freeway Tasmania. We then took a cross-country route via Cressy and Deloraine, passing paddocks lined with tons of of spherical hay bales. At Devonport, we used the Tesla Supercharger, able to board the Spirit of Tasmania later at night time. Whereas ready, we watched one other giant ship rotate within the turning basin within the slim river, a feat later copied by our vessel. The second crossing of Bass Strait was barely rougher however not uncomfortable.
Our route residence was to take us up the Newell, New England, and Bruce Highways. From Geelong, we averted Melbourne by heading north to cost at Ballarat after which headed throughout nation to Shepparton by way of Kyneton, and stopped in a single day at Tocumwal, which has recovered from the floods within the Murray River. At Tocumwal, we had been welcomed on the spacious ground-level Kingswood Motel. Once we enquired about connecting to an influence level, the supervisor gave us the important thing to the unused breakfast servery hatch at our room. We ran our charger twine from an inner energy level, via the hatch, to the automobile outdoors. Charger downside fixing in motion.
Charging at Chinnock B&B Gilgandra. Photograph courtesy of Arthur Hunt.
The subsequent day, we lined 630 km north to Gilgandra, charging at Narrandera, West Wyalong, Parkes, and Dubbo. We had been warned about flood injury to the Newell Freeway and the necessity to keep away from damaging our tyres. We noticed a whole lot of highway works, however a lot of the injury had been shortly patched. On the historic Chinnock B&B at Gilgandra, the aged proprietor had no qualms about us working an extension twine below the door to an influence level inside. Because the cost price on an influence level is barely 2 kW, the price of charging in a single day this manner is barely about $4. We inspired her to register this wall charging facility on the PlugShare app — free promoting.
Highway works on Newell Freeway. Photograph courtesy of Arthur Hunt.
The subsequent day, we charged to 100% at Coonabarabran, as we needed to attain Inverell with out one other quick charging cease obtainable en route. We added some air to the tyres to scale back resistance, travelled at 90–95 km/h, and turned off the air-con to restrict battery use. We turned off the Newell Freeway at Narrabri and continued over the vary close to the Mt Kaputar Nationwide Park in the direction of Bingara. As a precaution, we phoned forward to Bingara to investigate about utilizing three-phase shops on the caravan park and the showgrounds, however this was not doable. So, we pressed on, taking a tough gravel shortcut bypassing Delungra and thru Inverell.
We arrived at our pals’ property with 28 km of vary left. Maybe we might have used the air-con! This 306 km was the longest stage between cost stops on the entire journey. We plugged into an influence level in a single day to allow us to succeed in Glen Innes the subsequent day. As we left Inverell, we admired two new chargers which were put in however not but related to energy. So, charger downside fixing is not going to be vital within the close to future on this space. Charging at Glen Innes, we loved a cease on the in style strawberry farm cafe (The Tremendous Strawberry).
From there, we had been in acquainted territory and the ultimate two days from Inverell to Kingaroy by way of Tenterfield and Toowoomba and residential by way of Childers and Miriam Vale had been routine. We arrived residence with 28 km of vary remaining, however topped up once more on our residence charger in a single day.
Pausing for broad load. Photograph courtesy Arthur Hunt.
We discovered some classes about charging on the journey. When planning a charging cease, it pays to make use of the PlugShare app to examine that the charger is operational. Secondly, charging is not going to begin if a automobile door is left open — though, they are often opened as soon as it begins. [Editor’s note: That’s odd. I’ve started charging in our Tesla Model 3 many times with the door open. Maybe an Australia thing?] Thirdly, it’s typically troublesome to learn cell phone apps in brilliant daylight and it’s a lot simpler to make use of an RFID card to establish your self and begin the charger. We carried RFID playing cards for the Chargefox and Evie networks, however might have others.
Our vitality price for the journey was solely $414, as we acquired free charging at NRMA chargers in NSW and from beneficiant pals and kinfolk and two lodging locations. If we had paid for all vitality at a mean of fifty¢/kWh, the associated fee would have been $511, a lot lower than the price of gasoline for a traditional automobile.
We wanted 46 charging periods throughout the journey, often timed for meal breaks, and we used quite a few charging networks — Tesla (15), Chargefox (10), NRMA (9), and Evie (6). The associated fee was larger for quick chargers and assorted from 30¢/kWh to 69¢/kWh. It was encouraging that NRMA and Chargefox at the moment are putting in 75 kW chargers as an alternative of the early slower 50 kW chargers
We hope this account of our journey, which we accomplished with out main issues, will assist readers to understand that electrical vehicles can enterprise outdoors city areas and are appropriate for long-distance journey. We had been inspired by the set up of quick chargers in lots of areas and plans for extra. As folks in nation areas journey longer distances than city drivers, they’ve essentially the most to achieve from the low working prices of electrical automobiles.
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