Range Anxiety Conquered!
Bonnie and I recently took a 1,000 mile camping trip through the Texas Hill Country in a Chevrolet Bolt EV, just to show the doubters that it could easily be done. We loaded the EV with a kayak, two bicycles and filled the EV with as much camping gear as we could fit in it.
The day started later than I had planned, but thanks to my good friend, Charles Mills, we got the kayak and bikes loaded and headed out on our trip.
We’ve both been driving plug-in hybrids for eight years and wanted to show EVs can be “adventure cars,” rather than just commuter cars. The very first day, we learned about “range anxiety.” We plug-in hybrid drivers only think we understand it, because we experience it on some level, but our major concern is not having to use gasoline. We can always stop and get gasoline, if necessary. People considering getting an EV purchase are much more concerned about this than we are.
Our first planned stop was to top off the battery at the Round Rock Premium Outlets, 180 miles from our origin. (I think it’s pretty funny that the name of the mall where we stopped to charge includes the phrase “premium outlets.”) The car’s 259 miles of range seemed to make the outlet mall an easy goal. I had guessed we would only get 80% of the stated range, due to the wind drag from all the gear strapped to the outside of the car, but that estimate provided 207 miles of range, resulting in a comfortable 27 mile buffer. We really wanted to stretch our Bolt EV’s legs. and based on an experience I had, driving a Bolt EV from Tulsa, Oklahoma to Grapevine, Texas, I knew the Bolt EV would keep updating its remaining range, accurately. We selected the mall because it has at least 13 chargers and we wanted to stop for lunch and do some shopping, as well.
Not actually knowing how the wind drag on the kayak and bikes would affect the EV’s range, we were keeping a close eye on the “Driver Information” display’s remaining range estimate as well as our route’s remaining miles, displayed on the “Infotainment Touchscreen’s” display of Apple CarPlay.
My guess was off! (but not by too much)
As we drove, the car constantly recalculated its remaining range, based on what it was experiencing. This was a brand new vehicle, loaned to us by Classic Chevrolet, so it had no prior history to use for the initial range estimate. About a half hour north of Waco, I noticed the range had dropped more quickly than the remaining miles to our destination. Our 27 mile buffer became a 17 mile buffer! What was happening was the Bolt EV was learning as we drove it. Because of all the equipment, on the exterior of the car, the car took notice of the miles driven per kWh used and adjusted its range prediction, based on that experience.
This could be scary stuff for EV newbies, but I had faith in the car’s ability to adapt. In fact, we could have stopped, to top off the battery pack, at a DC fast charger, located at a Walmart in Bellmead, Texas but decided to continue to our planned destination.
About a half hour south of Waco, our buffer recalculated to show we would arrive with only 3 miles of range left. Bonnie got really tense, when we made a wrong turn, near the outlet mall, and saw the remaining range estimate change from a number to “Low.” I’ll admit, I had gotten pretty quiet, too.
However, we made it to the fantastic banks of chargers at the mall, filled up the battery( and our growling stomachs) and continued to our campsite at Enchanted Rock.
What we found was, once the range estimate recalibrated for wind drag, it remained very accurate and we could depend on its estimate. The next day, our trepidation was over and we enjoyed a wonderful four-day adventure, Texas style!
If you’d like to see how the rest of the trip went and see some beautiful Texas scenery, check back for updates.
#TheEVangelist #ClassicEVAdventure #MEVJ #texasEV #TxETRA #NDEW2020 #ElectricVehicle #BoltEVTexasAdventure #ClassicChevrolet #BoltEV
