Tesla Charging Up Sunshine Coast — Highway Tripping Made Simple, However Nonetheless Some Hiccups

Mark Purcell and his household have simply accomplished a vacation drive, travelling 8000 km from the Sunshine Coast in Queensland to Hobart in Tasmania and again, all of the whereas delusion busting concerning the capabilities of electrical autos. He tells me that he visited 19 Tesla Superchargers with zero wait time at a complete value of $333. He began on the Sunshine Coast, then to Sydney, on to Melbourne, after which Tasmania in his Tesla Mannequin 3 Efficiency. “It simply labored!” he stated.

It wasn’t all concerning the chargers. He and his household loved some some spectacular mountain surroundings driving via the Snowy Mountains in NSW, Lake Mountain in VIC, and Ben Lomond in TAS.

Ben Lomond, Tasmania. Picture courtesy of Mark Purcell.

Chargers within the hole between Eden and Lakes Entrance (the place we needed to beg for a cup of electrons) are constructed at Orbost and Cann River, however nonetheless not but commissioned. Cease the press — Cann River is now open! There’s now one Tesla Supercharger and three public quick chargers open there.

Mark charged at Marlo, the place one vacation spot charger was understanding of two. After we checked on our journey, neither was working.

Final DC charger for 400 km. Picture courtesy of Mark Purcell.

A number of websites are underneath building on this 400 km stretch of freeway between Bega and Sale. As soon as these quick chargers are operational in Malakuta, Orbost, Lakes Entrance, Omeo, and Bairnsdale, the journey could have gone out of the journey. However it can nonetheless be enjoyable, with plenty of chats on the charging stations.

Mark describes the difficulties he present in Marlo: “2 days in the past I arrived at an AC charging level 200 km from the closest DC quick charger in Marlo. It was in use for 3 hours so I needed to wait on the Marlo lodge. We had arrived at lunchtime, planning to get a prime up whereas we ate after which press on. One other Tesla driver was utilizing the one working charger. I checked in as ready on the PlugShare app however different driver didn’t see it as he had not checked in with PlugShare.

“We enquired round, however couldn’t discover the opposite proprietor when the automotive was charged. The lodge administration kindly provided me a 15 amp socket which might take 6 hours to cost my battery. At meal time the opposite driver moved his Tesla so I plugged in. I didn’t have an opportunity to speak to him as he was gone by the point we realised the automotive was transferring. By this time we had determined to remain in a single day so I might do my 3 hour cost.”

At a charger in Hunter Valley, NSW, Mark had an identical expertise. A Tesla was parked on the charger however not plugged in. So Mark plugged the automotive in, which prompted a notification. The motive force shortly got here and moved his automotive. “He thought they might use it as a parking spot.”

Mark tells me that the non-Tesla quick chargers on the primary coastal route between Sydney and Melbourne had been solely 50% operational. Fortunately, the regional inland NRMA community all labored and had been free. Mark used the PlugShare app to plan his journey.

Tasmania was even higher. “It was laborious to drive greater than 50 km with out discovering an EV quick charger.”

Charging in Hobart. Picture courtesy of Mark Purcell.

His weblog comprises this typical remark: “Total an excellent day’s driving (734 km), stopped at three Superchargers and personally had zero await a free stall, plenty of shared charging solely delivering a sluggish 65 kW. Others arriving after me did have wait occasions of 5–10 minutes, however the turnover was fast.”

He says that there have been a “pack of Teslas enjoying leap frog” transferring down the freeway. Along with his Mannequin 3 Efficiency, he was capable of be the primary on the chargers, and even skip to the subsequent one together with his longer vary. Fable busting and having enjoyable.

Some excerpts from his weblog:

752km is my longest day to date this journey. Sunshine Coast to Port Macquarie in NSW – charged twice at Superchargers costing $70. Driving time 8 hours 53 minutes, charging time 1 hour 12 minutes.

Heading North — Geelong Victoria to Canberra within the Australian Capital Territory. Distance 738 km, charged at 3 Superchargers at a price of $60. Driving time 7 hours and 21 minutes. Charging time 1 hour and 26 minutes.

On the NRMA charger (Chargefox) behind Gloria Denims Espresso in Coffs Harbour, one charger was displaying the message on its display screen: “port D unavailable pending components being changed that are at the moment anticipated finish of January 23.” With just one charger accessible, this prompted some congestion.

In regional Victoria: Gundagai, Wodonga, and Euroa Superchargers all in excessive demand in the present day.

Whereas driving on the M1 in Tasmania, his Tesla obtained an replace which affected the automotive’s phantom braking. He tells me that this resulted in a “low spouse acceptance issue.” It seems that his spouse, like mine, will get very irritated when the Tesla brakes for no purpose (aka phantom braking).

A word in his weblog describes some charging points in Tasmania: “I had failures at Campbell City and Kempton quick chargers in the present day. Campbell City hosts one of many authentic quick charging websites in Tassie. It’s an outdated Evie charger and it will not activate. The positioning has 2 stations, and apparently one has been out of motion for a very long time. In the present day, the opposite one wouldn’t work both. Kempton’s charger on the Temper Meals servo required an app, that I can solely describe as weird. I simply couldn’t get it to work.

“At Oatlands Mark received to make use of a brand new facility which labored like a attraction. It’s geared up with Finnish chargers constructed by Kempower. Their motto is ‘Powering Planet Cool.’ Welcome to Australia Kempower — trying ahead to seeing extra of those chargers round.”

Mark’s time in Launceston and Hobart was comparatively uneventful, with vacation spot charging at Launceston and AirBNB trickle charging in Hobart working effectively. There have been just a few Teslas on the ferry from Tassie again to Victoria and the drivers swapped tales of their adventures. As quickly as they had been off the ferry, it was leapfrogging up the freeway to be first on the Superchargers!

Word the ferry within the background. Picture courtesy of Mark Purcell.

It looks like fairly the journey, Mark. Nonetheless, it seems that with all the brand new quick chargers entering into, quickly the one problem on a protracted EV highway journey shall be selecting the espresso! And educating fellow EV drivers concerning the right use of charging spots!