Drive home 100 mile legs... How slow to drive?

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Fivedoor

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Apr 15, 2019
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I am seriously considering a low mileage 2016 Spark EV that is about 450 miles away. The dcfc stations along my route are around 100 miles apart, and I have a net elevation loss of 400 ft. Assuming negligible battery degradation, how slow do I have to drive (good weather, fan only climate control, windows up) to drive the car home rather than having it delivered?

Thanks,

Keith

PS:. I drive my Bolt on 1000+ mile trips, experienced EVer here.
 
Fivedoor said:
I am seriously considering a low mileage 2016 Spark EV that is about 450 miles away. The dcfc stations along my route are around 100 miles apart, and I have a net elevation loss of 400 ft. Assuming negligible battery degradation, how slow do I have to drive (good weather, fan only climate control, windows up) to drive the car home rather than having it delivered?

Thanks,

Keith

PS:. I drive my Bolt on 1000+ mile trips, experienced EVer here.
I would not even try it because there are too many variables that affect the car's 1-charge driving range. If you must drive Sparky home, try to find an L2 EVSE location between DCFC stations. If none are available, either tow the car home on a car trailer or have a transport service bring it to you.
 
One guy set a record on a track going 23 MPH and got 124 miles,,, approx.... Look it up! :!:
He suffered!
You can too ! :lol:
No DRL, fan, radio....

Get an orange triangle for the back of the car, like the Amish use on their horse buggies and get on the shoulder with them ! :roll:

Or borrow a truck and rent a Uhaul dolly for a buckandahalf and bring it home non-stop!
 
I'm averaging 6.5 mi/kWh traveling on average 30-40mph in the city. With my capacity currently at 16kWh that is about 104 miles of range if you can use every bit of the battery. That would be too close for me and there are too many variables over 350 miles that could pop up. I would think doing the DC fast charge would also make the battery cooling system have to kick in which is something else that will effect range too.

It sounds like you may need a good back up plan that may include extension cords or the more logical suggestion to just tow the car.
 
I've done a few 100-mile highway drives in a Spark EV. Made it to 120 once in the 2014, so it can definitely be done, but with unknown battery degradation you will need to be cautious. Wind can also make a big difference.

If you're just driving by yourself you'll probably need to keep it to 50 or less to be able to make it. If you can draft, 60 is doable and 65 should be possible, depending on what type of vehicle you're following and how closely. Following a sedan or a Bolt, you'd need to be about as close as you'd be comfortable following a friend to keep up any speed over 60. Following a big rig, you can keep a respectable, safe distance and go 65.

You've got 10 battery bars, and to go 100 miles you'll need 10 miles from each of them. If you're only getting 8 miles, slow down. If you've been getting 12, you can speed up.
 
When I've had to get a lot of miles out of my car, I get off the highway as much as possible so I can go slow and use the regenerative braking. Doing that for 450 miles could be nice if there are interesting towns to go through or could be so excruciatingly slow and nerve-racking as you watch the bars drop.
 
jsca72 said:
... go slow and use the regenerative braking....
How do you not use regen braking in normal driving?

Actually for all out range you may want to shift to N and do some true coasting when you need to slow to a stop.
The regen conversion of power is not 100% efficient.
 
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