Coastal Driving San Jose to the Beach (Santa Cruz)

[Sparkie]

Has anyone gone over hwy 17 yet? What range do you have once you get to santa cruz?

-Luke

 

[kevin]

Has anyone gone over hwy 17 yet? What range do you have once you get to santa cruz?

-Luke

I would be interested as well. I live in Los Gatos just north of the Santa Cruz mountains and I calculate it would consume about 3-4KWh to climb to the summit (altitude 1850 feet). This is about 20% of the battery.

Regeneration should recover a fair amount of that on the downhill trip,to Santa Cruz but how far could I trave before the battery is too low to clomb the hill for the return trip.

Kevin

 

[Electricbowtie]

Yup we drive from Campbell on hwy 17 and up and over (using L on way down) and made it to hwy 1 in Santa Cruz with estimated 70 miles remaining. We then drove up the coast about 7 miles to Davenport and got there with 63 miles left. After a days at the beach, we headed back over 17 and hit some bad traffic on the way down (so didn't get as much regen) and still easily made it back to Campbell with 15 miles to go. Total trip was 79 miles with 140MPGe. Amazing how much that car regens downhill and climbs the hill with no problem.

 

[kevin]

Yup we drive from Campbell on hwy 17 and up and over (using L on way down) and made it to hwy 1 in Santa Cruz with estimated 70 miles remaining. We then drove up the coast about 7 miles to Davenport and got there with 63 miles left. After a days at the beach, we headed back over 17 and hit some bad traffic on the way down (so didn't get as much regen) and still easily made it back to Campbell with 15 miles to go. Total trip was 79 miles with 140MPGe. Amazing how much that car regens downhill and climbs the hill with no problem.

Did you notice what the displayed range (or remaining capacity) was when you were at the summit in each direction?

thanks

kevin

 

[Electricbowtie]

Did you notice what the displayed range (or remaining capacity) was when you were at the summit in each direction?

thanks

kevin

Yeah, at the summit on the way there it was about 53 and on the way back at the summit was about 26.

 

[Sparkie]

When driving to the coast during those times what are your driving habits. Were you having to baby the throttle or could you make it in sport mode and enjoy your drive?

-Luke

 

[EeveeDriver]

On Sunday (9/22) I drove my Spark from Campbell (Bascom and Camden) with 100% charge to the Santa Cruz Flea Market on Soquel Dr., about 27 miles. Then drove back to J. Lohr Winery in San Jose (Santa Clara and Lentzen) about 32 miles, then back home with a short side trip to Smart and Final, maybe 10 miles. I got home with about 28 miles remaining on the dash indicator. Total trip about ~69 miles.

I tried to keep kw output to around 15kw going up hill southbound on 17, but probably didn't need to. Used low cabin fan, no A/C.

- EeVeeDriver

 

[gatedad]

EVDriver: About how fast on average did you travel? In MPH?
Thanks,
Lou

 

[Electricbowtie]

For my 3 long trips over 75 miles, I drove on freeway no faster than 70 mph.

 

[EeveeDriver]

I would guess 50mph average.

-EeVeeDriver

EVDriver: About how fast on average did you travel? In MPH?
Thanks,
Lou

 

[gatedad]

Wow! I am impressed. Driving in my Mitsubishi I-MiEV there's no way I'd get that kind of range going 50 mph, let alone 70 mph. It's a car that is actually even smaller than the Spark EV, and yet the Spark EV noticeably exceeded the range of a smaller car. As has been debated here and elsewhere already, if GM is truly serious about the Spark EV and it's not just a compliance car, this car has potential. If they could add in a 6.6 charger, and straighten out the QC charger issue(SAE)so that Level III charging is doable everywhere with ease, this car could be a game changer...
Lou