Get your kicks on Route 66?

[PV1]

Compared to other CHAdeMO solutions, that is a steal, as long as it works properly. That should reduce charge times to 2 hours or less at 240 volts, 40 amps. I'm kicking the idea of getting this setup myself, and have the ability to plug into two charging stations at once to charge at a max of 13.2 kW, or 19.2 kW from an 80 amp J1772 or Tesla HPWC (can't do supercharging).

This will be an awesome trip to follow. If/when you do this, will you be keeping a log of distance, driving conditions, and charge levels?

 

[rkarl89203]

Fully planning photos, blogs, charging times, logging locations, unexpected good..and bad..things that will happen. My worst nightmare would be a flat tire in the Mojave. I seem to have lost my spare, haha!..will check in on Plugshare wherever I can...and will upload photos and commentary before, during and after my trip. I need to get a 240v RV adapter for quicker charging at campgrounds. This sounds more of a challenge than driving my Subaru 360 from
San Diego to Concord, NH back in 1971.

 

[Phximiev]

I just looked at Plugshare and its 96 miles from Gallup to Holbrook. That's a stretch. Holbrook to Flagstaff with chargers in Winslow should be ok. How are you going to get from Gallup to Holbrook? I believe that's a long stretch of empty Navajo or Hopi land. Did you find a campground in that stretch?

 

[rkarl89203]

Found a campground at Bluewater Lake State Park east of Gallup. Gallup looks to be sort of dumpy these days. Still working on that stretch. As I said earlier, ma and pa motels and campgrounds will be helpful.
Route 66 is not EV friendly, but we will see...planning continues.

 

[Phximiev]

You might try the Best Western or Days Inn in either Chambers or Sanders. They might be able to help. They are about half-way.

 

[Phximiev]

And between Flagstaff and Kingman, you have Williams, Seligman, and Peach Springs. I know that they have campgrounds in those towns. However, I do have a wager that you could probably make it all the way to Kingman from Flagstaff (150 miles) as Flagstaff is 7,000 feet and Kingman is about 2,000 feet altitude. My experience with the regen on the 'Miev (and for that matter, the Leaf) is that you can fully re-charge on the downhill stretches.

Let me know in your interest in the wager! If you make it, we'll come meet you in Kingman. If you don't we'll drive our van up there and rescue you.

BTW, when are you scheduling this trip?

 

[rkarl89203]

Our target is mid March next year. If we can't do it then if would have to be fall 2016 as the Mojave is way too hot in between. I used to live in Barstow and I know .. :shock:

 

[Aerowhatt]

Found a campground at Bluewater Lake State Park east of Gallup. Gallup looks to be sort of dumpy these days. Still working on that stretch. As I said earlier, ma and pa motels and campgrounds will be helpful.

I tried a campground a few weeks ago. Didn't need a charge, just inquiring. They insisted that I would have to pay a one day RV parking fee to use the 240 for a few hours. If memory serves it was ~$26 for a partial charge

Next time I'm thinking I need a cute girl to do the inquiring perhaps?

I'm in Albuquerque a few blocks from 66 and can offer you free 30 amp L2 and something to drink etc. No extra beds but anything else doable. If I have my onboard Gasoline L2 together by then (very likely) I could help with that West of Gallup leg too if no other solutions surface.

Aerowhatt

 

[rkarl89203]

Wow, not a good 240V experience. I myself would just get a campsite with a 110v plug...
If you check in early you can charge all night for about $18 at most places. As a last resort it works. Just isn't cheap, haha!
May just take you up on the L2 at your home, though. Thanks for the offer!
Let's keep in touch...

 

[Aerowhatt]

Wow, not a good 240V experience. . .
May just take you up on the L2 at your home, though. Thanks for the offer!
Let's keep in touch...

No kidding I was really disappointed. After it was clear he wouldn't budge I motioned out the window, half your RV pads are empty right now I said (Around 15 of them). He claimed they would be full in two hours. So I offered pay him $5 for plugging in and stay with the car so if he rented the spot I could pull right out of it. No dice!

I was hoping the RV sites would be a good resource but so far it doesn't look promising. Has anyone else had good or bad luck with them?

I'll send you a PM with my email so we can catch up when you get close to traveling. I'm just off 66 very near the rio grande river on the east side of it. Which puts us on the west-ish end of town. Assuming you are traveling east to west it should work well for you. If you are camping along the route, I have a nice grassy tent site in the back yard too

Aerowhatt

 

[rkarl89203]

Sounds great! Thank you!

 

[rkarl89203]

Just got back from a 1 week trip down route 66 to Tulsa, to visit relatives. Although slow, most of the motels along the way tell me I can Plug in overnight....that really helps
Checked out the newer L2 at Atlanta IL on the way back, too!
I took a rental gas car (ugh!) But I am really looking forward to doing the route in my i-Miev next year. Got to figure out where to charge in the Mojave first, though!

 

[rkarl89203]

It looks like the Mojave will be my waterloo...can't find a reliable charge half way through.
The road damage to old 66 off the freeway will not be repaired until late next year.that voids 2 good charging possibilities.

 

[Phximiev]

Perhaps a way around, from Flagstaff come to Phoenix, easy all down hill, then across I-10 and pass the Mohave, then route back up. But from Flagstaff to Kingman and then to the river should be ok with the campgrounds and motels/hotels. After that, its tough....

 

[rkarl89203]

The Mojave has been solved, but all are Level 1 chargers.
Right now the only thing causing us not to plan it yet is the fact that my mother just had a minor stroke in Ojai California. We are planning a quick trip (flying of course) to assess the exact situation. She appears to be doing well, but is now in assisted living. Getting older is not for the fainthearted. So the trip is postponed and the planning continues.
We hope to do this either no later than the end of March or late Fall.

 

[Phximiev]

Sorry to hear about you mom, been there done that. Keep us posted on the planning; I still believe that you will have charging issues along part of the route.

 

[rkarl89203]

Thanks for your kind words.
Yep, the actual trip in the i-miev will be a challenge indeed.
By the way we are planning to fly into Phoenix on our way to Ojai, and then drive across the Mojave in a gas car to check and make sure those Mojave chargers actually exist.
We are actually quite concerned about my Mom, although she sounds OK on the phone.
We shall see.

 

[Phximiev]

Send us a pm if you'd like to meet up for a coffee. Also, we'd like to know if they exist also.

 

[rkarl89203]

Well, due to a family illness, had the opportunity to travel to Ventura CA this last week.
Flew into Phoenix, took an ICE car to Kingman, ran down Route 66, and found at least 5 charging opportunities across the Mojave for our iMiev Route 66 adventure later this year.
The Weird thing is, in 5 days in Ventura and San Diego, we did not see ONE electric car.
Really odd...we did see about 500 Priuses.
Saw several L2 chargers, not a single one was charging an electric car.

 

[Phximiev]

Would you post the charging opportunities you found in the Mohave? That's where the route is the toughest...