EV Adventure: Los Alamos <> Scottsdale, AZ

Aven had an Irish Dance Feis in Scottsdale, AZ – we decided that we’d have another EV adventure. We used ABRP (A Better Route Planner) app and then looked at plugshare reviews of stations. ABRP had us charge in Santa Fe but skip Albuquerque and go to Grants. I’m glad we didn’t – Grants was out of order (two of the four chargers weren’t working including the single CHAdeMO charger). So I decided to be cautious on the trip. We got lots of good bike rides in while charging, and had a few fun explore and meal stops as well. With the Nissan Leaf (CHAdeMO and max 50 kW charging rate – but usually closer to 20 kW) I found this is really a fun way to change long car trips so I enjoy the journey, not race to the destination. The Nissan especially makes it a bit of an adventure. Other EVs that can really fast charge (300 kW?) and aren’t limited to CHAdeMO, are closer to and ICE (internal combustion engine) road trip (I would assume). If there was a real time crunch, I’d have to drive our old ICE over the Nissan. But this was lots of fun! Total: $160.35, 1150 miles. More details from the trip:

June 1, 2023

Leave Los Alamos at 6:45 am, 100%, 219 mi est. range, 19760 odometer

Santa Fe 7:32am, 82%, 175 mi range, 19799 odometer. Charge at PointCharge, ride bikes to Whoo’s Donuts! Got 9.25 kWhr for $2.77

Santa Fe 8:08am, 96%, 210 mi range, 19799 odometer.

Albuquerque 9:03am, 68%, 158 mi range, 19857 odometer. Charge at Electrify America / Walmart. Great Bike ride! Got 15.871 kWhr for $7.75

Albuquerque 9:50am, 97%, 223 mi range, 19857 odometer.

Grants 10:56am, 48%, 91 mi range, 19933 odometer. Electrify America / Walmart. CHAdeMO charger “unavailable” (not someone using, just the charger said “unavailable..”) bummer! on to Gallup?

Gallup 12:11pm, 15%, 37 mi range, 19998 odometer. Electrify America / Walmart. Nice lunch at Oasis (Mediterranean) then a nice bike ride. 43.31 kWhr, $22.33

Gallup 1:58pm, 98%, 236 mi range, 19998 odometer.

Winslow 2:56pm (w/ one hour time change), 20%, 42 mi range, 20124 odometer. Electrify America / Walmart. nice bike ride to downtown/explore Winslow (had to stand on the corner!), 33.897 kWhr, $17.33

Winslow 4:35pm, 88%, 182 mi range, 20124 odometer

Flagstaff 5:29pm, 45%, 80 mi range, 20184 odometer. Electrify America / Walmart – Station broken (no CHAdemO.. Tried three times, it started up then falied/stopped immediately). Went to ChargePoint near airport (charged ~20 kW rate), got 20.63 kWh, $15.58. No bike ride at this spot, just hung out.

Flagstaff 6:32pm, 85%, 151 mi range, 20184 odometer. Looking ahead – lots of downhill to Scotsdale, one Walmart/Electrify ~15 miles north of Phoenix I could stop at, but if I drive conservatively and get the downhill help, maybe we can make it to the hotel.

Scottsdale, AZ 10:15pm 23%, 60 mi range, 20328 odometer.

Charging near hotel overnight. CharePoint station. First 4 hours are $1/hr, after that it is $7.50/hr. By 6:40am charged almost fully, $28.52 (this was a level 2, 6.6kW)

Scottsdale, AZ 5:41am 99%, 246 mi range, 20328 odometer. cruised around town just a bit..

Heading home to NM – June 4, 2022.
Scottsdale, AZ 6:26am, 95%, 237 mi range, 20334 odometer. Going to get donuts, drive to Walmart/Electrify to charge up for the uphill to Flagstaff.

Phoenix (Anthem), AZ 7:19am, 71%, 149 mi range, 20378 odometer. Aven slept, Matt did a bike ride. Electrify America / Walmart. 14.211 kWhr, $7.31

Phoenix (Anthem), AZ 7:53am, 96%, 203 mi range, 20378 odometer.

Flagstaff, AZ 9:34am, 21%, 40 mi range, 20485 odometer. ChargePoint at gas station near airport. Did a great bike ride! Charged at >40 kW for a good while, then dropped to 20 kW. 37.2 kW, $20.20

Flagstaff, AZ 10:56am, 94%, 179 mi range, 20485 odometer

Winslow, AZ 11:54am, 68%, 162 mi range, 20545 odometer. Electrify America/Walmart. Charging Start Error! Tried three times – no luck. Sleuth up – could we make it to Gallup?? unlikely – it is ~130 miles – but windy, … , BUT there is a level 2 charger at Petrified Forest Nat’l Park..

Petrified Forest National Park, 12:58pm, 35%, 78 mi range, 20603 odometer. ChargePoint 6.6kW Level 2 charger. Stop for lunch. Matt bike ride, Aven chill. 2.5kWhr? $3.88 LOVE CHARGERS IN NATIONAL PARKS!!!

Petrified Forest Nat’l Park, 2:57pm, 60%, 129 mi range, 20603 odometer.

Gallup, NM 5:05pm, 19%, 40 mi, 20672 odometer, Walmart / Electrify America, 37.406 kWhr, $19.20, Matt bike rid, Aven chilling – not feeling great

Gallup, NM 6:51pm, 91%, 201 mi, 20672 odometer

Albuquerque 9:30pm, 20%, 50 mi, 20811 odometer, subway/dinner, 24.30 kWhr, $12.41

Albuquerque 10:15pm, 71%, 169 mi, 20811 odometer. (Can we make it home?? Long shot..)

Santa Fe 11:14pm, 27%, 50 mi, 20871 odometer (nope, not gonna push it to make it home – but perhaps we actually could have?), ChargePoint 10.234 kWh, $3.07

Santa Fe 11.:46pm, 50%, 93 mi, 20871 odometer

Home! Los Alamos, 12:38am, 29%, 61 mi, 20910 odometer

2.77 + 7.75 + 22.33 + 17.33 + 15.58 + 28.52 + 7.31 + 20.20 + 3.88 + 19.20 + 12.41 + 3.07

20910 – 19760

Total: $ 160.35, 1150 miles

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