eGolf drive Modesto CA to Las Vegas NV

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

RexAdam

***
Joined
Dec 18, 2017
Messages
3
I am planning to drive from Modesto through Bakersfield, over Tehachapi to Mojave then Barstow, Baker, Las Vegas. Anyone drive this route? Any problems getting charged? I worry about Baker and needing to use a trailer park plug. Any advice on this trip?
Thanks
 
RexAdam said:
I am planning to drive from Modesto through Bakersfield, over Tehachapi to Mojave then Barstow, Baker, Las Vegas. Anyone drive this route? Any problems getting charged? I worry about Baker and needing to use a trailer park plug. Any advice on this trip?
Thanks
What kind of eGolf, if you have an SE without DCFC, forget it. It's so slow charging you will be at it for days.
 
Really bad idea. Find another means of transportation, if your spare time is worth anything. Rent a gas or diesel powered vehicle, or fly in and out. Also, read the owners manual, you are only to recharge DCFC every other recharge, as the battery is passively cooled, and DCFC does not balance recharge the cells, in favor of saving time, which is long term damaging to all of the batteries in the battery pack. Which means 3 to 4.5 hours every other recharge using a level 2 208 to 240V 30 amp EVSE unit. Huge waste of your time.
 
Thanks for your input. I have a 2017 SEL eGolf. I have been getting 140-155 miles per charge. I have been charging every other with DC 350v.
I figure I can fast DC in Fresno and Bakersfield, and slow 240v for 2 hours in Mojave and slow 240v for 5 hours in Barstow (overnight). Next morning drive to Baker for 4 hour slow 240v then drive to Vegas for fast DC.
Part of the reason for the trip is just to have done it in my electric car. I usually take the Prius, but even with the delay it would be cool to do it in the eGolf. I don't want to hurt the battery though. Even with an 8 year battery warranty I want to take care of it.
 
This is definitely possible on a 2017 w/ DCFC. To play it safe, you'll want to assume 125 mile ranges at highway speeds, especially if using climate control. Breaking up the trip with an overnight L2 charge is a good idea too.

As with any road trip, you'll want to give yourself buffers in case the fast chargers are in use when you get there, and have a contingency plan just in case they're out of commission entirely. Definitely check the plugShare & ChargePoint apps before heading out.
 
RexAdam said:
Thanks for your input. I have a 2017 SEL eGolf. I have been getting 140-155 miles per charge. I have been charging every other with DC 350v.
I figure I can fast DC in Fresno and Bakersfield, and slow 240v for 2 hours in Mojave and slow 240v for 5 hours in Barstow (overnight). Next morning drive to Baker for 4 hour slow 240v then drive to Vegas for fast DC.
Part of the reason for the trip is just to have done it in my electric car. I usually take the Prius, but even with the delay it would be cool to do it in the eGolf. I don't want to hurt the battery though. Even with an 8 year battery warranty I want to take care of it.

Is it possible? Yes. Is it practical? no.

Plan on maybe 100 miles to 110 miles before your first DCFC which will only be a 90% SOC, and then perhaps another 90 to 100 miles, before you need a full 100% recharge at level 2. The level 2 recharges need to be 100% on the gauge to fully equalize recharge all the battery cells. So plan on that being an overnight, and 5 hours or more at 208V and 30 amps, at a hotel or motel. Same thing, next day. About 210 to 220 miles max per day, before you need 5 ours again on a level 2 recharge. Unfortunately, that's the reality and range limits, if you follow VW's owners manual for not abusing the battery. Unless you have some sort of membership, those DCFC will cost you $10 or more per recharge. 30 minutes might get you 18 to 20 kWh added range, depends on how hard you drove right before the recharge and how hot the battery was from a high rate of discharge, or not, if you slowed down the last 4 or 5 miles before the DCFC machine.
 
Well I did my drive from Modesto to Las Vegas. I did a DC charge in Fresno and Bakersfield and a level 2 charge in Mojave (2hr), overnight in Barstow (6 hr charge) and level 2 in Baker (3 hr). I didn't use any heat/air because the weather was good in January. I probably gained 5 lbs. from eating every time I charged. No problems with the EV. Chargers were a mix of Charge Point and EVgo.
I drove the eGolf to show myself that I could go anywhere with some planning, but in the future I will just use my Prius.
Thanks to everyone who gave input. It was useful in the planning.
 
Back
Top