What I Learned On My “Tesla Cannonball” From Tampa To Seattle

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Within the article, I describe what I discovered about Tesla Supercharging, Tesla Autopilot & Full Self Driving, fuel station meals, the healthcare system within the US, and my preliminary impressions of Seattle. A couple of months in the past, my son determined to maneuver from Florida (the place he has lived his complete life) to Seattle. I discussed that’s about as distant from Florida as you will get within the continental US, and he replied “that’s sort of the purpose.” I don’t know if he’ll like Seattle (extra about that later), however I believe it’s good to depart the realm you grew up in, as a result of it helps you mature and higher perceive totally different regional views. I moved from Minnesota to Florida at an analogous age 30 years in the past and it is a crucial a part of my life expertise.

I’m utilizing the term “cannonball” in a general sense to describe a long trip across the country. We didn’t drive 24 hours a day like in a real “cannonball” run; we stopped to sleep at lodges/motels. The automobile was full of my son’s belongings. In any other case, we may have simply slept within the again as I described in this article. Though, a Mannequin 3 is way much less snug to sleep in (particularly for 2 folks) than the bigger Mannequin Y.

Autopilot & Full Self Driving

My son drove on Tesla Full Self Driving (FSD), whereas my profile was set to make use of Navigate on Autopilot (NOA). I discovered I favor Navigate on Autopilot for driving on interstates as a result of it doesn’t change lanes with out warning (which occurs with FSD even you probably have it set to “minimal lane modifications”). I believe it additionally may nag you much less, however I’m unsure about that.

I recognize all of the truck drivers who carry me all my meals and different items, however they do clog up the interstates, and I discovered that about 2% of the time they’d confuse NOA/FSD into slowing down from 80 mph to 50 mph (known as “phantom braking”). It’d even brake extra extraordinarily than that, however I don’t let it proceed as a result of going slower than 50 mph on the interstate is kind of harmful.

5 months since my final article on this, FSD has made little progress, vindicating my prediction that FSD is years away from working as a level 5 driver. I do know — now the optimists all assume V12 will remedy all the issues that 5+ years of improvement have been unable to unravel. I believe that’s potential, however over 30 years of software program improvement expertise tells me a radical rewrite of software program regresses in operate 99% of the time and normally take years to get to the extent of operate because the earlier structure. The optimists inform me my 30 years of expertise imply nothing as a result of synthetic intelligence (AI) works in a different way, and they’re partially right. It does work in a different way. I’ve been very impressed with the gorgeous progress with each massive language fashions (LLM) and film and video technology in a really quick time frame. After all, I’m impressed with the power of computer systems to play chess and Go. However I haven’t been impressed with the progress of FSD. I preserve an open thoughts and definitely hope that FSD begins to progress on the excessive fee of pace LLMs have been progressing at, however we gained’t know till extra folks get V12 and see the way it advances.

Having stated all of that, NOA/FSD was nice for this journey (in comparison with cruise management), and it meant I may drive longer distances with much less fatigue. I actually refuse to drive greater than 50 miles now with out some sort of Autopilot or lane centering and visitors conscious cruise management (TACC). It’s simply too tiring for me (possibly I’m simply getting previous, lazy, and spoiled).

Supercharging

A lot has been written about how dependable Tesla Superchargers are in comparison with different quick chargers, together with this great recent article by my friend Steve Hanley. The chargers have been 100% dependable in my expertise, and I used to be stunned what number of had been upgraded from 150 kW (Gen 2) to 250 kW (Gen 3). I travelled in early December (which isn’t round any huge holidays within the US), so the chargers have been by no means greater than 50% used.  This considerably reduces charging time when you arrive on the charger with a low state of cost (beneath 30% or so), possibly saving you 10 or quarter-hour.

We determined we have been going for pace greater than effectivity, so we tried to go about 75 or 80 mph throughout many of the journey (slowing down primarily based on pace limits and climate, after all). I’ve been driving electrical for 12 years (largely round Tampa), so I knew that although my son’s 5-year-old Tesla has had very low battery degradation (can usually stand up to 295 miles of vary), going this quick it wouldn’t get anywhere near 295 miles per charge. As well as, I knew that it wasn’t time environment friendly to cost the automobile increased than 80% (~235 miles), for the reason that charging fee is then dramatically slower. I additionally knew that we didn’t wish to get beneath 5% (15 miles), since we may be stranded if we made a incorrect flip in an unfamiliar space. So, doing that match, we had 235 miles minus 15 miles or 220 miles of vary to make use of on every 20-minute cost (we favor to cost 5% to 80% at a 250 kW charger).

We discovered that with 220 miles of vary, we may may go about 150 miles safely, which is about 2 hours of driving. Even with Tesla’s wonderful driver help, that’s about so long as I wish to drive with no quick break. So, all is nice? Not precisely.

Throughout the drive within the western United States, the chargers have been much less widespread and continuously 50 or 80 miles aside. Now, chances are you’ll assume that’s effective —I’ve 295 miles of vary, why do I care that the chargers are spaced out a bit? All of it turned apparent on a stretch of highway in rural Kansas and jap Colorado. With temperatures of about 30 levels Fahrenheit, or minus 1 diploma Celsius (so, the battery utilizing some energy to maintain heat and precondition for quicker charging, plus some energy to maintain us heat), a 20 mph headwind, and gaining vital elevation, I observed the automobile had about 165 miles of vary but didn’t count on I may make it to a Supercharger solely 115 miles away. So, I discovered when the chargers are spaced out (like they’re in elements of rural America), I discovered we needed to cost to 90% or 100%, which meant we might cost an hour to drive 90 minutes, a a lot totally different state of affairs to charging 20 minutes to drive 2 hours! I count on Tesla will continue to roll out chargers at an incredibly fast pace, particularly now that the corporate is anticipating far more use since everyone but Stellantis has adopted the NACS standard plug.

I refuse to even think about using a non-Tesla quick charger, for the reason that reliability is thought to be so low, however I’ll give them an opportunity if I hear issues have improved. It additionally doesn’t damage that I get free Supercharging from referral credit (thanks, CleanTechnica readers, for utilizing my referral code).

Whereas in Denver, I took a detour into the emergency division when my grandson received a foul case of the flu and received very dehydrated. The US healthcare system could also be a monetary mess, however it did job of getting him hydrated, so he was capable of get well.

I initially complained that this station was 4 miles off the interstate, however it was such an awesome cease (with nice meals choices, together with a Hawaiian restaurant) that it was properly definitely worth the small detour.

On the West Coast, we observed that many instances the restrooms listed by the automobile’s software program as accessible to be used have been both closed at night time or had an indication saying “for purchasers solely.” We discovered these indicators solely on the West Coast, the place homelessness is a major situation. In the remainder of the nation, the place the chargers have been at fuel stations (together with the excellent Buc-ee’s), this wasn’t a problem as a result of the fuel stations have been open 24 hours, normally had clear bogs, and have been open to the general public.

We received caught in some deep snow in Washington and found the traction of the rear-wheel-drive Mannequin 3 with all season tires (with a lot of tread) wasn’t that nice. They wouldn’t allow us to cross the cross with out chains (or 4-wheel drive), and I’m glad we didn’t attempt. The opposite drivers with chains stated it was a $500 effective when you received caught with out chains, they usually additionally stated it was arduous to make it even with chains. We received a motel and the highway was 100% clear within the morning as a result of nice work performed by the Washington Division of Transportation.

Seattle

Once we received to Seattle, I helped my son transfer into his house and spent a while exploring town. I beloved the meals and the general public transportation, however discovered the prices considerably increased than in Florida. Some shops have been nonetheless boarded up from the demonstrations/riots of 2020, they usually have a extreme homeless downside within the metropolis. I really feel downtown Seattle has nice potential however must determine issues out or it dangers going the best way of different as soon as nice cities like Detroit. I don’t know the answer, however it does have some vital issues.

Conclusion

I went on this journey to bond with my son, and I came upon that his state of affairs together with his girlfriend in Florida is “sophisticated” and he actually doesn’t like the best way the US makes use of the Electoral School to elect presidents. As well as, it confirmed my impressions of Tesla’s driver help know-how and I discovered new insights into the right way to take lengthy journeys in a Tesla. One final remark I’ll make is that though I may use the GPS to navigate to the Superchargers, I’d love if Tesla put up enormous indicators. This could each assist EV house owners discover the chargers and in addition assist folks nonetheless driving fuel vehicles know that they exist.

Disclosure: I’m a shareholder in Tesla [TSLA], BYD [BYDDY], Nio [NIO], XPeng [XPEV], Hertz [HTZ], NextEra Vitality [NEP], and a number of other ARK ETFs. However I provide no funding recommendation of any kind right here. 

All pictures by Paul Fosse