would you do a 108 mile round trip w/o charging?

I visit my daughter often, thats a 105 round trip, mostly flat terrain. If I take the back roads I'll have about 40 miles left when I get back. 70mph highways, 30. When the weather is in the high 40s-low 50s I use green mode and have about 20 miles left, according to the conservative GOM, but have not pushed it to the limit.

 

Yes - at +50F you should not have trouble making that work. With 75% highway - based on my own tracking results - you would get in the ball park of 120 miles range. If you were hesitant, you could plan a trip of the same range and topography where there is charging available and see how it does. (if you buy an SE, of course!)

 

I wouldn't hesitate to take this trip. If you can go without heat (for 50F, that means maybe a light jacket and the seat warmers), you should be able to do 120-130 miles. And even if you turn on the heat, the SE's heat pump is so efficient at 50F that you will hardly see a hit to range.

 

I'd do that trip without hesitation. I routinely drive 85-100 miles per day without charging (basically 85-mile daily commute plus any errands I run).

If you're unsure, take the trip in green mode first to get a sense of how much charge you use, and then you can determine if mid mode is going to be fine. If you feel like you're running low, switch to green+ mode and you should get at least a 10-mile range boost.

Over that distance I would think you should be able to find a Level 2 charger as a backup, but it's easily within range of the SE. Also use the MINI navigation to plot your route, and look at the routes to see if it finds an alternate route that would use less battery.

Another thing to remember is the last 10% of battery provides the same range as the first 10% and the middle 10%. Battery output measurement is extremely consistent compared to measuring the amount of liquid is left in a fuel tank.

 

How fast would you be driving?

 

As I learned while hypermiling my Insights for 20 years, a semi truck can be your friend. I lost only one windshield in those two decades. Follow the trailers with the widest and lowest mud flaps.

 

I definitely wouldn’t do it regularly without at least a Level 2 charger along the way as a backup. As others have said, it’s not hard to get over 110 miles of range most of the time, but in my experience there’s too many small factors (wind, rain, passengers) that could add up to make it a very stressful trip. Especially if you’re going over 60mph most of the way.

 

Another range-extending tactic: Drive below the posted speed limit. The faster you drive, the more energy it takes to displace the air (especially when that air gets colder). And--it probably goes without saying--use the cruise control as much as possible.

 

If possible, I would suggest making this trip the first time in mild weather and in Green plus mode. And, drive intentionally slower rather than faster. Once you have determined that the trip is indeed possible, then you will have the confidence to change modes and drive faster if you wish.


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I would think (although I really don't know for sure) that even your marina (or some other nearby place) is likely to have an accessible 110V outlet that you could use in a pinch with the OEM charger cord included with the MINI at purchase. If you just put a heavy duty extension cord in your car (in case you should need it), and make sure the 110V charger itself is working properly before leaving, that should add to your range security too, along with the fact of the notoriously conservative GOM range estimates to begin with.

 

Is it safe to connect the L1 charging cable that you use at home to an extension cable that is connected to a wall power outlet?

 

Make sure you use a good extension cord - 14awg would be preferred. Don’t get one too long (there will be voltage drop along the length). Keep the end of the cord off the ground. If you are still concerned, set your car to charge at a lower current. Do those things and an extension cord can be safe.


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Thanks, @GetOffYourGas


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It's perfectly safe, if the extension cord is large enough gauge. I have a Kia Niro EV that I drove 500 miles home from the dealership when I bought it. I carefully planned my route (through an area where chargers were not plentiful) so I always had enough range to reach the next fast DC charger if one was inoperative. None were. Plan C, if I did run low on range, was to stay in a motel a day or two and charge with the charger that came with the car. I carried a 12 AWG (I have no idea how wire sizes are specified in NZ.) 50 foot extension cord. The size wire used to connect an ordinary 20 amp 110 volt AC outlet to the breaker panel is 12 AWG.

Short answer: It's fine, if the extension cord is heavy enough to carry the needed current without an excessive voltage drop. Err on the side of heavier.

 

Based on our experience, 108 miles should be a non-issue in "Green" mode. Ours is good for at least 125 miles in "Green" mode in warm weather. Of course, that assumes minimal hills and no traffic/accidents/construction issues. Also, don't forget, you do have a 110V slow charger you can plug in to add a few miles of range back while you're on your boat

 

Thanks @FrankW

 

For your first long(ish) trip, just keep an eye on the battery percent and trip meter. Charge to 100% and zero the meter, then check your distance at 90%, 80%, 70% etc. Your total range is easily calculated in your head.

90% => total range = 10 times the trip meter
80% => total range = 5 times the trip meter
66% => total range = 3 times the trip meter
50% => total range = 2 times the trip meter
etc.

EG. battery percent = 66%

If it looks like you will be going close to the limit, slowing down does wonders. Slowing from 100kph to 90kph uses around 20% less battery.

 

For some reason one of the lines cut out. The example was meant to be:

EG. battery percent = 66%, trip = 80km, total range = 80 * 3 = 240km.

This should give you an early indication if you are going to make it. If you are at 66% and have only done 30 miles, then the range is 30*3 = 90miles, so you are in trouble.