My First Mini SE Road Trip in SC, and Maybe my Last...for Now

[GetOffYourGas]

True, and I always try to plan for a backup location for charging. Hopefully we'll see better infrastructure developed in the next couple of years, making this less of an issue. The big issue, I think, is public EVSEs are generally unattended so there's nobody on site to address any issues. Fueling stations almost always have attendants.

A few things to ease road tripping anxiety:

• The MINI navigation display can be configured to show charge locations on the map
• I recommend the PlugShare app, it's a really reliable way to find and check the status of charge points
• I keep my Level 1 cable in the SE, there is always a 120V outlet somewhere for dire emergencies

100x Yes to the bolded statement. We can all do our part by reporting any and all issues to the network provider. Most public EVSEs have a phone number on them for customer service. When possible, please do your part and call to report any failures. It helps us all out.

 

[GvilleGuy]

True, and I always try to plan for a backup location for charging. Hopefully we'll see better infrastructure developed in the next couple of years, making this less of an issue. The big issue, I think, is public EVSEs are generally unattended so there's nobody on site to address any issues. Fueling stations almost always have attendants.

A few things to ease road tripping anxiety:

• The MINI navigation display can be configured to show charge locations on the map
• I recommend the PlugShare app, it's a really reliable way to find and check the status of charge points
• I keep my Level 1 cable in the SE, there is always a 120V outlet somewhere for dire emergencies

All good suggestions - I do all three of those!

 

[AndGuz]

I took my '22 SE to my in-laws for the weekend. The trip was mostly ripping through highways. Hands down, the interstate is the number one EV range killer for sure. The 290-mile round trip was super chill though Kansas has definitely a long way to go with DC fast charging. If anyone knows of a good way to instigate charging networks into growing their presence in a state, I am all ears.

 

[Recoil45]

What was the average hwy speed that hurt you?


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[AndGuz]

What was the average hwy speed that hurt you?


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The average speed was 75; sustained for about 85% of the time. It would’ve been unnoticeable except for the long stretches without CCS charging in Kansas.

My rule of thumb for road trips going forward is: no leg longer than 85 miles, and only add enough range for the next leg +20 miles. At least that’s what worked for me.

 

[MichaelC]

The 290-mile round trip was super chill though Kansas has definitely a long way to go with DC fast charging. If anyone knows of a good way to instigate charging networks into growing their presence in a state, I am all ears.

Yeah, the fast chargers are spaced a bit too far apart across Kansas to confidently take the SE on major road trips. (The exception being the stretch between Kansas City and Topeka.) Same story for venturing into Missouri and Iowa from Kansas City.

I am on-board to help instigate more charging networks, but I'm at a loss for how to do that. Unfortunately, all the state tax incentives are for alternative fuels like ethanol and biodiesel...because we grow corn here.

 

[Recoil45]

The average speed was 75; sustained for about 85% of the time. It would’ve been unnoticeable except for the long stretches without CCS charging in Kansas.

My rule of thumb for road trips going forward is: no leg longer than 85 miles, and only add enough range for the next leg +20 miles. At least that’s what worked for me.

That's not an unreasonable speed at all. I often average 90+ across Texas and NM. When towing I do often limit to 80 due to trailer tire limits though.


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[insightman]

I took my '22 SE to my in-laws for the weekend. The trip was mostly ripping through highways. Hands down, the interstate is the number one EV range killer for sure. The 290-mile round trip was super chill though Kansas has definitely a long way to go with DC fast charging. If anyone knows of a good way to instigate charging networks into growing their presence in a state, I am all ears.

As you drove up to your in-laws' home, were they on the front porch shaking their heads and looking down at the ground, not understanding why anyone would want an electric car? Then did you give them rides? What were their final impressions (especially father-in-law)?

 

[AndGuz]

As you drove up to your in-laws' home, were they on the front porch shaking their heads and looking down at the ground, not understanding why anyone would want an electric car? Then did you give them rides? What were their final impressions (especially father-in-law)?

Oh they are all in. They loved the look of the MINI and are installing a level 2 EVSE for us in their garage. They appreciated the practicality in costs of an EV. See, they had just come to visit us a week ago in their ICE at $28.50 total in gas. When I showed them I only paid $7.72, they smiled

 

[Puppethead]

If anyone knows of a good way to instigate charging networks into growing their presence in a state, I am all ears.

When I got my SE in August 2020 I looked at the possibility of making the trip from the Twin Cities to Albuquerque, which wasn't possible. I recently checked again and it now is possible, so the charging infrastructure has been improving. The hardest part seems to be going across New Mexico where the chargers are spaced a bit too far apart for the SE, especially through the mountains. Electrify America does have DC chargers along I-40, so hopefully that will continue to expand.

 

[GetOffYourGas]

The average speed was 75; sustained for about 85% of the time. It would’ve been unnoticeable except for the long stretches without CCS charging in Kansas.

My rule of thumb for road trips going forward is: no leg longer than 85 miles, and only add enough range for the next leg +20 miles. At least that’s what worked for me.

Unfortunately for that rule of thumb, travelling at 75MPH, that implies charging the SE to above 100%.

As far as only enough range for the next leg keep the charge curve in mind. The rate actually continues to climb until about 75% where it starts ramping down. So it would be marginally faster to charge up to 75% even if you don't need it. You'll arrive at the next stop at a higher SoC, which means you'll start at a faster charging rate, since the peak is at 75%.

Anyway, my way won't save you much time. But I'm an engineer so optimization is what I like to do.

 

[YellowDog]

Unfortunately for that rule of thumb, travelling at 75MPH, that implies charging the SE to above 100%.

As far as only enough range for the next leg keep the charge curve in mind. The rate actually continues to climb until about 75% where it starts ramping down. So it would be marginally faster to charge up to 75% even if you don't need it. You'll arrive at the next stop at a higher SoC, which means you'll start at a faster charging rate, since the peak is at 75%.

Anyway, my way won't save you much time. But I'm an engineer so optimization is what I like to do.

My experience of using the DC fast charger. First time to try using a DC fast charger at the Petro Canada gas station. After plugged in the CID in the car said I need more than an hour to charge from 67% to 100%. I was stunned! So it is not fast charge at all! Now I know that after 75% of charge it becomes verrrrrrrrry slow. As the charge is based on time used, in my case it was CAD0.33/minute. Lesson to me is never charge it to more than 80%.

 

[Carsten Haase]

My experience of using the DC fast charger. First time to try using a DC fast charger at the Petro Canada gas station. After plugged in the CID in the car said I need more than an hour to charge from 67% to 100%. I was stunned! So it is not fast charge at all! Now I know that after 75% of charge it becomes verrrrrrrrry slow. As the charge is based on time used, in my case it was CAD0.33/minute. Lesson to me is never charge it to more than 80%.

Based on my single experience with DC charging, the charge time estimate isn't much better than the range estimate.

It took me 40min to go from about 30% to 99%

 

[Texas22Step]

To further add to @G'VilleGuy's experience and conclusions, a week ago I decided to dip my toe into my first road trip in my 2021 SE, from my home in a northern Dallas suburb to a huge (nearly 17,000 surface acres), man-made reservoir under construction in NE Texas (to be called Bois D'Arc Lake -- (forget the French, it is pronounced in local Texan as "Bow Dark" Lake)). I wanted to check out the new lake area and assess recreational and longer-term real estate opportunities in the area as well.

In any case, the distance to be driven (as determined by Google Maps) was only about 50 miles, so I figured I could (probably, maybe) do my rubber-necking and still make it round trip without charging if I started at 100% SoC. It was a typical very hot June day (upper 90s in the shade), and a/c use was essential. I drove in "Green" mode, with a series of mixed highways from 6-lane divided to two-lane asphalt along the way. I drove at or slightly above the posted speed limits (meaning from 50 mph to 75 mph).

I made it with no problems to my destination, saw what I went to see, and turned back for the return trip showing 56% SoC. So far, so good, but right when I made a 180, the GOM suddenly subtracted 10 miles from the expected range and warned me that I didn't have enough power to make the trip home. Not wanting to temp fate on my first road trip, I looked at PlugShare to find a charging station, but it only turned up one (a ChargePoint L2 J1772) about 25 miles away, and not on my planned route at all.

Suffice it to say that I took the meek way home, stopped at the ChargePoint station and sat in baking sun for almost 2 hours to get a SoC adequate to get me to my destination.

IMHO, this experience leads me to believe that it will be quite a while for EV's to become well-accepted outside of the cities and home L2 charging. While I love my Mini SE (and it is, hands down, my main vehicle in the city), I will drive outside the metro area in the future in either a PHEV (like the Honda Clarity, which I owned before the Mini) or in my wife's ICE vehicle, which I know will either have the range or ready refueling available most anywhere. Also, it made it very clear why the GOM is called a GOM -- a real guess'ometer!

 

[polyphonic]

@Texas22Step Did you try plugging the trip into A Better Route Planner? The problem with the GOM is twofold: it doesn't really know what your plans are, so it can only predict based on past driving, and in the case of the Mini it's pretty pessimistic overall. ABRP will map out the route factoring in average speed, elevation, wind, and other factors.

As for EVs on the whole, I totally agree that they are tougher for trips, but that said the Mini has the least range of any EV on the US market and a somewhat meager DC charge speed. That low range/weight makes for a fun car, but a difficult road tripper. I have done many long trips (up to 2500 miles) with EVs and have generally had a good experience. Only when venturing out to areas without DC charging has it been a struggle.

I'll admit though it takes a lot more commitment than ICE or PHEV. I know all of the Electrify America stations from Los Angeles to Houston by heart.

 

[insightman]

I will drive outside the metro area in the future in either a PHEV (like the Honda Clarity, which I owned before the Mini) or in my wife's ICE vehicle

Sadly, Honda just announced that the end of the line for the Clarity has arrived (don't tell my avatar). I expect any PHEVs introduced from now on will be cross-overs and SUVs, not cars. Glad we have our Clarity for when we start doing long trips again.

 

[Texas22Step]

@Texas22Step Did you try plugging the trip into A Better Route Planner? The problem with the GOM is twofold: it doesn't really know what your plans are, so it can only predict based on past driving, and in the case of the Mini it's pretty pessimistic overall. ABRP will map out the route factoring in average speed, elevation, wind, and other factors.

As for EVs on the whole, I totally agree that they are tougher for trips, but that said the Mini has the least range of any EV on the US market and a somewhat meager DC charge speed. That low range/weight makes for a fun car, but a difficult road tripper. I have done many long trips (up to 2500 miles) with EVs and have generally had a good experience. Only when venturing out to areas without DC charging has it been a struggle.

I'll admit though it takes a lot more commitment than ICE or PHEV. I know all of the Electrify America stations from Los Angeles to Houston by heart.

Thanks very much for your comments. I will indeed give the "Better Route Planner" app a try, but I have my doubts it would make much real difference in this context. This part of North Texas is as flat as a table (the highest point in our county is the freeway overpass), for example. My main problem with the MINI was not so much the limited range, but the fact that the GOM could dramatically (in the context of the trip) reduce its range projection literally on the turn of a dime. And a problem in general here in Texas is that there just aren't many EV charging stations at all, of any type, and it is hit or miss whether they actually work when you find one and drive to it!

But, as I tried to say in my post, even road trips aside, I absolutely love this car and as long as I can charge it overnight in my garage, it will be my "go to" vehicle, at least in a city environment. It is hard to describe the unbridled fun feeling one gets from driving the SE compared to most any other vehicle (at least, that I can afford)!

 

[Texas22Step]

Sadly, Honda just announced that the end of the line for the Clarity has arrived (don't tell my avatar). I expect any PHEVs introduced from now on will be cross-overs and SUVs, not cars. Glad we have our Clarity for when we start doing long trips again.

Yes, to quote a couple of the commenters on Autoblog regarding the decision by Honda to end production of the Clarity PHEV: "What. A. Loss." and "... several people at work have a Clarity, and I think it is attractive. Much better than a used bar of soap Elon uses for EVERY vehicle design."

RIP, Clarity!

 

[GvilleGuy]

It has been a while since my initial post, so I will chime in again. I have had a few more 100’ish mile trips, and after each one I calculate my estimated total miles using battery % remaining and miles driven, along with % interstate / back roads. So I am becoming more comfortable with knowing that if my trip is all back roads, I can get 130 miles, or if my trip is 60 - 80% interstate, I might only get 115 miles.

Luckily, this range database I am building makes it easy for me to decide whether the Mini is used or not. And I am glad that we have mountainous state parks which are less than 50 miles range from home, allowing for fun Mini driving on winding roads with no range anxiety! I love this car.

I am still going to fall back on my ICE vehicles for longer trips until the charging infrastructure improves in SC.

 

[vader]

I made it with no problems to my destination, saw what I went to see, and turned back for the return trip showing 56% SoC. So far, so good, but right when I made a 180, the GOM suddenly subtracted 10 miles from the expected range and warned me that I didn't have enough power to make the trip home.

The first rule in the SE is *ignore the GOM - it is always wrong*, the second is *ignore the GOM - it is always wrong*. Yes (thanks to Red Dwarf) it is technically only one rule, but it is so important, I had to say it twice. The GOM in the SE is possibly one of the worst ever put into a car. It isn't even correct when it displays '0' - which you would think wouldn't be hard. The only real way to judge range is to do it yourself. Look at how far you have come (ie. trip meter) and the battery percent you have used. This gives you the average for your current trip. You can now work out how far you can go. Assuming your trip didn't have a huge change in elevation, then the return should use a similar amount of battery. Obviously conditions may change on the way home, but as a rule it is good enough.

Using the battery SOC, you had 56% remaining, so you used 44% to get there. It would be a good guess that you would use about 44% to get home. This would leave you with 12% left - an easy trip. The GOM, in my experience, is approximately 30% low, so it would have sent out the warning bells. In reality you had plenty left in the "tank". As GvilleGuy said, it takes a while to learn the actual range so that you can ignore the GOM with confidence

EDIT: On the return, if you were worried about range, slowing down, and limiting the power used by accessories (eg. green plus), you can easily save 10% - or put another way, go 10% further.