Has anyoone ever had a long distance leaf race?

[johnrhansen]

I drove my leaf on a 400 mile trip last summer, most of it level 2 charging only (not public charging stations, just RV parks and welder outlets). It took me 22 hours! (didn't know much about energy conservation then) I got to thinking it would be fun to have a little competition. let's say a 500 mile trip, level 2 charging only. Have everyone leave at different times, and just time people and see who gets there the fastest. No set up charging infrastructure, everybody arranges their own charging stops, figures out the best route and times to travel, The only thing set is the starting and stopping points. (the starting point has a place to charge). There would have to be some kind of handicap set up or different categories for the size of the on board charger. This should all be legal because it's not based on speed, but accuracy and it's all at the speed limit or slower.

Has this ever happened before?

 

[gbarry42]

Do you consider 1500 miles from Mexico to Canada to be what you're asking? Search for "BC2BC".

 

[johnrhansen]

Wow that's a really long trip!

 

[Drivesolo]

Race?? Did someone say race???

John, I'm in the Seattle area too. And I've had a similar idea about some kinda race like that too. Essentially it boils down to a hypermiling competition which in itself can have just as much risk as a race against the clock. I'm down to give it a try but not really up to 500 mile challenge. Maybe something more along the lines of 100-200 mile distance w/ at least one option for DCQC along the way, w/ a staggered release and see who gets there in the least amount of time, something like a rally stage.

 

[GregH]

Tortoise always wins

 

[TonyWilliams]

Tortoise always wins

Not with Superchargers / CHAdeMO. Last summer during BC2BC-2013, a Mitsubishi iMiev was second behind a Tesla Model S in the first Stage. That's right, a 62 mile range EV with quick charge capability (and a robust charging network) was right behind the 265 mile range car that didn't have quick charge infrastructure. By the way, since this past summer, the Tesla Superchargers can exclusively power your Tesla from Mexico to Canada.

BC2BC-2013
Stage 1 results / Blaine to Grants Pass - 529 miles / 851.3km
June 29, 2013 until July 1, 2013
Rally # - Hours+Min (departure - arrival) model

1) Car #43 - 18+13 (12.09 - 06.22) Model S
2) Car #2 - 20+35 (12.12 - 08.45) iMiev
3) Car #8 - 25+01 (12.27 - 13.28) Model S
4) Bike#5 - 27+54 (12.31 - 16.25) ZERO
5) Car #3 - 28+25 (12.18 - 16.43) LEAF
6) Car #1 - 29+20 (12.34 - 17.54) Rav4 EV
7) Car #6 - 31+06 (12.24 - 19.30) Model S
8) Car #45 - 33+34 (12.21 - 21.55) Roadster
9) Car #4 - 49+12 (12.15 - 13.27+48) LEAF


The third annual BC2BC-2014 All Electric Vehicle Rally, 1500 miles from Mexico to Canada will be during the week of August 10-17, 2014


Link to 3nd annual BC2BC-2014

Link to 2nd annual BC2BC-2013

Tesla forum link to 2nd annual BC2BC-2013 Rally

Link to first BC2BC-2012


The third annual BC2BC-2014 "All Electric Vehicle Rally", 1500 miles from Mexico to Canada, is planned for August 10, 2014 - August 17, 2014. The start will be in the Los Angeles, California area, however we will drive south to the Mexico border (but not cross it with a car), then on to Vancouver, BC. Bring your passport for Canada and your A game! Again, we will not be entering Mexico with cars, but we will enter Canada.

We are also planning the World's Largest Electric Vehicle Gathering for Sunday morning, August 10, 2014 at our Los Angeles area launch site.

 

[GregH]

Yes. But the OP specified L2 only.
Even with L2 only, charge speed (as you point out with the Miev) makes all the difference.

One of my first long distance trips back in 1998 was out to Las Vegas from L.A. I was in a gen1 EV1 with about 70 miles of range and 6.6kW charging. My friend Bill was in a Honda EV+ with 100 miles of range and 5.2kW charging. Guess who was waiting for who in the end...

 

[HPJ]

WHO?

 

[LEAFfan]

WHO?

It's pretty obvious that the car with the quicker charging will win in a long distance 'race', just like the iMiEV.

 

[GregH]

Bill started with a 30 mile head start (initial range).. We both charged at a small RV park near the 15/215 (Devore?) Chugged up the mountain and plugged in again at another RV park opposite side of the 15 from the In-n-out just before Victorville. Mostly downhill from there to Baker where we charged at the Mad Greek (owner gave us access to a 14-50) and a garage down the street with a welder socket. I think by the time we left there I was waiting for Bill.. The EV1's 6.6kW charger trumped the bigger battery in the EV+... not to mention the EV1 being a more efficient vehicle. Over the two hills then a long glide down to Primm where we charged at the Primadonna RV park just enough for the final (flat) 30 miles to Vegas... I'll see if I can dig up some photos. I certainly spent time waiting for Bill by the end of the trip. On the way back we used the Calico KOA just east of Barstow as well.. It's a long uphill from Baker to the crest of the 15.

 

[user 10599]

I wouldn't consider it obvious. In your instance, you each stopped and charged at the same points, thus the Honda got absolutely no benefit from the longer range.

Had the infrastructure existed such that he could make 2 stops while you had to make 3 stops, that would be a better competition between the two approaches.

 

[johnrhansen]

when I took my big trip, I figured it was fastest and safest to charge every 30 miles. that way if one station flaked on me, I could still make it to the next one! It doesn't make any difference in the time of the trip as long as you are always charging in the range where your charger is running at its full capacity. I got pretty good at hooking it up quick. took about 2 minutes from stopped to charging.

I'd imagine the only advantage for higher capacity is in the final leg of the run. You can handicap for that by limiting the total SOC at the higher capacity's car's last charging stop, or by specifying a minimum SOC when the run is over for that car depending upon it's battery capacity.

 

[GregH]

The Honda's longer range was an advantage for a while.. When I would be done charging, he might not but because he had more range we'd still leave at the same time. In the later stops I'd have to wait for him to get enough charge to complete the next leg.

And that's a good point on charge speed. Those of us with 2011/12 Leafs take for granted that pretty much the whole time it's charging, it's 3.3kW. The last 10% on a lead acid EV1 took a lot longer to charge (somewhat like the end of a DCQC). I don't recall the profile of the end of charge on a 6.6kW 2013 Leaf. The EV1 had the added issue of SOC drift where each subsequent non-full charge would be at a slightly lower SOC. It needed to reach "full" to reset the SOC to 100%. So by the time you're unplugging at "80%" on your 4th or 5th stop because you've ramped down to half speed, you're going on faith as far as what's really in the battery.