Trip report: Denver to Winter Park

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ChS

Member
Joined
Dec 20, 2020
Messages
5
I thought I would post my experience with this drive because I had searched for info before doing it and didn't find what I was looking for.

For background, this is my first EV and I have a bit of range anxiety. My Leaf is a 2020 SV with the 40 kwh battery. When I started the drive, the car only had around 220 miles on the odometer, so basically new.

The distance from my house on the west side of Denver to Winter Park is approximately 67 miles. I started with a full charge and my car was fairly warm from being parked in the garage. The outside temperature was in the mid 40's. I took Clear Creek Canyon (HWY 40) rather than go over Floyd Hill. I drove in Eco mode and in B drive. I used cruise control to keep the speeds mostly at the speed limit and turned the climate control off.

-My battery was 75% when I reached Idaho springs.
-I experienced a significant headwind at Idaho Springs and my battery was at 63% when I reached Empire. The outside temperature was 35 degrees.
-My battery was at 51% when I reached the turn off for Jones Pass and the temperature was 28 degrees. The headwind died down here.
-My battery was at 41% when I reached the top of Berthoud Pass and the temperature was 21 degrees.
-There was some snow on the road on the north side of the pass and the temperature was in the teens. My battery was at 45% when I reached down town Winter Park

I hope that helps someone else looking to make the drive in the winter.
 
I haven't made the return trip yet and have recharged the car. I'm curious how much battery the trip up to the top of Berthoud will consume and how much regen I get down to Denver. I only got about 4% regen on the way here.
 
I wouldn't expect too much regen on the trip down I70. You need a pretty steep hill to get regen and keep the speed at something safe. Regen will certainly be possible coming down Berthoud pass and Floyd Hill on I70 or possibly in Clear Creek Canyon since it will be easier to keep a reasonable speed there even though the slope isn't as steep. Overall I'd guess the SOC will be pretty close to what it started at in Winter Park since the overall elevation loss will cancel the loss of efficiency of the regen.
 
Are you familiar with A better route planner? I recommend checking that out, I think you will be surprised just how far you can go.

If you are really concerned about if you will make it you can get a phone app called Power Cruise control and a OBD II dongle, I have this but only use it when I am pushing it in my plus or must want to play with it. This is like abetterouteplanner but it is real time showing you are using too much energy like your driving style or heater or whatever to make it to your destination. Most people do not need this only but it interesting when you are driving some hundreds of miles.

Colorado is much improved even over the last year, you can often find an l2 if not a DCFC, don't forget RV outlets as well. I charged while camping at Ridgway state park for example (the town does have an L2 but camping is more convenient). Now we have a fast charger in Montrose so things keep getting better.

Wyoming is a whole different pain in the rear but I do know a guy in a 40kw LEAF who drove from here to South Dakota and back it just took a long time finding outlets and such.

https://abetterrouteplanner.com/
https://www.powercruisecontrol.com/
 
Thanks for the info on the route calculator. Part of my apprehension was the route calculator through the infotainment system indicated I couldn't make without recharging along the way. Afterwards, I found the route calculator on the Nissan Connect app and that calculated pretty close to what I experienced.

At this point, I don't see myself doing any road trips in the car. It's mainly a commuter car for me.
I just want to be able to make trips into the front range mountains. Looks like I can.

Thanks
 
Nice! And in the winter!

That sounds much easier than with a 30 kWh version. I'm on my second annual trip from Weld county to Lake Granby (thru Winter Park) and just booked a campsite for this year. I do two charges on the way to WP, and then another to get to the lake and back, but just one charge in WP to get all the way home.

I really enjoy spending time in WP while charging. I like the Cooper Creek Square (I'm so sad that Mountain Grind coffee closed :cry: ) , Hideaway Park and Confluence Park. I was exploring by Razor scooter last year.

Here's my trip report: https://mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=50&t=30302

Hope you enjoy the rest of your trip. I love having the "tank fill" down from the top of Berthoud, especially in Labor Day traffic while everyone else is puffing their fuel away.
 
I have now done this trip by staying on I-70, over Floyd hill. I drove in standard D mode and did not use eco mode. I used the cruise control, generally 5 mph over the speed limit. I also used the heater, but had it set in the low 60's. The outside temperatures were similar to when I drove it before.

My battery was at 73 % at Idaho springs, 46% at the turn for Cameron Pass, and 36% at the top of Berthoud Pass. So, a difference of 5% at the most.

I was pleasantly surprised there wasn't more of a difference and have been very impressed with the car overall.
 
PrairieLEAF said:
That sounds much easier than with a 30 kWh version.

Nice trip report, thanks for sharing.

I seem to be able to drive my car like a "normal" car without much concern with range. I will drive it to summit county this summer and see how that goes. I've enjoyed having an electric car more than I thought I would.
 
ChS said:
Nice trip report, thanks for sharing.

I seem to be able to drive my car like a "normal" car without much concern with range. I will drive it to summit county this summer and see how that goes. I've enjoyed having an electric car more than I thought I would.

Thanks, and glad to hear about your experience! These mountain trips keep getting easier with the new charging stations going in. There may be two quick chargers between Winter Park and Lake Granby this year. Idaho Springs could probably use one, though. Thank goodness for Beau Jo's (although you just cruise right past it!).
 
I have a plus so more range than you, I get around the western part of the state OK these days. Grandby is no problem. Delta, Telluride, Ouray etc. Grand Junction. Black canyon. No big deal. Moab no big deal.
New chargers keep making it easier. I used to have to limp some hots with l2 or camp outlets, just a couple destinations left I have to worry about that but not much any more. I suspect a 40kw can get to most of these places as well just the heat buildup problem after 2 or 3 DCFC slowing down charging (I have the same problem I just go farther before I hit it). Less than that I'd have to take a good look at ABRP.
 
Took a day-trip yesterday from Boulder to Glenwood Springs; 360 miles round-trip. Was able to get by with L2 charges during meal stops in Vail and at the Hot Springs Resort in GS. I drove conservatively (55-65mph on I-70). Energy efficiency was 4.9 mi/kwh, as reported by Nissan Connect.

During the trip I kept a close eye on the battery temperature in LeafSpy, and saw a 25 degree rise over the course of the day. This just underlines the observation of many others that the Leaf has limited utility for long trips; no way I could have repeated the trip today without overheating.

Although I completed the trip using L2 chargers, it was something of a nail-biter. I had planned for a QC to top-up before tackling the return trip hills, but I could not get the Chademo station in Vail to activate and the one Chademo port on the EA station in Frisco was out-of-order. Fortunately the coast down from the tunnel to Denver took barely any charge over 50 miles and I got home without any LBW.
 
What was ambient temp and what was the beginning and ending temp?

In my SV+ I find temps at freeway speeds to find equilibrium around 15-20F above ambient on very long trips. On the 4 hour drive to Bloomington IN at 89F, the car balanced out around 102-103F with AC on (about a 240 mile drive).
 
DougWantsALeaf said:
What was ambient temp and what was the beginning and ending temp?

In my SV+ I find temps at freeway speeds to find equilibrium around 15-20F above ambient on very long trips. On the 4 hour drive to Bloomington IN at 89F, the car balanced out around 102-103F with AC on (about a 240 mile drive).
Ambient was about 80 degrees at the beginning and end, but about 95 at our destination in the mid-afternoon. Not inconsistent with your findings.

Since the trip, it has taken two days for the battery temperature to cool back to normal.
 
I've been thinking about taking my leaf to the in-laws outside of Granby this winter. I have a 9 bar 2017, 30kWh battery. Range says 90+-3 miles when it's fully charged. Your trip sounds like it took 18 kWh. My back of the napkin says my car has 22 kWh. Seems like I would barely make it over to Winter Park (definite range anxiety, and I'm not super range anxious). Maybe I'd make it if I draft a car in front of me. I could stop and L2 charge in Idaho Springs to get me to the CHAdeMO Chargepoint station in Frisco. https://goo.gl/maps/g6gf8RLdkdqSeW4K9 I just need that 4th bar to go away.

I have no range anxiety about the return trip.
 
According to ABRP it will take 24kwh to go from downtown Denver to Winter Park via Berthoud Pass. That’s with a baseline efficiency of 4 miles per kWh. I wouldn’t risk it.

From Idaho Springs it would take about 12 kWh. So a long stop at BeauJo’s is your only practical way to do it.
 
Yeah, I think car swapping with a friend is a better idea. I only need a 3rd car to ferry everyone up there. 15 people total. And on Christmas eve, or Christmas day, Beaujo's is probably not going to be open.
 
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