I am planning another very long EV drive. AEVA EV Expo in Canberra.
https://aeva.asn.au/events/356/

Not that our other other trips are exactly short by any means. Yeh, sure, some are local, here is 'Cars 4 Kids', Mackay, 2022. T-Rev voted 'Best Alternative'.




But many trips are long distances. Here is Noosa EV Expo, near 900km away. Here showcasing not only EV Hilux and T-Rev, but also Electric outboard motors for boats.
https://www.noosaevexpo.com.au/



Sorry Murray, not attending your Envirotech Day. https://www.gadsa.net/envirotech/
https://www.facebook.com/EnviroTechGympie/
This event was originally planned for earlier in the year, which I had committed to attending, but got changed. The change then made it possible for us to go to Townsville. https://www.facebook.com/events/469744528182568/?active_tab=discussion

So anyhow, ....... planning for Canberra.
Edited 2022-07-22 13:53 by Trev

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Trev @ drivebynature.com

I attended the EV Expo in Adelaide in 1980
It is interesting to re-read the conference papers with today's knowledge.



It only took me 40 years to put my money where my mouth is and get onboard.
(MG ZS EV)

Jim

The trip plan. But plans do change.



And the elevation chart. On the Sydney trip, between Gosford and Sydney, https://www.thebackshed.com/forum/ViewTopic.php?FID=15&TID=11773
there is a lot of high steep hills. Check out the end of this elevation chart. No wonder why Canberra is cold! High in the mountains.



Leaving Home, Kuttabul, early Sunday morning

The drive has started. Left home, Kuttabul at 5 minutes to 5am.


Speedo reading 19475.7km

First charge is Carmila.
Drove 139km.
Arrived 6.57am



Used close on 117Ah or 58%





Drove at 80km/hr to show total time including charge. Battery full at 8.33. Total time for 139km, 3hrs 38min.



And the chargefox screen shot.

Left Carmila at 8.33am.
Arrived at Marlborough at 9.58am
Distance 135km



Used 151Ah or 78%



Drove at 100km/hr to show total time including charge. Unfortunately the wind picked up (head wind) and so this is not an accurate  comparison.

This Puma fuel station was fully operational a month ago when we charged here. It looks very deserted now, but the food shop is still functioning.



Total time 4hrs for 135km

Found the charge station at 2.07pm, but got to Rockhampton a bit before that. Couldn't find the station. I have been here once before. I had to ask a trolley  man. This is a free charge station at Stocklands shopping centre, so no data from the outlet. At least there is a toilet here. At the Super Highway on  weekends the Library and Council buildings are closed. Sometimes you have to say you gotta go, to get such luxury. Always have people around checking out T-Rev, asking lots of questions.





Parked beside a Tesla



Full and heading off. Now 3.45pm

Arrived at Miriam Vale at 6.07pm. Last part of this drive was wet, light rain, a bit foggy, and dark (the sun had set), but dry when I arrived, thankfully.

Drove 173km



Used 147Ah, or 74%



Thousands of flying foxes in the air overhead of the charge station. Plugged in quickly and sheltered in T-Rev until they all left.

Then stripped T-Rev. The CAN control charger was not working. It worked back at Rocky, the last charge station. I can't see why. I reset the BMS several times. The LED indicates in 'stand by'. Don't know what that means, but no good  when it should be charging.
Anyhow, it just means a longer stay at the charge station with 20A charge rate down.

Pictures taken with flash. There is very little street light here.





Here is what it looks like without the flash.

Full and leaving Miriam Vale 9.02pm

Battery screen and chargefox from Miriam Vale.




Arrived at Childers 11.08pm
Ah or percentage used is not correct, because it got out of wack trying to fix the charger.

Got it plugged in and set up swag for a sleep. Bit of a rough night. There was some formal of action in the RV park and there were trucks and people still there. 3 of them straight over to check out T-Rev and talk. Every stop I have the same. More people.Picture taken this morning.






Left Childers at 5.32am



Arrived at Gympie 7.34am. Plunged in, cooked brekky, rolled out swag to dry (even though cold and overcast)

Distance 143km





Hello to Murray here in Gympie.

Too many people come to chat and I forget some things.
Talking of temperature, it was 19 degrees C in our open bedroom windows when I left on Sunday morning.
Last night, there were more interruptions than I wrote in the previous post.
I fixed up the capacity on the screen just now.





Time to go, 9.55. Leaving Gympie.

In a post above I had the chargefox screenshot of Childers but said it was Miriam (mistake). I lost the chargefox screen on my phone when trying to make the charger work at Miriam Vale. Here is a screenshot of the invoice they emailed  of Miriam Vale



Did I say I tried the charger again this morning at Childers. It worked. Last night at Childers I just left it off. It worked at Gympie and it works here at IKEA North Lakes, but winds down to zero before the battery is full. It might be getting hot, but last night at Miriam Vale it was not hot. Still a mystery.

Left Gympie at 9.55. That is the start of the freeway. Arrived at IKEA North Lakes shopping centre sometime before 12.00pn. Drove around the carpark for while looking for the charge station. Then forgot to photo the battery screen data. I think the percentage was down to 45, so used 55% to do 141km at 100km/hr. Yes, it is 110km speed zone, but I am just doing numbers to compare.

Kuttabul to Carmila, similar distance, 80km/hr used 58%
Carmila to Marlborough, similar distance, 100km/hr used 78%
This section, similar distance, at 100km/hr used 55%. The freeway is better efficiency than the Billy goat tracks. This section also drove through rain, which adds resistance, reducing efficiency.

Anyhow, here is a picture in IKEA North Lakes


Edited 2022-08-01 12:57 by Trev

I lost the chargefox page for the IKEA charge station, so here is a copy of the emailed invoice.

Only 25% out for 67km.
Mad Brisbane city driving. Some at city street 60km/hr and some at motorway speeds 100km.
Had the crowd as soon as I pulled up, so no photo on battery screen data.





Thanks heaps for the charge Graeme.

Charge at Suzi Auto, OZ DIY, is free. And no record of how many kW.
Left at 4.25pm.

Thought to stop at another charge station before Lismore, but found they were closed when I got there. I could have tried another further down the road, adding another 20km or so, but decided just to cruise along at 80km/hr and make it to my brother's place in Lismore.

Arrived in Lismore some time after 7pm. Don't know exactly when.

Used 70% of battery or 140Ah.



Distance was somewhere around 180km, but I had zero the trip at that other charge station, so did bother taking a picture.

Thanks for the good dinner, shower and sleep bro

Left brother's place, Lismore at 5.23am with a full charge. Thanks bro.



Had planned to go to Grafton show ground  for a charge, but their website said closed till tomorrow, This area is the biggest gap in the electric highway. No other charge stations. I had to make it to Coffs Harbour.

Arrived at Coffs Harbour 8.39am



Distance 200km.
Very hard to get pictures with this beautiful sunshine.  It is so nice soaking up the sun. Dont know temperature, but was quite low this morning.



Drove mostly at 80km/hr to make the distance. I think I should be able to do 200km at 100km/hr with 100% battery capacity, but rather not deplete the entire battery. Better for battery cycle life.

Used 70% or 140Ah. 30% or 60Ah spare



Charging at North Coast Power & Water
Thanks heaps for the free charge.

Left North Coast Power & Water at 10.55am.

Had intended to charge at Macksville. Not too far,67km, so drove at 100km/hr. But the charge outlet did not work. It is owned by the council, so I rang them. They said that it had already been reported as not working, but will log my report as well. Apparently, has not worked for several months. Used 30% of battery.



Next option was to go to Kempsey show ground, but while driving, I figured I should be able to make it to Taree, Midcoast Council building, if I drive at 80km/hr. They have 2 outlets of Type 2 32A (22kw). And free as well. Thanks heaps.

Arrived 2.55pm
Total distance 230km.
Used 162Ah, 81%






Edited 2022-08-03 12:31 by Trev

Well, it has been a wild ride today. Wednesday. Will update later.

Ok might get some update.

Left Midcoast Council at 5.38pm with full charge.
Arrived at sister's place near Newcastle at 8.07pm.
Used 62%
Distance on the speedo 392km. I forgot to reset it. So 392 - 230 =  162km





Internet is so slow here, Narellan, south Sydney and the charger outlet is slow and keep cutting out, the shadows are getting longer

Left Sister's place at 5.48am with a full charge. Thanks sis.



Went to Narara Eco Village Coffee Cart. They only have one Type 2 and a Tesla was using it. The owner said she needed it plugged in till 9am. I took this picture at 7.09am




So I planned then charge north side of Sydney. Got caught in a tunnel and ended up no where near where I wanted to be.

So instead of back tracking, decided to go to the ED Square shopping centre. The app said free parking for 3hrs. Takes ages to find the outlets in a huge multi level carpark. I charged only for 1 hour to find a toilet (1/2hr to find) and look for faster charge station. Then I couldn't get out of the carpark. Dont have the card (no card, its $30). I rang them. They let me out free, I am a Queenslander.



The faster charger could not be found. So back to searching again.
Found this place, Macarthur centre for Sustainable Living. The charge is also slow (along with the internet) photo taken when I got here. Dont remember when. I have had to set the charge 3 times.

So far have done 190km.



I am up to 75% battery capacity. I think I can make it to Goulburn. There are a few Tesla outlets down the road.  I might try themselves
Edited 2022-08-03 17:12 by Trev