Wonder how the Tesla handled the corrugation
Saw the post on the Tesla forum
The Tesla is a P90D. My “maximum” range at 100kms/hr without AC is now around 430 kms. It is only a tiny amount more than my original P85 (I have the 90 “A” pack). My degradation has been minimal – 2.5% after 3.5 years, 60000kms – which I consider excellent.
Melbourne to Windorah was travelled at road speeds without energy issue.
On the Windorah to Birdsville leg the first 120kms was on the Diamantina Development Road that has a typical centre strip seal. On leaving Windorah the trip computer gave me various warnings with a 5% remaining charge at destination prediction. We managed around 150wh/km at 70kms/hr, making good energy gains over the Tesla trip energy calculation, with the charge at destination growing to 14%. Then onto the Birdsville Development Road, which at best can be called a gravel road. I tried the first 10kms at normal tyre pressures (45psi) and it was absolutely not acceptable for both us and the car. I lowered the pressures to 36psi and it at least became bearable. I had a southerly wind (which kept the dust from other vehicles away to the right but increased energy use) and limited my speed to 50kms/hr to preserve both tyres and energy. My usage varied from 170 to 210wh/km at this speed, which more or less followed the Tesla demand graph. The remaining charge at destination stayed around 14% level for the 268kms of gravel “road”. The total distance was 388kms, and I arrived at Birdsville with 42kms showing. The journey took 7.5 hrs. It was very hard going, very tiring. My wife and I shared the drive equally on 1hr stints.
Charging Locations (Plugshare): Euroa Supercharger, Narrandeera NRMA CHAdeMO, Hillston 15A, Cobar 20A 3ph 14kW (32A 3ph outlet which tripped at anything over 20A!!), Bourke Tesla 22kW destination charger.
Then: Cunnamulla (32A 3ph 22kW), Charleville (32A 3ph 22kW), Quilpie (20A 3ph 14kW), Windorah (20A 3ph 14kW), Birdsville Campsite 15A. The most important attribute of the Tesla making such trips bearable is the 22kW total onboard chargers.
Well spotted, Blue H. The windscreen damage worsened on the return journey from Perth – replaced when back in Melbourne. Since then I have been up to Cairns, as well as a number of South Australia trips.
I’ll take some pictures of the road on the way back, and if anyone is interested I will post them next week.