The “Peak of Mount Stupid” — What I Learned Pulling A Trailer Across Texas With My Bolt EUV

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The journey to gaining new information and expertise isn’t a gradual climb. Why? As a result of it’s simple to really feel assured too early. If you go from realizing mainly nothing about one thing after which study a bit of bit, that little bit represents an infinite improve. Trying again at the place you as soon as had been could make you are feeling like you’re a fast research and know a LOT, however you don’t know what you don’t know.

This concept, a modification of the Dunning-Kruger impact, has develop into a meme, with varied variations of this graphic floating across the web:

My “Peak of Mount Stupid”

After I first obtained my little trailer final 12 months and began constructing on it, I had a fairly stable plan. Utilizing A Higher Route Planner, I drove the trailer on a 50-mile drive whereas recording knowledge to see what sort of vitality it consumed (2.57 miles/kWh) for future journey planning. With that knowledge in hand, the software program might care for the remaining.

After I made some additions to the trailer this 12 months and added a extra aerodynamic entrance field, I took it on a brief drive and it confirmed rather less vitality utilization, which led me to consider that my previous vitality estimate would make a superb, protected planning determine!

Leaving El Paso with the trailer, issues went fairly properly, however just for about 60 miles. Interstate 10 follows the Rio Grande for about that distance, however then the freeway leaves the valley to move into the remainder of West Texas. At that time, there’s a steep climb out of the valley, up onto the mesa, after which right into a go subsequent to the Quitman Mountains. The street goes up over 1,000 toes in only some miles.

As I climbed away from the river, I observed that the facility ranges had been dropping loads quicker than ABRP had predicted. I’d have continued monitoring with ABRP, however a few days earlier, it stopped supporting my OBD Bluetooth dongle, so I needed to depend on the guess-o-meter to compensate as an alternative. First, I dropped onto a frontage street. Then, I slowed down a bit of extra. Then, I stayed on the frontage street for a lot of the manner from Sierra Blanca to Van Horn (the following charger).

Over the last ten miles, I had to return on the interstate, however by then the automobile was already decreasing obtainable energy. With my hazards flashing and vans blowing by me on a mountainous stretch of street simply earlier than Van Horn, I struggled alongside at 45 MPH till the downhill got here. Utilizing a number of inertia, I coasted onto the frontage street utilizing solely a handful of kilowatts of energy and rolled into the Days Inn parking zone with the ultimate “bar” of battery flashing and the guess-o-meter solely displaying “Low.”

At this level, I assumed that I had gotten a superb estimate for the flats, however that I wanted so as to add an additional 15% or so on stretches with huge climbs. This labored for 2 extra stretches between charging stops from Van Horn to Pecos and from Pecos to Midland.

The Valley of Despair

After I was approaching the following charging cease in Sweetwater, I observed that I used to be operating a bit of low on energy once more. So, like I did on the climb out of El Paso, I slowed down a bit. Then, I slowed down a bit extra as I observed the miles remaining on Waze staying above the estimated miles left. The facility lowered, after which it lowered a bit extra, solely giving me 4 kW. As I climbed the final overpass earlier than my exit, the final bar on the guess-o-meter stopped flashing and the automobile notified me that it was out of juice utterly.

Luckily, I used to be nonetheless going about 50 MPH, and it was all downhill to the offramp, which was additionally downhill. After exiting the freeway, I used the remaining kinetic vitality to coast right into a parking zone and park subsequent to a cellphone retailer, proper in entrance of a plug. The individuals inside the shop mentioned I used to be welcome to plug into it, however the plug didn’t work, leaving me stranded a few half mile from Walmart and Electrify America.

What saved me from having to get towed to the station and depart my trailer in an odd parking zone was that I had a Jackery 3000 Professional within the trailer that had been charging from the Bolt throughout charging stops. With 3 kWh of storage, I used to be in a position so as to add about 0.7 kWh to the automobile in half-hour as I went to a close-by fuel station to make use of the restroom and seize a drink.

I obtained to the station, however felt fairly depressed about issues. I assumed I knew what I used to be doing, nevertheless it turned out that I didn’t. So, I took a break whereas the automobile charged and determined to work on dinner utilizing the little kitchen I had constructed into the trailer. I additionally made some minor repairs to the trailer (which had additionally confirmed to me that I knew lower than I assumed).

The Slope of Enlightenment

After I was accomplished consuming my pizza and my humble pie, I made a decision to rethink issues. As an alternative of worrying concerning the 2.57 miles/kWh estimate that I want the Bolt had pulling the small trailer, I made a decision to return to fundamentals. I had been monitoring precise consumed vitality for the previous 450 miles going 65–70 mph, and it confirmed 2.1 miles/kWh. Punching that reference determine in didn’t fairly make ABRP’s consumption match my precise consumed vitality for the previous few stops, so I lowered it some extra. And lowered it a bit of extra and raised it a bit till ABRP produced outcomes that matched previous stretches.

The ultimate determine got here out to about 1.95 miles/kWh. It’s a disappointing determine, nevertheless it proved correct over the following few hundred miles after which began leaving me with additional vitality at some stops.

Extra Charging Stops Are Positively Wanted

When the software program was correct, it left me feeling fairly assured about EV journey. I might go wherever! However, when my device stopped working, I had to return to what new EV drivers usually take care of. As an alternative of getting a plan, I longed for the times after I might drive till the needle obtained nearer to L after which go to the following fuel station.

Through the two worst charging stops, I handed a lot of fuel stations. Climbing from the Rio Grande to Sierra Blanca, I handed the Touring Tiger truck cease. That positive would have made a pleasant place for an EV charger! Later, in Texas, I handed rural fuel stations (the few which can be left) and wished I might cease for a cost about then.

Granted, towing with a Bolt EUV is a horrid edge case, nevertheless it exhibits that there’s much more work to be accomplished on EV charging infrastructure. There have to be a LOT extra stations and much more stalls at them, and they should virtually all work about completely for the typical particular person to be extra comfy with EVs. So, we’ve got a number of work to do!

Featured picture by Jennifer Sensiba.