Tesla Mannequin 3 — “However Will It Get Me To Uluru?”

By David Waterworth and Adam & Tanya Philips

It’s a frequent joke amongst electrical automobile homeowners in Australia that some folks received’t consider that an EV is price shopping for until it will possibly get you to Uluru — the sacred coronary heart of Australia (beforehand often called Ayers Rock). Effectively, one intrepid driver and his associate determined to test it out.  Adam and Tanya Phillips drove to Uluru within the Northern Territory from Marysville in Victoria and again. Their full story will be discovered here.

I’ve offered a number of the highlights with their permission.

With a complete distance of roughly 6000 km and an absence of high-speed chargers, getting from rural Victoria to the centre of the Northern Territory is sort of the problem. Complete stats for the journey: distance = 6050 km, whole power = 1044 kWh, common kW/km = 173, whole price = $281.04.

Numerous vacation spot chargers at their lodging offered the majority of the charging. This included Keith Motor Inn — South Australia, Desert Cave — Coober Pedy SA, Erldunda Roadhouse — Northern Territory (3-phase outlet free to company), Yulara Campground — Northern Territory, Oasis Motor Inn — South Australia.

Listed below are some journey highlights from Adam and Tanya:

Day 3 problem — Just one street right now, the Stuart Hwy. 110km/h the entire manner. Charged on the Ampol at Glendambo, $20 per hour to cost from 3 part that might solely give 8kW. After 4 hours and $80 to get from 23 to 63% (29.63kWh), I deemed that just about sufficient to get to Coober Pedy tomorrow. However simply to verify I don’t need to drive sluggish, I’m charging from the 15A outlet for the air conditioning in our resort room for the remainder of the evening until we go away. Complete distance = 290km, common Wh/km = 173.

Day 5 — We headed from Coober Pedy to Erldunda right now, largest single stretch of the journey at 495km. A cease was had about midway at Marla for two hours @ $10 an hour to cost on their 3 part working 16A giving 12kWh, then onto Erldunda the place they’ve a 3 part 16A plug that’s free for company and likewise delivers 12kWh. Complete distance = 495km, whole power = 83kW, common Wh/km = 167, whole price = $20.

Day 6 — A fast run down the Lasseter Hwy and we arrived at Yulara and arrange camp at Ayers Rock Camp Floor. They’ve a Tesla vacation spot charger giving 12kW which is free for folks staying on the tenting floor. Complete distance = 285km, whole power = 47kWh, common Wh/km = 166, whole price = $0.

Day 8 — We left Yulara and headed north for Kings Canyon. We had an Ensuite web site which has a 15A energy level and that is how we charged while at Kings Canyon Resort with our UMC. The walks round Kings Canyon have been completely excellent. As we have been within the powered web site space, we had many individuals that couldn’t consider that the automotive was charging from an influence level. Many nice conversations have been had with folks serving to to teach them: wherever there’s an influence level, we will cost. Complete distance = 311km, whole power = 55kWh, common kW/km = 178, whole price = $0.

Day 13 — We headed south down for an evening at Kulgera earlier than transferring on. The pub is a traditional. The queue for diesel was about 300m lengthy, as everybody was towing one thing the scale of a home behind them taking over all the opposite diesel bowsers. Charging was a breeze on the 3 part charger within the caravan park facility at $10 an hour. $50 and we’re full! Complete distance = 295km, whole energy = 50kWh, common kW/km = 171, whole price = $50.

I did my maths a bit higher this time and labored out I didn’t want to make use of the three part charger and pay $20 an hour for actually sluggish 3 part (10% an hour). So I plugged the UMC into the aircon 15A socket in our room and received to 90% by the point we left within the morning, which was greater than sufficient. First bit of harm to the automotive right now. 1km out of Glendamdo we received a stone from a small automotive and acquired a windscreen chip and star. This can should be changed after we get residence, I known as forward to Port Augusta attempting to get a fill restore however no luck. Complete distance = 290km, whole energy = 47kWh, common kW/km = 173, whole price = $0.

Day 22 — After discovering the one ‘quick’ charger within the space is damaged, we needed to both backtrack barely to Ballarat for a cost to get residence or I may ask the resort in the event that they thoughts me plugging into the out of doors energy level to cost up. They have been fairly after I defined how EVs are nice like this as we’re not off until the morning in order that’ll be all of the cost we have to get residence. They wouldn’t settle for money so I gave them a pleasant bottle of wine as we have been trying out within the morning to say thanks and to encourage them to contemplate a correct vacation spot charger.

Adam and Tanya have included a useful desk with charging solutions and distances, and so forth. The problems they confronted, how they solved them, and the generosity of their lodging hosts is just like what we discovered after we drove to Winton. It can nearly be unhappy to assume that quickly these challenges will not be there as chargers turn out to be extra ubiquitous.

 

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