Driving to Moss Landing by the Coast

When the temperatures in San Jose exceed 92F degrees, the weather is too uncomfortable to do much of anything. This is also the time that many (many) folks head to Santa Cruz, choking its streets and parking, not to mention the highways leading there. So, to escape the heat, I looked for a spot away from the crowds that would be easy to get to and well within the range of the BMW i3 (round-trip). Seaside was just about at the limit of my round-trip range and I’d have to drive over a 1000’ peak along the way, so I preferred someplace a little closer to ensure plenty of range for the round-trip. I settled on Moss Landing, which was only 53 miles away.

My drive to Moss Landing

Moss Landing turned out to be a great spot to visit. It attracted many fewer people than the beach towns (in part because there is very little business there). So, parking and beach access are both fairly easy. The weather was delightfully cool (around 71F degrees). It felt refreshing to escape both the heat and the crowds and take in the beautiful coastal scenery.

As for the car, I learned a few things about EV efficiency. If you drive in warm weather, the batteries are more energy efficient. If you drive at lower speeds along the backroads, the motor is more efficient. And while the drive up to the peak used more power than flat lands, the car was still doing pretty well during the climb. Plus, pulling away from the turns is a kick in an EV with ample torque. I forgot that on the trip down the mountain, not only would I not be using much electricity, but I’d be generating electricity too. By the time I returned home, the entire round trip used only about 2/3 of the battery’s capacity, including some use of the A/C. (On one trip in particular, the range remaining plus the distance traveled added to more than 170 miles.) I’m planning on returning there soon.

Honey, Will You Fill up the Car?

Sometimes, the last one in a couple to go to bed ends up filling up the car. (That would be me.) With the gas-powered car, that meant getting suitably clothed and shod, driving to the gas station, standing outside while the gas pumps into the tank, cleaning the windshield, possibly checking the oil, paying, and driving home, parking, and returning to prior state of clothing. All told, it was probably a 20 to 25 minute ritual from start to finish, including two wardrobe adjustments. With my EV, if I needed to fill up away from home, it would take the better part of an hour for a fast-charge. 

Living in a house with a driveway (and a garage), I am able to install an EV charger at my home. This is a tremendous convenience. Now, filling up the car involves putting on anything suitable for walking outside, plugging in the car, and walking back inside. I usually plug in at night so the car can charge while I’m sleeping. By morning, the car is waiting in the driveway fully charged and ready to go. Usually, the car reaches a full charge in about three to five hours, so charging at night is the most convenient for me.

My home Clipper Creek charger

While I no longer need to check the oil level, there are still two car maintenance tasks that I used to do at the gas station that are slightly less convenient at home. The first is cleaning the windows. Over the years, I have become adept at cleaning the windows using the gas station squeegee. Now I have to use a bottle of Windex and a cleaning rag – and to remember to do so. The squeegee does a slightly better job with less effort. The second is pumping up the tires. Luckily, I have been driving EVs with narrow tires that are fairly easy to pump up using a bicycle tire pump. I can’t imagine trying to pump up all four of the tires on a pickup truck using the bicycle pump. Luckily, this is not a task I need to do with every “fill-up”.

The Tesla plug adapter and my longest drive

When I bought the 2017 BMW i3, I found myself visiting Napa Valley (about 100 miles away) every other month. I had friends that would join me on occasion which made the trip more fun. I discovered there were DC-fast chargers installed in three locations in the valley along my route and I could recharge for my trip home in about 40 minutes. I also found level-2 chargers at several of the wineries in the area, and sometimes I would add one of those wineries to my itinerary just to take advantage of the charging, getting my car juiced while I got juiced.

One day I was shopping on Amazon and found an adapter that allows me to charge the BMW i3 using a Tesla destination charger. I knew this would open up access to more of the wineries with only Tesla chargers, as well as some hotels. The price wasn’t too steep, and I could store the adapter in the i3’s “frunklet” (a tiny front trunk area that holds the level-1 charger and tire repair kit). Shortly after I received the adapter, I headed to a local Tesla destination charger and plugged in my car. It worked. Now I have a plan-B for when I’m traveling. This would soon come in very handy.

On one of my next trips to Napa Valley, I decided to visit one of the few Zinfandel producers remaining in Napa. (Most wineries converted to Cabernet Sauvignon because of its success there.) Storybook Mountain Vineyards lies at the northern end of the valley, which is furthest from my home to the South. I plotted the route in Google Maps and the distance was 126 miles. Driving conservatively, I knew I could make it there without charging, but I couldn’t go much further without plugging in. Storybook Mountain Vineyards was listed as a winery with an EV charger, so I could charge there before heading back. (My tasting appointment didn’t allow me enough time to charge en-route.) When I arrived at the winery (with 14 miles remaining), I noticed the EV charger was a Tesla destination charger. I nervously connected the car and adapter to the charger and the car started charging. I relaxed and enjoyed my wine tasting experience and ate a sandwich afterward. The 90+ minutes boosted my charge enough to drive almost 50 miles, so I had plenty of electricity to complete my winery visits before charging up at the DC-fast charger on my way home.