Running to Placerville

 About 25 years ago, my father moved to a horse ranch near Placerville, CA.  When he died last year, my siblings and I made many trips to his ranch from San Jose.  Many of my trips involved moving materials to a recycling station in Placerville, so I drove my old gas-powered Dodge Dakota pickup.  I could manage two loads to the recycling center in a day’s work.  Other times, I would have to conduct business in Placerville, including clearing out a safe deposit box, paying property taxes, signing paperwork at the funeral home, and such.

For these trips into town, I wanted to drive the newer BMW i3.  Its battery is EPA rated for 154 miles of range.  I enjoy driving the two-lane highways more than the interstates, and I can drive a little farther at the slower speeds (55 MPH instead of 65).  Also, the shortest route to Placerville would take me down two-lane roads for about 40% of the trip, so the shortest route was also the most peaceful (and scenic).  And, at 142 miles, the route was within the capabilities of my car.

My off-interstate route to Placerville

Luckily, there is a DC fast charger at the grocery store next to the bank I was visiting.  So, it was easy to plug in, take care of my business at the bank or get lunch at the grocery store, and come back to nearly a full charge.  And, because of the slower speeds along much of the trip, I arrived with more than 20 miles of range remaining, making for a relaxing journey.  In all, I made four such trips in the BMW i3.  If I had to drive the 2017 BMW i3, I would have had to charge two additional times along the way, so the purchase of the 2019 BMW i3 is already showing its worth.