266 miles, and needing two top-ups. … and this is the way forward?
That’s 2 comfort stops with rapid recharging whilst we grab a coffee (1st stop as it’s a 125kW charger so 20 minute stop) and a bite to eat (2nd stop as it’s only a 50kW charger so 35 minute stop).
It’s still relatively early in EV development, people are still working out what size batteries are needed & the above journey can easily be done on two charges, but, with the way that batteries work these charges are to under 80% as the really fast charging will be between 10-75% of battery state of charge. The battery will be 100% SOC at the start of the journey from an overnight charge where time isn’t an issue. Three charges (the overnight slow plus the 2 rapid) is the right balance as it ties the stops into the 2 hour mark, so drive for 2 hours then charge for 20 minutes, drive for 2 hours then charge for 35 minutes. There’s more to a journey than refueling in any car.
Costs is another thing that could be included in the calculations, as we know the cost of electricity varies, from the 5p per kW/h of the home on overnight charge, to the 69p per kW/h of an Ionity charger that won’t be on this route. 1st stop is 35p per kW/h and the second is 15p per kW/h. I don’t select specific rapid chargers due to cost on such a journey because I’m looking for the best journey times rather than cost, the cost comes in when charging nearer home during the course of journeys I make much more frequently. So, 5p per kW/h and 15p per kW/h is fine, 69p per kW/h at Ionity isn’t going to happen when I can use the nearby Polar ultra rapid for 19p per kW/h and achieve the same charge speed.
Now all this calculation to be able to make journeys seems complex, and it would be without a few apps, the one that is making things easier is A Better Route Planner, and it allows for fuel costs, charge speeds, and even wind direction & strength, in its calculations. You can even have the app redirect you to another charger when someone else is charging on your first choice of charger.
If you really want range anxiety then you can program ABRP so that it tells you to drive below a certain speed on each journey leg to achieve the desired range between chargers, I plotted a journey to the North Cape in Norway, it found a leg between chargers that required a full 100% charge & a speed of 45mph just to be able to complete, the alternative was to re-route the last 1000 miles switching from Swedish to Norwegian roads with the lower speeds & the ferries. I’d take the more scenic route through Norway on a once in a lifetime trip.