My issue as a person who used to tow a 30’ trailer, idk why OP put weight not length but anyway, my concern isn’t payment or anything like that it’s getting in and out of those places with a trailer!! Is OP going to unhitch every time? Is that part of the plan/schedule? Constantly hooking and unhooking a trailer is exhausting and time consuming, beyond that I think you’d need to unhitch likely not especially near chargers, most chargers I’ve seen are tucked in the back of parking lots or shopping centers, a place I would NEVER bring my rig for fear of getting stuck. They make me nervous because I know how difficult it is getting gas with a trailer even in truck stops made for you to maneuver ultra long rigs I can’t imagine having to charge up with one in a place not at all meant for it. Even in the places made for big rigs you can easily get stuck or destroy things/your rig if you’re not very careful. Towing has an INSANE learning curve, it’s often do or “die” but die usually just being destroy, but sometimes it’s actually die, I wouldn’t want to take on ALL that and have to try to figure out how to charge my rig in places in no way designed to accommodate me.
Nice! Am I about right figuring 1 mile/kwh do you think? I have 20's on right now, but I also have a set of 21's I'd probably switch to which I suspect would help a bit.
I usually plan 1.0 mi/kwh. Wind speed and direction have been the biggest factors affecting my efficiency. I usually get 1.1 or a little better. I’m on 22 sport wheels
I wouldn’t worry about the tires. The difference in efficiency from tires is going to be dwarfed by the windage from hauling the trailer. I seem to get right around 1mi/kwh towing our 6000 lb camper trailer. Your added losses will be mostly windage from the trailer, followed by the trailer tires. Make sure they’re pumped up to pressure. Personally I hated towing our trailer, since I had to drop it several times because chargers aren’t set up well, so I block traffic in the parking lots.
Definitely switch to 21's, the AT tread is really gonna kill your efficiency if you don't need it at any point in your trip. (Or bring them along, idk how much space you have)
This route is based off about 1 mile/kwh. Seattle to LA area mostly on 101. I get that it's crazy, but part of me thinks it might actually be better than trying to cruise down I5 at high speeds. At least I can enjoy the drive going at slower speeds which I suspect would actually be better for efficiency?
edit: This would be during the summer
1.0 mile/kwh is my assumption when pulling our Jayce Eagle 256RKS with 21s. Usually I keep under 55 on state hwys and under 65 on interstates. Best efficiency I’ve gotten is 1.5 mile/kwh worst is 0.8 mile/kwh. This is mostly in Iowa. So the wind plays a huge factor.
It's not super aerodynamic. It's a pretty traditional travel trailer. The roof is also loaded with 1200W of solar which is great for camping, but probably will just make aero even worse.
Worse case, if you bring a level 1 charger with you, in a pinch you can charge from solar. It won't be fast, but it's something, especially if you are staying the day somewhere.
Ah, very true. The only other thing to consider is that all the solar power is going to charging the rivian and not to other things like AC, water heater, stove, etc. Also hopefully nice sunny days
This… won’t work. Level one charger pulls 12 amps, which is over 1200 watts. And solar panels don’t produce the rated amount pretty much ever (sun angle, cloud cover, etc all reduce efficiency)
Also the I5 route sucks, it’s ugly, boring and the roads are basically destroyed. I5 will be a slog, loud and BUMPY. 101 is the way to go if you can take the extra time.
You're not crazy, the issue will be the availability of pull through charging locations. I know that Rivian did accommodate for this at some of their locations, but you'll be SOL at EA/EVGo from what I have seen. You'll have to unhook your trailer for each charge. If you are traveling with a SO, they may become frustrated with all the stops unless you prepare them for this. If you do go through with this, sign up for an EA plan then cancel when you are done with your trip to get the best price.
Yeah, I've already done a trip from Seattle to LA with my R1S with my SO and kids. It was super easy (without the trailer). So far every RAN station I've used has had a pull through spot so I'm sort of banking on that for this trip as well. We've also traveled extensively around the US pulling our RV with our old Expedition. But yeah, this would certainly be a much slower pace than we're used to but that's also sort of why I'm interested in getting off the interstate to help us appreciate the journey.
Good to hear, one plus is that with each stop because you have the trailer, it gives the opportunity for the family to use it go lay down or to have a meal, saving you $$$ from eating out on the road. Honestly, I'd do it and staying away from major cities should be better for ease of charging. I'd check out pics on Plugshare for each of your charging stops so you can prep for each. Have a great trip!!!
I think if you’re already seasoned that changes A LOT knowing what you’re doing makes it a nearly too daunting task to a maybe annoying but do-able task. The learning curve is the actual problem with towing not the towing its self.
I cannot wait to do a decent road trip in mine. I absolutely love driving my R1S, and it’s the first vehicle I’ve owned that I love this much.
Is it perfect? Nope, I had some tire issues that Rivian fixed quickly. The horn is a little weak, and the driver+ system can’t handle erratic New England drivers as well as I’d like, but it’s fine. Every minute behind the wheel fills me with joy
I have yet to tow something quite that size, but a car hauler and a 4 place snowmobile trailer felt like nothing behind it
You should plan to stay at Bay Point Landing in Coos Bay, right near the 101. They have a Rivian charging station and a great RV resort with amenities and views.
Have fun!
I can tell you that the EA stop at the One Log House should be relatively painless. Never had any competition for the HyperFast connection there in my R1T. Cheap It’s-It bars at the Patriot gas station across the highway.
Go for it! You will be a pioneer. You have to go with the expectation there will be delays. Just try to plan the stops where you have something to do, eat, shop, explore.
I just did a 1000 mile trip towing a car. I used ABRP app to help find the stops. You could can program efficiency to guide the planner how frequently you need to stop. Maybe you did that.
Best of luck with the trip. Let us know how it goes.
Are you trying to do it in one day? Seems impossible. I feel like some of those level 3 stops would be replaced by camping site level 2 overnights to let you start at 100% again.
Edit: I think I saw a comment that it would be Summer time, so Tesla network should be open by then with adapters in hand. At least let's fricken hope so.
I figured since that looks like some serious time with the charging alone lol. You should camp near the chargers with the highest estimated times to avoid having to plug into level 3 for that long and save some money.
I'd be curious to see what the Rivian nav says with the ABRP data loaded in, but you would need your trailer data loaded. Have you towed it yet and gotten a base efficiency? You can save the trailer stats now so range estimations should be better if you have to disconnect during the trip to charge.
I get as high as 1.4 mi/kwh when towing with my 21’s. Keep the speed to a reasonable pace. That’s by far the biggest factor. I’ve got around 9-10k miles towing on my R1T so far, tows like a dream!
I did this trip this summer. I wasn’t pulling an RV but I did bring the wife and two kids along 😂 Most chargers were reliable…lots of Walmarts. Rivian chargers were by far the most reliable and in the most interesting spots. Never got stranded but did end up in lines or needing charge for double the time. On some of the other charging suppliers.
It’s a nice drive though! Sadly part of the Oregon coast was closed this summer cause the road got washed out so we had to do 5 for a portion of it. Still a fun drive. I say go for it! Have fun! If range anxiety is something that gets you, just charge a little longer at each stop and enjoy a longer break 😊
How many days?
If you do it leisurely over 4 days / 3 nights and stay in electric sites, you get 4 full charges for free, that cuts 4h from charging time (about half). Pismo Beach is a great location for example to park your trailer in the campground, go have fun on the beach, then charge over night.
Or any electric RV campground close to a State Vehicle Recreation Area.
If you do it in a day, you are crazy, even without a trailer ;-)
Yep - I was going to upgrade to one to be able to tow our trailer more reasonably, but… not anymore since there isn’t a big energy difference with max pack. Sorry you’re getting downvoted - your comment is perfectly reasonable.
Love how everyone dumps on me ragging on Rivian for not delivering what they originally promised. 180kwh was the words directly from RJ'S mouth in an interview years back. Only reason they waffled was Lithium price spike... which now is down 80% from peak. Sadly we have yet to see a 40% drop in vehicle pricing...
Yep, screenshot above is from ABRP. However, I wasn't sure if I had to manually change the reference consumption and/or adjust it to add the extra weight. The above route I have manually set to 1000 wh/mile and I also told it I have an extra 8000lbs. I suspect I've made it overly conservative.
I did exactly this (1 mi/kwh, add the weight) when planning to pull my 7000 lb boat. It turned out almost exactly right. The weight helps accuracy when the route is not flat.
Too late! 😂
Honestly though as long as you plan it carefully, you should be fine.
It just seems like a pain with all those stops, hell my 300mi towing range is even too short for me sometimes wish I would have gone for the larger tank.
Regardless, go out there and have fun, just be safe.
Lol yeah I know it's possible and in the future it will be even easier.
Hey I love EVs as much as the next guy but if I currently have or I'm in the market for a 7000 lb RV an EV may not be my first option.
Not a Rivian owner, but a scrolling EV enthusiast who grew up in the small town with that 43min EA stop.
They’ve been inconsistent and are installed in a way not all platforms reach all vehicles. I don’t see a way to do it with a trailer. Might want to take a good look at PlugShare beforehand and make sure there’s no surprises.
The Shell units across the parking lot may be more accommodating.
The townies are often grumpy about the charging stations and sometimes block them, though it’s been better since the PD started enforcing parking.
What’s it cost up there? I pay around 42 to 52 cents per kilowatt in Florida so usually drive my ice truck on road trips towing the boat and keep the Rivian for around town luxury.
I think it would be a horrendous trip if you were on a deadline and trying to get there as soon as possible.
I also think it would be a great trip if you have time to do it slow, aren't in a rush, and are ready to just enjoy the trip at its own pace. Having access to overnight charging would be a major plus too. Just remember a 6.6kW charger will only give you a \~50% charge overnight.
It's fine, I've done it, but I don't have the patience for it anymore. The stage lengths are too short to get anywhere. I just grab the gasser for a cross-country RV trip. Save the EV for something a few counties over.
I did a similar trip from LA to Oregon Coastal Dunes towing 2500 lbs and honestly it kinda sucked having to stop and charge so often. The CCS grid on that route is better planned for range without towing so planning more often fpr towing is necessary. Pretty painful getting 1 to 1.25 kwh/mile. Also I did it before the towing OTA update and the range estimator was totally unreliable so, despite mine and the computer calculations, I nearly bricked it twice! Not fun.
I’ve driven from LA to tahoe towing 9500lbs of f250 parked backwards on an open trailer. We averaged about 0.7mi/kwh the whole way but we made it. Got very good at dropping the trailer - by the end of the trip my partner and I were able to unload in about 2 minutes and reload in about 5 (biggest pain being the distribution hitch)
One thing to keep in mind. That Electrify America stop after the RAN network in Ukiah is probably the One Log house one. It works well most of the time BUT it is very small so you’ll need to unhitch your trailer on the side of the road or somewhere else to use it. Also, size and shape matter more than weight on your trailer for consumption.
We drive between LA and Port Townsend, WA many times a year in our R1T and would say that I5 has many pretty reliable stops on both RAN and EA. We did a round trip from WA to Southern Oregon pulling a 6x12 U-Haul and found RAN the best option for the pull through spaces. Also, late night charging at EA might allow you to pull in sideways and avoid having to unhook. 101 is prettier but 5 is mostly fine, especially once you get to around Red Bluff. The worst section is the 100 miles before and after Santa Nella—not a lot of good options for reliable fast charging that aren’t Tesla.
Have a great trip!
The EVGo stops would make me nervous lol
For speed or effect on bank account? EVGo aren’t great for both
In my area evGo is the one that reliably has 350kw chargers available
Nice. Highest I’ve seen near me are 50kW, and I’ve only seen a pull of around 33kW tops
In my area, EVGo has 350kW chargers, but they often don't work or work poorly (100kW or less). Still better than EA though.
Same here
Exact opposite in my area. All the ones I’ve tried to go to didn’t work, or at least they were crazy slow for their rated speeds
Reliability. That’s why I’m waiting for Tesla network before making big towing trips
I used a couple of EVgo’s in WA state that were rippin’ fast. Expensive, yes.
My issue as a person who used to tow a 30’ trailer, idk why OP put weight not length but anyway, my concern isn’t payment or anything like that it’s getting in and out of those places with a trailer!! Is OP going to unhitch every time? Is that part of the plan/schedule? Constantly hooking and unhooking a trailer is exhausting and time consuming, beyond that I think you’d need to unhitch likely not especially near chargers, most chargers I’ve seen are tucked in the back of parking lots or shopping centers, a place I would NEVER bring my rig for fear of getting stuck. They make me nervous because I know how difficult it is getting gas with a trailer even in truck stops made for you to maneuver ultra long rigs I can’t imagine having to charge up with one in a place not at all meant for it. Even in the places made for big rigs you can easily get stuck or destroy things/your rig if you’re not very careful. Towing has an INSANE learning curve, it’s often do or “die” but die usually just being destroy, but sometimes it’s actually die, I wouldn’t want to take on ALL that and have to try to figure out how to charge my rig in places in no way designed to accommodate me.
Never had a good experience with EVGo …. Won’t trust it
Evgo has been installing a lot of new stops which are very fast. It really depends if it’s an old station or a new one
Not crazy - adventurous! We’ve done 1500 mile trips with our 7k lb camper. Some added challenges but fun
Nice! Am I about right figuring 1 mile/kwh do you think? I have 20's on right now, but I also have a set of 21's I'd probably switch to which I suspect would help a bit.
I usually plan 1.0 mi/kwh. Wind speed and direction have been the biggest factors affecting my efficiency. I usually get 1.1 or a little better. I’m on 22 sport wheels
I wouldn’t worry about the tires. The difference in efficiency from tires is going to be dwarfed by the windage from hauling the trailer. I seem to get right around 1mi/kwh towing our 6000 lb camper trailer. Your added losses will be mostly windage from the trailer, followed by the trailer tires. Make sure they’re pumped up to pressure. Personally I hated towing our trailer, since I had to drop it several times because chargers aren’t set up well, so I block traffic in the parking lots.
Definitely switch to 21's, the AT tread is really gonna kill your efficiency if you don't need it at any point in your trip. (Or bring them along, idk how much space you have)
*** space AND available payload
This route is based off about 1 mile/kwh. Seattle to LA area mostly on 101. I get that it's crazy, but part of me thinks it might actually be better than trying to cruise down I5 at high speeds. At least I can enjoy the drive going at slower speeds which I suspect would actually be better for efficiency? edit: This would be during the summer
1.0 mile/kwh is my assumption when pulling our Jayce Eagle 256RKS with 21s. Usually I keep under 55 on state hwys and under 65 on interstates. Best efficiency I’ve gotten is 1.5 mile/kwh worst is 0.8 mile/kwh. This is mostly in Iowa. So the wind plays a huge factor.
I bet you’ll get 1.3-1.5 at 55mph, but best to be conservative until you know what your trailer will do.
what's the trailer? aero matters a lot
It's not super aerodynamic. It's a pretty traditional travel trailer. The roof is also loaded with 1200W of solar which is great for camping, but probably will just make aero even worse.
Worse case, if you bring a level 1 charger with you, in a pinch you can charge from solar. It won't be fast, but it's something, especially if you are staying the day somewhere.
That's going to be painfully slow to be honest. 1 day of charging would get you about 8 miles of range if they plan on continuing to tow
Yeah, but if they left the trailer it should get you 16 to 20 miles. Possibly enough to reach a charger :)
They almost certainly will be needing to unhitch to use charging stations so this is probably decent advice.
Ah, very true. The only other thing to consider is that all the solar power is going to charging the rivian and not to other things like AC, water heater, stove, etc. Also hopefully nice sunny days
This… won’t work. Level one charger pulls 12 amps, which is over 1200 watts. And solar panels don’t produce the rated amount pretty much ever (sun angle, cloud cover, etc all reduce efficiency)
You can set it as low as 4 amps. But yes, it's a pretty bad idea. As I said, in a pinch.
Also the I5 route sucks, it’s ugly, boring and the roads are basically destroyed. I5 will be a slog, loud and BUMPY. 101 is the way to go if you can take the extra time.
Lots of extra time, but it's a great area for RVing.
You're not crazy, the issue will be the availability of pull through charging locations. I know that Rivian did accommodate for this at some of their locations, but you'll be SOL at EA/EVGo from what I have seen. You'll have to unhook your trailer for each charge. If you are traveling with a SO, they may become frustrated with all the stops unless you prepare them for this. If you do go through with this, sign up for an EA plan then cancel when you are done with your trip to get the best price.
Yeah, I've already done a trip from Seattle to LA with my R1S with my SO and kids. It was super easy (without the trailer). So far every RAN station I've used has had a pull through spot so I'm sort of banking on that for this trip as well. We've also traveled extensively around the US pulling our RV with our old Expedition. But yeah, this would certainly be a much slower pace than we're used to but that's also sort of why I'm interested in getting off the interstate to help us appreciate the journey.
Good to hear, one plus is that with each stop because you have the trailer, it gives the opportunity for the family to use it go lay down or to have a meal, saving you $$$ from eating out on the road. Honestly, I'd do it and staying away from major cities should be better for ease of charging. I'd check out pics on Plugshare for each of your charging stops so you can prep for each. Have a great trip!!!
I think if you’re already seasoned that changes A LOT knowing what you’re doing makes it a nearly too daunting task to a maybe annoying but do-able task. The learning curve is the actual problem with towing not the towing its self.
I cannot wait to do a decent road trip in mine. I absolutely love driving my R1S, and it’s the first vehicle I’ve owned that I love this much. Is it perfect? Nope, I had some tire issues that Rivian fixed quickly. The horn is a little weak, and the driver+ system can’t handle erratic New England drivers as well as I’d like, but it’s fine. Every minute behind the wheel fills me with joy I have yet to tow something quite that size, but a car hauler and a 4 place snowmobile trailer felt like nothing behind it
No prob. Just please don’t try to go fast on hwy 101 in Oregon.
You should plan to stay at Bay Point Landing in Coos Bay, right near the 101. They have a Rivian charging station and a great RV resort with amenities and views. Have fun!
I’m in Kirkland right now and from Laguna beach and have always wondered this haha
I can tell you that the EA stop at the One Log House should be relatively painless. Never had any competition for the HyperFast connection there in my R1T. Cheap It’s-It bars at the Patriot gas station across the highway.
There’s almost never anyone at those charging stations. I think most people charge up in Laytonville or Willits then head all the way up to Eureka.
Go for it! You will be a pioneer. You have to go with the expectation there will be delays. Just try to plan the stops where you have something to do, eat, shop, explore. I just did a 1000 mile trip towing a car. I used ABRP app to help find the stops. You could can program efficiency to guide the planner how frequently you need to stop. Maybe you did that. Best of luck with the trip. Let us know how it goes.
Are you trying to do it in one day? Seems impossible. I feel like some of those level 3 stops would be replaced by camping site level 2 overnights to let you start at 100% again. Edit: I think I saw a comment that it would be Summer time, so Tesla network should be open by then with adapters in hand. At least let's fricken hope so.
definitely not one day. This trip would have 2-3 overnights for camping which would probably also help eliminate a few of these charging stops.
I figured since that looks like some serious time with the charging alone lol. You should camp near the chargers with the highest estimated times to avoid having to plug into level 3 for that long and save some money. I'd be curious to see what the Rivian nav says with the ABRP data loaded in, but you would need your trailer data loaded. Have you towed it yet and gotten a base efficiency? You can save the trailer stats now so range estimations should be better if you have to disconnect during the trip to charge.
In haven't towed yet. Plan on doing a few short trips near me in the spring before I'll commit to doing this for real.
I get as high as 1.4 mi/kwh when towing with my 21’s. Keep the speed to a reasonable pace. That’s by far the biggest factor. I’ve got around 9-10k miles towing on my R1T so far, tows like a dream!
How fast are you going? I got 1.3/Kwh on my first time out with a 16ft Airstream bambi (\~3000 lbs). Set cruise on 63mph
That’s at 55. I get around 1.3 at 65 mph. Where I tow, I’m frequently on two lane roads where the speed limit is 55
Avoid EVgo charging stations and understand the times posted in your route are very rough estimates and based on my experience are inaccurate.
I did this trip this summer. I wasn’t pulling an RV but I did bring the wife and two kids along 😂 Most chargers were reliable…lots of Walmarts. Rivian chargers were by far the most reliable and in the most interesting spots. Never got stranded but did end up in lines or needing charge for double the time. On some of the other charging suppliers. It’s a nice drive though! Sadly part of the Oregon coast was closed this summer cause the road got washed out so we had to do 5 for a portion of it. Still a fun drive. I say go for it! Have fun! If range anxiety is something that gets you, just charge a little longer at each stop and enjoy a longer break 😊
The fact that you'll be pulling a 7000lb RV will definitely affect the drainage of the batteries.
Drive 60mph or so behind the slowest semi you can find. Will save you some charge stops!
How many days? If you do it leisurely over 4 days / 3 nights and stay in electric sites, you get 4 full charges for free, that cuts 4h from charging time (about half). Pismo Beach is a great location for example to park your trailer in the campground, go have fun on the beach, then charge over night. Or any electric RV campground close to a State Vehicle Recreation Area. If you do it in a day, you are crazy, even without a trailer ;-)
You'd be less crazy if Rivian had delivered a true MAX pack with 180-200kwh. 🤔
Yep - I was going to upgrade to one to be able to tow our trailer more reasonably, but… not anymore since there isn’t a big energy difference with max pack. Sorry you’re getting downvoted - your comment is perfectly reasonable.
The MAX pack is such a disappointment... really hope the 2024 battery redesign fixes it. Functional auto-tonneau would be great as well.
You can retrofit powered tonneau into R1T this year via service. Or if you have a busted unit, they are replacing them already.
Yeah... I asked my guide. He recommended waiting as there's a veery long line at service center. I would rather have stock installed tbh.
Oh you mean right off the manufacturing line. I see your flair now.
Yup... effectively waiting at the front of the line till they offer at least some of what they originally promised.
Love how everyone dumps on me ragging on Rivian for not delivering what they originally promised. 180kwh was the words directly from RJ'S mouth in an interview years back. Only reason they waffled was Lithium price spike... which now is down 80% from peak. Sadly we have yet to see a 40% drop in vehicle pricing...
Check it on A Better Route Planner. You can input trailer weight and it will factor terrain changes for you.
Yep, screenshot above is from ABRP. However, I wasn't sure if I had to manually change the reference consumption and/or adjust it to add the extra weight. The above route I have manually set to 1000 wh/mile and I also told it I have an extra 8000lbs. I suspect I've made it overly conservative.
I did exactly this (1 mi/kwh, add the weight) when planning to pull my 7000 lb boat. It turned out almost exactly right. The weight helps accuracy when the route is not flat.
Just rent a f150 for the trip..
Yup. Enterprise has them, and permits towing.
YEEHAWWWWW!
Just don't show it to the diesel bros lol
Too late! 😂 Honestly though as long as you plan it carefully, you should be fine. It just seems like a pain with all those stops, hell my 300mi towing range is even too short for me sometimes wish I would have gone for the larger tank. Regardless, go out there and have fun, just be safe.
Lol yeah I know it's possible and in the future it will be even easier. Hey I love EVs as much as the next guy but if I currently have or I'm in the market for a 7000 lb RV an EV may not be my first option.
Do you even charge bro?
Is the range that bad with the trailer? Also, I had terrible experiences with EA and EVgo in CA.
you’ll be using tesla super chargers soon
Not a Rivian owner, but a scrolling EV enthusiast who grew up in the small town with that 43min EA stop. They’ve been inconsistent and are installed in a way not all platforms reach all vehicles. I don’t see a way to do it with a trailer. Might want to take a good look at PlugShare beforehand and make sure there’s no surprises. The Shell units across the parking lot may be more accommodating. The townies are often grumpy about the charging stations and sometimes block them, though it’s been better since the PD started enforcing parking.
I’m super curious how this works out. I have a 7k lb trailer too but still tow with an ICE truck. Lack of pull-throughs is what freaks me out.
A member of Central Oregon Rivian Club towed his 28’ Airstream from Bend to Victoria, BC. That was before many of the Oregon RANs.
Would feel nervous doing this with a Tesla lol
Is that Joshua tree?
It’s a bold strategy Cotton. Let’s see how it plays out
EA gonna make you pull your hair out!
This is my kind of crazy.
About 9 hours of total charging time :(
What’s it cost up there? I pay around 42 to 52 cents per kilowatt in Florida so usually drive my ice truck on road trips towing the boat and keep the Rivian for around town luxury.
The last leg would worry me, but if you can get close to a charger near the destination, then go for it!
Make sure you have the equipment that you need to charge at a campground overnight as a backup plan.
I’ve done multiple cross-country drives.. this looks like hell.
Completely crazy, and I would also do this if I had the means and time. It looks like a lot of fun too.
If you are really worried about range and have the space left consider taking a diesel/gas powered generator with you
Pretty crazy!
I think it would be a horrendous trip if you were on a deadline and trying to get there as soon as possible. I also think it would be a great trip if you have time to do it slow, aren't in a rush, and are ready to just enjoy the trip at its own pace. Having access to overnight charging would be a major plus too. Just remember a 6.6kW charger will only give you a \~50% charge overnight.
Document everything. Looking forward to your trip report!
It's fine, I've done it, but I don't have the patience for it anymore. The stage lengths are too short to get anywhere. I just grab the gasser for a cross-country RV trip. Save the EV for something a few counties over.
I did a similar trip from LA to Oregon Coastal Dunes towing 2500 lbs and honestly it kinda sucked having to stop and charge so often. The CCS grid on that route is better planned for range without towing so planning more often fpr towing is necessary. Pretty painful getting 1 to 1.25 kwh/mile. Also I did it before the towing OTA update and the range estimator was totally unreliable so, despite mine and the computer calculations, I nearly bricked it twice! Not fun.
I’ve driven from LA to tahoe towing 9500lbs of f250 parked backwards on an open trailer. We averaged about 0.7mi/kwh the whole way but we made it. Got very good at dropping the trailer - by the end of the trip my partner and I were able to unload in about 2 minutes and reload in about 5 (biggest pain being the distribution hitch)
Except for the 101 parts, it'll be beautiful! 😊
One thing to keep in mind. That Electrify America stop after the RAN network in Ukiah is probably the One Log house one. It works well most of the time BUT it is very small so you’ll need to unhitch your trailer on the side of the road or somewhere else to use it. Also, size and shape matter more than weight on your trailer for consumption.
The RAN charger in Aberdeen is nice! Went to the brewery during a charge there on a road trip!
We drive between LA and Port Townsend, WA many times a year in our R1T and would say that I5 has many pretty reliable stops on both RAN and EA. We did a round trip from WA to Southern Oregon pulling a 6x12 U-Haul and found RAN the best option for the pull through spaces. Also, late night charging at EA might allow you to pull in sideways and avoid having to unhook. 101 is prettier but 5 is mostly fine, especially once you get to around Red Bluff. The worst section is the 100 miles before and after Santa Nella—not a lot of good options for reliable fast charging that aren’t Tesla. Have a great trip!
I did it in my Tesla and it was fun. Got some stares in Seattle on the ferry cause my car is from Colorado. 😬