Should I bail out or stick?

[Bristlecone]

Looking for advice from experienced owners, particularly in cold climates. I've got an RS1 on order, and took the test drive yesterday. Of course I liked it a lot. Here's my dilemma. This would be our going-to-our-mountain-place-in-Colorado-vehicle, replacing a 2007 4Runner. Round trip 180 miles. No worries about doing that range in summer. In winter, we park about 2 miles from our cabin, which is on a gnarly unplowed road, and we snowshoe in. So the car would sit out usually 2-3 days at a time, at 11,000 feet elevation. Cold. My worry is vampire drain of 2-3% a day, according to my guide on the test drive, and reduced winter range. Full range is only 270 miles, since we'd have to do 20 inch all terrain wheels and tires (guide says no winter tires available for the longer range 21-inch). Drive up there is no interstate, only about 1/4 of it at 65-70 mph, rest in the 50's to 60. Elevation gain from my house to the cabin is 4,000 feet. There's a charging station about halfway, but it's often not working. So I need to know I can do round trip without charging. One factor that says stick is I pre-ordered before the price increase, and would get both the $7,500 federal tax credit and the $5,000 Colorado tax credit. I've also got a pre-order in on the Volvo EX90, which will likely have a 300 mile range, will have a heat pump for more efficient cold weather driving, and based on my 2 plus years experience with my other car the Volvo electric XC40 Recharge, has no vampire drain. No federal tax credit, though. Advice anyone?

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[COdogman]

It's such a specific use case, I wouldn't want to take a strong stand on either side. I do feel you would be ok, as the vampire drain has improved quite a bit according to those who leave their Rivian parked at airports, etc for significant amounts of time.

I recall others who said they do similar trips to cabins with their Rivians in winter - hopefully some of them will add their opinions.

Plus, you would be much more efficient going back down than the trip up there. Just my 2 cents...

 

[LivingInKaos]

I agree, this shouldn't be a problem (knock on wood). With the round trip being within range without charging, your elevation gain is not a concern because what extra you use going up will come back going down. Drain sitting for 3 days won't be enough to give you grief even in the cold.

 

[PappaBolt]

The argument for pre-price-hike doesn’t apply if your primary concern is battery drain and lack of access to a reliable charger. It doesn’t seem like a good fit for your use case unless you can find a way to top off the charge occasionally.

Even a 110v trickle charge would help in this case. Are you too far away from a power source to run an extension cord?

The other option might be to get a large portable 110v battery box and use that to maintain against the drain.

The range isn’t really a problem but the drain can be if you let it sit for many days. Depends on your tolerance for range anxiety.

 

[Bristlecone]

The argument for pre-price-hike doesn’t apply if your primary concern is battery drain and lack of access to a reliable charger. It doesn’t seem like a good fit for your use case unless you can find a way to top off the charge occasionally.

Even a 110v trickle charge would help in this case. Are you too far away from a power source to run an extension cord?

The other option might be to get a large portable 110v battery box and use that to maintain against the drain.

Way too far away.

 

[emoore]

Plus it would get easier and easier as more chargers are going to be installed over the next few years. Colorado is a EV friendly state so I have confidence that we will have sufficient chargers. Unlike Wyoming.

 

[TexasBob]

if one goes to camp mode and turns the vehicle off, doesn't that pretty much eliminate any vampire drain?

 

[Si.LE.R1S]

Hate to say it, but I would say bail. Or take delivery and sell. Reasons? This would be an extreme use case for *any* EV.

This is only my very non-scientific take, but I think the vampire drain will be significant as the truck parked outside in the elements will try to maintain a minimum temperature for the battery.

I also think that planning on EPA estimates is foolhardy without considering the immense toll heating and AC take - true for any EV. I watch my efficiency drop to 1.2-1.7 with AC blasting. I’m told heating has the same hit.

Next is elevation gain - it’s a killer. Yes you get back some of it on the return, but I wouldn’t rely on that.

Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, is contingency planning. What if something technical goes wrong (12V dies). How will anyone be able to get to you? What if other emergency arises and you need to take the truck unexpectedly (nearest hospital)? If you’ve only accounted up and back range, with no reliable fast charger access, this could be catastrophic.

I love the R1S, but I accept that it’s a late beta. I think your use case calls for something much more proven. Sorry for the long post.

 

[NY_Rob]

Before the last update.. I used to put my Jan 2023 build R1T in "Shipping Mode" in between uses ( I preliminarily use my R1T on weekends) and that brought my vampire drain down to an acceptable 0.5kWh per day. Since the last update however.. that number has tripled to 1.5-1.7kWh loss per day even in shipping mode which pretty much disables "everything".

Last winter people also reported that being constantly plugged in to a 120V EVSE wasn't even enough to keep loss at 0 miles/day in very cold conditions due to battery heating combined with vampire drain.

So, counting on low kWh loss per day isn't something anyone can promise you in a situation where even the loss of a few additional could make the difference between getting stranded in the boonies in winter and making it back to civilization.

 

[tosehee]

You are not gonna get 270m during Winter for sure.

 

[Epicloop]

My worry is vampire drain of 2-3% a day, according to my guide on the test drive, and reduced winter range. Full range is only 270 miles, since we'd have to do 20 inch all terrain wheels and tires

Mine recently sat for 16 days while away 1% per day loss.
Same configuration no winter driving yet but getting 2m/kw since purchase with regular mountain pass(9,000 gain/loss) driving & living at 850' above town as well as plenty of towing.
Winter tires may be better than the AT's
Been using 80kw for your same distance/gain return trip in summer.

 

[ads75]

With the OPs specific use case, I would skip an EV at this time, at least as an only vehicle. The Rivian is a great deal given pre 3/1 pricing, federal and state tax credits, but probably won't work for the trips to the cabin. Sure, the EV infrastructure will get better, but I doubt there would be significant changes in the next 6-12 months. And it sounds like the cabin is in an isolated area, which would be low priority area for getting any new chargers, just based on the charging companies need to make a profit.

As for the range, when I got my R1T (20 ATs) I drove from Brooklyn to Pennsylvania, mostly NJ and PA turnpike, 70-75mph, mostly flat, low 70 degrees, and it seemed like 250-270 miles was a realistic range, and that was the first time I drove an EV. When I drove from my house to my sisters during a cold day (Pennsylvania to New Jersey), 13 degrees, a mix of freeway speeds and 50mph roads, 100 miles was about 50% of my battery, so about a 200 mile range with temps in the low teens, with some elevation changes, but not anywhere near Colorado elevation changes. I drive in All Purpose, not conserve. During the winter, parked outside, when temps dropped below freezing, I think I would loose about 2-3% overnight (which may have been improved with the updates).

I don't think a Rivian would be good for the OPs case, and I also doubt the Volvo EX90 would be (also, no real world comparisons available yet for the Volvo). Maybe look towards to the new Toyota Land Cruiser, rumored 27 mpg) for cabin trips.

 

[81637]

Put your reservation on "hold", and then befriend someone with an R1S who likes snowshoeing into the wilderness as a guinea pig.

 

[Bristlecone]

You are not gonna get 270m during Winter for sure.

Thanks to everyone for the advice and information. My original inclination to bail seems like the most advisable route. Maybe the R2S will have better stuff for this kind of situation.

 

[krockett]

You can use the rebate funds towards building a standalone solar/battery setup where you’d be parking that can charge your vehicle at a rate just high enough to trickle charge and offset vampire and cold weather drain.

This is assuming where you park is your property and not a public road.

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