Mammoth Lakes and Yosemite Trip in R1S -- 1200 miles in 11 days

[camrunr]

I picked up my El Cap R1S (Bruce) on 8/23. We had already planned on going up to Mammoth, but getting delivery in time for the trip was definitely icing on the cake. I’ve done Mammoth several times in my 3 and my S, and I was very curious to see how Bruce would do.

• Notes to keep in mind:
  • On stretches of relatively flat highway, I’d drop into conserve mode. Otherwise in all-purpose at low height.
  • Always within 5 MPH of the posted speed limit.
  • I had a Kuatt 2-bike rack on the hitch, with a single bike on it.
  • Climate was set to auto @70f. Temps were mild for most of the trip.
• The Inyokern RAN was the first stop. Leg: 141 miles@ 463 wh/mi. I charged enough there to get me to Bishop. Efficiency was better than expected given the climb. (Classic Burger has some good grub!)
• The northern part of the 14, and all the 395 are missing lane keep capability. (A small portion near Tom’s place allows it. Weird.)
• Bishop was next, and we hit up Schatz while waiting for a full-ish charge. Leg: 130 miles@ 467 wh/mi. Again, better than expected with climbing.
• The Bishop -> Mammoth Lake leg was a LOT of elevation gain (4100ft to 8500ft), and efficiency showed it. 42 miles@ 664 wh/mi. The last time I did that leg in my S, it avg’d 460 iirc, for reference.
• While in the mountains I didn’t take notes on each daytrip. The longest was over to Yosemite via Lee Vining. Other days had lots of up and down around Lake Mary, Red’s Meadow, June, Mosquito Flat, etc. We ended up logging 406 miles@ 403 wh/mi while up there.
  • On the Yosemite trip day I charged to 80% in ML. We did not get to the valley floor, but easily could have. We had ~ 130 miles of range left when we got back to ML iirc.
• The trip back yesterday was brutally windy, all headwind. Mammoth to Inyokern leg: 172 miles@ 469 wh/mi.
• The last leg from Inyokern back to home was 141 miles@ 435 wh/mi
• Total trip avg’d 444 wh/mi. But by checking charge history to add up all the charging we did, our real avg was 474 wh/mi (charge losses? vampire drain? Not sure how much of either/both.)

Here are my (minor) places for improvement:

• The “last 15 minutes” efficiency display is nice, but I want more control over the time window. (Last 30 mins, last 100 miles, etc) I love gamifying efficiency. It’s harder to do in the Riv.
• There is no where on the screen that has any sort of odometer or tripometer. You have to tap into settings, then about, then the trip A or B windows. Totally want a “current trip” summary table: miles, energy used, wh/mi. More trip slots would be nice too.
  • In particular this is sketchy when trying to navigate by distance. “In 2 miles take a left.” Would be nice to have some sort of distance indicator on the main display.
• I wish the cruise control would offer the option to adjust to speed limit changes. “Limit +5” for example.
• The auto wipers are possessed. I turned this off pronto.
  • But when it’s raining, the fiddly controls for the wipers are not great.
• While packing, I had put my phone in my pocket, with the app open unknowingly. I had just finished putting the rack and bike on the back, reached into my pocket and accidentally hit the open rear button. Sumbitch. My first nick in the paint where the tailgate hit my bike’s pedal. Opening front or rear seems like it should be a 2-tap procedure.
• I could not see how to stop/start charging from inside. I finally found it in the phone app. Seems needlessly buried tho.
  • And the schedule feature caught me out a few times. I guess it doesn’t work when not “home” by default. 2 charging sessions at the condo were at peak times. Doh.

All the rambling aside, I’m super stoked on Rivian after logging 1200 miles in 11 days.

The more I drove it, the more I liked it. It’s my first SUV, and first non-Muskymobile in 6 years.
Would buy again. A+++

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[Ingo B]

I read Yosemite has some Rivian chargers onsite. Did you see any?

 

[camrunr]

I read Yosemite has some Rivian chargers onsite. Did you see any?

There are RAN L2 chargers in the valley base. We did not go that far in (from the east).

 

[DuoRivians]

I think Rivian should add a RAN in Mammoth Lakes. There’s a Tesla supercharger there, but it’s heavily used. RAN would open a lot more charging options.

 

[camrunr]

Adding to the list:

• Absolutely, 100% love that I can trust the range. After 6+ years of Tesla’s bullshit range predictions, it’s refreshing to be able to trust what the rangeometer is telling me.

 

[azbill]

I read Yosemite has some Rivian chargers onsite. Did you see any?

I used one of the waypoint chargers there two weeks ago.

 

[Killer95Stang]

We have a twinzy El Cap R1S and should be making that same trip from LA County SVG to Mammoth early next year. Had to miss our anual July Mammoth trip this year.

All your suggestions ar valid ones. Did you feel you would have been better off with the 20" AT's? I just aquired a set for this very purpose, but have some time to decide whether I want to keep them or not.

 

[RIVinIT]

Very good description of your first trip, glad you are enjoying the R1S, welcome to the family! You will like the versatility of the SUV the more you use it! Enjoy

 

[camrunr]

We have a twinzy El Cap R1S and should be making that same trip from LA County SVG to Mammoth early next year. Had to miss our anual July Mammoth trip this year.

All your suggestions ar valid ones. Did you feel you would have been better off with the 20" AT's? I just aquired a set for this very purpose, but have some time to decide whether I want to keep them or not.

nice!

I never missed true off-road tires, but then I wasn’t pushing it. Im not experienced and wasn’t going to learn in the wife’s brand new rig. Might be different in winter tho.

 

[bbonkk]

Great job. Here’s a couple of footnotes. If your condo does not have a place to charge in Mammoth, you don’t have ANY place to charge in Mammoth. There’s no public level two or level three chargers for CCS. Rivian does have one planned for Lee Vining, which is the eastern gateway to Yosemite off of 395 north of Mammoth. As far as 20’s this last winter they were helpful but most of the time you don't need them.

 

[Glongo]

Great job. Here’s a couple of footnotes. If your condo does not have a place to charge in Mammoth, you don’t have ANY place to charge in Mammoth. There’s no public level two or level three chargers for CCS. Rivian does have one planned for Lee Vining, which is the eastern gateway to Yosemite off of 395 north of Mammoth. As far as 20’s this last winter they were helpful but most of the time you don't need them.

Is the tesla charge Stations in Mammoth, not the adapter type?

 

[camrunr]

The current Tesla chargers in ML are NACS only. There’s a new bank going in on Old Mammoth Rd on the east side of town. More stations. With any luck, CCS capable.

Great point tho. The charging situation in ML is bad. I was lucky to be staying at a condo with a 40a circuit in their parking spot.

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