Honda EV+ (EV Plus) Electric Car Report Card

Honda EV+ Electric Vehicle Drivers (Not connected to Honda Motors)

"Overnight" trip to Las Vegas in the Honda EV+ June 6-9, 1998

Spreadsheet of EV+ statistics

Step-by-Step trip report

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Location Dist. (miles) Elev. (feet) Chg Time Battery Status (% Charge) Comments

depart Seal Beach 6:30 AM 0 80 100% Charge Drive conservatively up to Diamond Bar for some phone calls and quick top-off charge.

Arrive 7:15 AM Diamond Bar AQMD HQ, depart 8:30 AM 35 750 7:15 AM to 8:30 AM Arrive: about 65%
Charge to about 80% The Air Quality HQ is nearly deserted this weekend morning. Unfortunately, I have trouble calling Greg. It turns out I have his numbers down wrong. As I head out, I realize that I am making a late start on this long trip. Regardless, I decide to head out to the RV park in Devore and hopefully meet Greg there. Devore would have been within driving range of Seal Beach, but the extra Charge at Diamond bar makes it less of a "close call" and provides enough margin to come back, if necessary, without charging.

Arrive 9:15 AM Devore RV Park (KOA), San Bernadino, depart 1:10 PM 37

(72 cum. tot.) 2200 10AM to 1:10 PM Arrive: 35%
Charge to 83% Bad news at Devore! When I go to the registration desk, the woman there seems to be in the middle of many grouchy days. When I ask for a spot to charge, she goes into the EV-freeze, "well... I'm sorry, we've never done that before...I can't help you". Apparently, the word hadn't come down from her boss. A half hour later, Greg still hadn't arrived and the registration woman said she'd have to charge the full 1 day RV price for the spot. I decide to pay anyway. Greg finally pulled in about an hour later. The extra charging time was very valuable for the EV plus. Still, with the much faster charging time on the EV1, Greg is ready to leave earlier, and he heads out to the Desert Willow RV park. When he arrives and calls me to confirm, I leave Devore.

1:50 PM Victorville RV Park (KOA), Desert Willow depart 2:10 PM
56

(93 cum. tot.) 3200 1:50 PM to 2:10 PM Arrive: 57%
Charge to 65% I arrive with plenty of charge remaining to make it to Barstow. We take a few pictures and thank the park manager. The wind turns out to be very strong today, going inland almost in same direction as the Interstate I-15. The next leg is a gradual descent. Greg and I continue to drive rather conservatively to save battery energy. We've found that driving a little slower saves a lot of charging time.

3:15 PM Barstow RV Park; Calico, depart 6:40 PM 50

(tot 143) 2000 3:25 PM to 6:40 PM 33% to 80% The very strong tail-wind gave both cars excellent economy on this leg. Again, the manager of this RV park was very friendly. I decide to stay longer, and let Greg go ahead to Baker with the EV1. When you are standing around, waiting for the EV1 to charge, or particularly the EV+, the chargers seem painfully slow. Finally, I get the confirmation call from Greg, and head off to Baker.

7:45 P.M. Arrive Baker Mad Greek Cafe depart 9:PM 57

(200) 900 7:50 to 9:PM 46% to 63% Again, the strong tail-wind and descent made this leg relatively easy and very efficient. The Mad Greek is right off I-15, and an adjacent building owned by the Greek cafe has a convenient 220 volt outlet in the rear. They have great food, friendly service, and good variety. I order a sandwich for dinner. By my calculations, the EV+ will require about 50% for the next leg. I head out with over 60% charge after about an hour and a half charging.

10:00 PM Primm, Nevada (stateline) RV Park, depart 10AM next morning
51 (251) 2800 10:30 PM to appx. 6:AM 1 bar displayed, est. 7% charge left
charge to 100% On the way up to the 4,800 ft mountain pass, I meet up with Greg. We both have about the same amount of charge remaining. The night makes the long, steep ascent seem unending. This is a deserted part of California, and not a great place to run low on power. Finally, we reach the peak. The descent down into Nevada is very steep and steady. We both arrive with about 10% remaining. The RV park at Primm is very neat and clean, and is located to the South of the Hotels (beyond the Roller coaster). Rooms at Primm are great, and only $18 per night, mid week!

11:00 AM Las Vegas, we stay with Greg's people 49 (300) 2000 12:30 PM to 4:PM 58% to 100% We arrive late in the morning. Beautiful weather all day. We unpack and let the EV1 charge up, then take it into town while the EV+ charges up. In the afternoon, we take the EV+ to town as well. We stop on the way at the Honda Dealership. We talk to the sales associates and show the car to a few enthusiastic service department employees. Then we meet up with several of Greg's friends who have started a specialized electronics company.

Drive around Las Vegas, tourist stuff. depart 6:10 AM (next morning) 23 (323) 2000 charge all night to 6:10 AM 78% to 100% Over night, we let the EV+ charge up fully. It has performed flawlessly. In the morning, I head out early to get a head start on the EV1. The EV+ has a clear range advantage, but its slower charger means it takes almost 50% longer to recharge.

8:30 AM Primm depart 11:30 AM
44 (367) 2800 to 11:30 AM 62% to 100% Getting to Primm took less charge than I expected. I get breakfast. When Greg arrives, we take a ride on the roller coaster. By the time we leave, the EV+ is fully charged. I head out for the mad Greek ahead of Greg.

12:30 PM Baker Mad Greek Cafe depart 2PM
51 (418) 900 12:30 PM to 2:00 PM 64% to 79% This time, I decide to order a Gyro, also a good choice. Greg arrives a little later and charges the EV1 down the road at an older auto repair shop, which has outlets for electric welders. We take pictures of both cars at the famous Baker thermometer (where there is a new visitor information center for the park service).

3:PM Calico depart 6PM
57 (475) 2000 3PM to 6PM 28% to 62% At Calico, we meet up with the reporter from a local paper. She takes a good shot of the EV1 and asks us a few questions. We let the EV1 get a partial charge and we head over to Daggett (home of some of the world's largest solar power plants). Unfortunately, we can't find an entrance. We go back for a dip in the pool back at the RV park while the cars charge. The head wind is fairly strong.

7:30 PM Desert Willow depart 9PM 56 (531) 3200 7:30 PM to 9PM 2% to 27% We take old route 66 for part of this trip. We both drive cautiously against the very heavy head wind. We end up just a couple miles from hitting the batteries' reserves when we pull back into the RV park. We walk over to a nearby fast food place, where Greg orders a burger.

12:30 AM Pomona 61 (592) 800 arrive with est. 2% I head to Ontario-Mills with Greg for the last charge on the way back. Bah! A mistake, because the conductive (EV+) chargers have not yet been installed! I spent an hour trying to find another nearby charge station, but realized it would be better to just try and head home slowly with the remaining charge. Fortunately, I get great range, and I make it the last 18 miles using only about 1 bar (10%), without even tapping the "reserve". Neither vehicle had to tap our reserve at any point throughout the entire trip.

appx. 13 hours driving time 592 miles appx. 30 hours charging Note: percent estimates were derived by how many miles had been driven, if any, on the last bar. For example, if we lost the 10th bar to 9 bars showing after driving 10 miles, then drove 5 more miles on the 9th bar, we might estimate that the remaining charge is 8 full bars plus one-half the 9th bar, or 85%.

Location	Dist. (miles)	Elev. (feet)	Chg Time	Battery Status (% Charge)	Comments
depart Seal Beach 6:30 AM	0	80		100% Charge	Drive conservatively up to Diamond Bar for some phone calls and quick top-off charge.
Arrive 7:15 AM Diamond Bar AQMD HQ, depart 8:30 AM	35	750	7:15 AM to 8:30 AM	Arrive: about 65% Charge to about 80%	The Air Quality HQ is nearly deserted this weekend morning. Unfortunately, I have trouble calling Greg. It turns out I have his numbers down wrong. As I head out, I realize that I am making a late start on this long trip. Regardless, I decide to head out to the RV park in Devore and hopefully meet Greg there. Devore would have been within driving range of Seal Beach, but the extra Charge at Diamond bar makes it less of a "close call" and provides enough margin to come back, if necessary, without charging.
Arrive 9:15 AM Devore RV Park (KOA), San Bernadino, depart 1:10 PM	37 (72 cum. tot.)	2200	10AM to 1:10 PM	Arrive: 35% Charge to 83%	Bad news at Devore! When I go to the registration desk, the woman there seems to be in the middle of many grouchy days. When I ask for a spot to charge, she goes into the EV-freeze, "well... I'm sorry, we've never done that before...I can't help you". Apparently, the word hadn't come down from her boss. A half hour later, Greg still hadn't arrived and the registration woman said she'd have to charge the full 1 day RV price for the spot. I decide to pay anyway. Greg finally pulled in about an hour later. The extra charging time was very valuable for the EV plus. Still, with the much faster charging time on the EV1, Greg is ready to leave earlier, and he heads out to the Desert Willow RV park. When he arrives and calls me to confirm, I leave Devore.
1:50 PM Victorville RV Park (KOA), Desert Willow depart 2:10 PM	56 (93 cum. tot.)	3200	1:50 PM to 2:10 PM	Arrive: 57% Charge to 65%	I arrive with plenty of charge remaining to make it to Barstow. We take a few pictures and thank the park manager. The wind turns out to be very strong today, going inland almost in same direction as the Interstate I-15. The next leg is a gradual descent. Greg and I continue to drive rather conservatively to save battery energy. We've found that driving a little slower saves a lot of charging time.
3:15 PM Barstow RV Park; Calico, depart 6:40 PM	50 (tot 143)	2000	3:25 PM to 6:40 PM	33% to 80%	The very strong tail-wind gave both cars excellent economy on this leg. Again, the manager of this RV park was very friendly. I decide to stay longer, and let Greg go ahead to Baker with the EV1. When you are standing around, waiting for the EV1 to charge, or particularly the EV+, the chargers seem painfully slow. Finally, I get the confirmation call from Greg, and head off to Baker.
7:45 P.M. Arrive Baker *Mad Greek Cafe* depart 9:PM	57 (200)	900	7:50 to 9:PM	46% to 63%	Again, the strong tail-wind and descent made this leg relatively easy and very efficient. The Mad Greek is right off I-15, and an adjacent building owned by the Greek cafe has a convenient 220 volt outlet in the rear. They have great food, friendly service, and good variety. I order a sandwich for dinner. By my calculations, the EV+ will require about 50% for the next leg. I head out with over 60% charge after about an hour and a half charging.
10:00 PM Primm, Nevada (stateline) RV Park, depart 10AM next morning	51 (251)	2800	10:30 PM to appx. 6:AM	1 bar displayed, est. 7% charge left charge to 100%	On the way up to the 4,800 ft mountain pass, I meet up with Greg. We both have about the same amount of charge remaining. The night makes the long, steep ascent seem unending. This is a deserted part of California, and not a great place to run low on power. Finally, we reach the peak. The descent down into Nevada is very steep and steady. We both arrive with about 10% remaining. The RV park at Primm is very neat and clean, and is located to the South of the Hotels (beyond the Roller coaster). Rooms at Primm are great, and only $18 per night, mid week!
11:00 AM Las Vegas, we stay with Greg's people	49 (300)	2000	12:30 PM to 4:PM	58% to 100%	We arrive late in the morning. Beautiful weather all day. We unpack and let the EV1 charge up, then take it into town while the EV+ charges up. In the afternoon, we take the EV+ to town as well. We stop on the way at the Honda Dealership. We talk to the sales associates and show the car to a few enthusiastic service department employees. Then we meet up with several of Greg's friends who have started a specialized electronics company.
Drive around Las Vegas, tourist stuff. depart 6:10 AM (next morning)	23 (323)	2000	charge all night to 6:10 AM	78% to 100%	Over night, we let the EV+ charge up fully. It has performed flawlessly. In the morning, I head out early to get a head start on the EV1. The EV+ has a clear range advantage, but its slower charger means it takes almost 50% longer to recharge.
8:30 AM Primm depart 11:30 AM	44 (367)	2800	to 11:30 AM	62% to 100%	Getting to Primm took less charge than I expected. I get breakfast. When Greg arrives, we take a ride on the roller coaster. By the time we leave, the EV+ is fully charged. I head out for the mad Greek ahead of Greg.
12:30 PM Baker Mad Greek Cafe depart 2PM	51 (418)	900	12:30 PM to 2:00 PM	64% to 79%	This time, I decide to order a Gyro, also a good choice. Greg arrives a little later and charges the EV1 down the road at an older auto repair shop, which has outlets for electric welders. We take pictures of both cars at the famous Baker thermometer (where there is a new visitor information center for the park service).
3:PM Calico depart 6PM	57 (475)	2000	3PM to 6PM	28% to 62%	At Calico, we meet up with the reporter from a local paper. She takes a good shot of the EV1 and asks us a few questions. We let the EV1 get a partial charge and we head over to Daggett (home of some of the world's largest solar power plants). Unfortunately, we can't find an entrance. We go back for a dip in the pool back at the RV park while the cars charge. The head wind is fairly strong.
7:30 PM Desert Willow depart 9PM	56 (531)	3200	7:30 PM to 9PM	2% to 27%	We take old route 66 for part of this trip. We both drive cautiously against the very heavy head wind. We end up just a couple miles from hitting the batteries' reserves when we pull back into the RV park. We walk over to a nearby fast food place, where Greg orders a burger.
12:30 AM Pomona	61 (592)	800		arrive with est. 2%	I head to Ontario-Mills with Greg for the last charge on the way back. Bah! A mistake, because the conductive (EV+) chargers have not yet been installed! I spent an hour trying to find another nearby charge station, but realized it would be better to just try and head home slowly with the remaining charge. Fortunately, I get great range, and I make it the last 18 miles using only about 1 bar (10%), without even tapping the "reserve". Neither vehicle had to tap our reserve at any point throughout the entire trip.
appx. 13 hours driving time	592 miles		appx. 30 hours charging	Note: percent estimates were derived by how many miles had been driven, if any, on the last bar. For example, if we lost the 10th bar to 9 bars showing after driving 10 miles, then drove 5 more miles on the 9th bar, we might estimate that the remaining charge is 8 full bars plus one-half the 9th bar, or 85%.