Taycan to the Norwegian Fjords (Summer 2024 Trip Journal)

[tigerbalm]

Introduction

Six months after our winter trip to Norway we're heading back to explore the southern part of the country in more detail. This will be our first time in Norway without snow or transversing the arctic circle. Our aim for this trip is much more relaxing, exploring, walking/hiking and enjoying long journeys in our electric vehicle.

With all the recent talk of depreciation, brittle batteries and dramatic improvements to latest version of the Taycan – we hope it will be a timely reminder for us on just how amazing the first-generation Taycan still is for trips like this.

Over the next two weeks we'll take six international ferries linking the countries of Northern Europe together, sleep at sea for three nights, drive legally at speeds well over 230 km/h, charge the car from the endless renewable energy provided by hydro and – most importantly – experience the wonderful Norwegian fjords.

The weather in Northern Europe has been very unsettled this summer – so hopefully it won't be too wet. Regardless, there is a saying in both Ireland and Norway that roughly translates into English as: "there is no such thing as bad weather, only bad preparation". We've done our best to be prepared for whatever this trip throws up.

We would also like to thank the many Norwegians on this forum who have made suggestions on places to stay and routes to take – in particular @cityhpper and @or1 – who have shared many detailed recommendations.

We have completed our planning and leave Friday evening for a night ferry to the United Kingdom.



Our high-level route

Ireland -> United Kingdom –> Netherlands –> Germany –> Denmark –> Norway –> Germany –> Netherlands –> United Kingdom –> Ireland

Full-resolution photos

All the photos we share will be available at full resolution on this Flickr album including full EXIF data.

Apple Music

If you are an Apple Music subscriber you can listen along to some of the music that's accompanying us on our trip via our BOSE audio system and the car's in-built Apple Music player, streamed over the roaming data connection provided by Porsche.

Charging Log

We'll publish a full combined charging log at the end of the trip. Additionally, to help support the services we use in our own planning – we'll be submitting photos and charging experiences back to the PlugShare and MyPorsche apps.

Charging Networks

We plan to use the following charging networks, alongside some hotel destination charging:

• IONITY (via Porsche Charging Service Plug&Charge or RFID card). This is every European Taycan owners primary charging network. IONITY continue to build out their network and we'll be using a few that were not available last trip.
• Mer (via RFID fob): This is a popular Norwegian charging service owned by the Norwegian renewable energy generator Statkraft – who are also building massive amounts of wind farms here in Ireland.
• Eviny (via Porsche Charging Service RFID card). A relatively new charging network that has built out some impressive stations in remote areas.

With these as backup networks should they be required:

• Circle K (via ApplePay tap). Popular service station chain in Norway that are increasingly installing 300 kW chargers – useful as a backup.
• Tesla (via Tesla app): Increasing number of supercharging stations open to all cars.

Hotels

Additionally, we'll publish a full hotel log at the end of the trip. We use – as much as possible – hotels.com to book accommodation as it gives a 10% discount (via 1 night free every 10 nights booked) and easy management and cancellation of bookings.

Emissions regulations & Tolls

We have already enrolled our car and registration plate with the authorities in Germany and Norway – so that we can avail of access to low emissions zones in cities and preferential toll rates. This year we've ordered toll device AutoPASS to avail of better discounts in the many toll roads in Norway.

We picked Flyt as our provider but there are many to choose from. Flyt were happy to post out the toll device to Ireland free-of-charge and only charge subscription for the months that it has been active.

Tyres

Our car has the 21-inch RS Spyder Design summer wheel-and-tyre set fitted with Pirelli P Zero R21 PZ4 performance tyres. These are the same tyres that came fitted from the factory and have approximately 20,000 km on them with 5mm of thread evenly across the width of each. With 1.6 mm thread being the legal minimum across Europe and 3 mm being the recommended minimum from Porsche, we've plenty left for this road-trip. They came from the factory with just over 7mm of thread on them.

We are very pleased with that wear rate – which has undoubtedly been assisted by changing to our winter wheel and tyre set between the months of November and late February.

Front axle: 265/35 R21 101Y XL tyres
Rear axle: 305/40 R21 104Y XL tyres

With two people in our four seater car, luggage for two weeks and frunk full of technical equipment, we're running on a 0.1 bar higher pressure then the officially recommended part-load tyre pressures:

Front tyres: 2.8 bar
Rear tyres: 2.7 bar

HV Battery Health

We're interested to see how a demanding road-trip like this impacts battery health. While we appreciate the limitations to the accuracy of using an OBD-based mobile app – we will at least still be able to compare like-with-like. Especially as we'll be doing close to a months worth of driving each day on the trip.

Road-trip series

Welcome to our latest road-trip adventure in our continuing series:

2021

• Taycan to Western Europe [Summer]
• Taycan to the Scottish Highlands [Winter]

2022

• Taycan to the Arctic Circle [Winter]
• Taycan to the Alps [Summer]

2023

• Taycan to Tromsø [Winter]
• Taycan to Switzerland & Austria [Summer]

2024

• Taycan to Lofoten Islands, Norway [Winter]

Join us

The PCM has been keeping an eye on the weather.

We hope you'll join us on this 4500 km journey over 16 days – through six countries as we road-trip across beautiful Northern Europe experiencing the excellent charging network and road infrastructure.

In particular we welcome all the new and awaiting delivery Taycan owner's – we hope these road-trip reports give you the confidence to use your Porsche on your own wonderful adventures.

If you would like to be notified of each update to this travel log – you can use the "watch" function on the top right of this post to follow along.

Daily Posts

Day 1: Dublin (Ireland) -> Holyhead (United Kingdom)
Day 2: Holyhead (United Kingdom) -> Hull (United Kingdom)
Day 3: Europort Rotterdam (The Netherlands) -> Aalborg (Denmark)
Day 4: Aalborg (Denmark) -> Kristiansand (Norway)
Day 5: Kristiansand (Norway) –> Stavanger (Norway)
Day 6: Stavanger (Norway) -> Nesflaten (Norway)
Day 7: Nesflaten (Norway) -> Bekkjarvik (Norway)
Day 8: Bekkjarvik (Norway) -> Balestrand (Norway)
Day 9: Drive around Balestrand (Norway)
Day 10: Balestrand (Norway) -> Sandane (Norway)
Day 11: Drive around Sandane (Norway)
Day 12: Sandane (Norway) -> Hemsedal (Norway)
Day 13: Hemsedal (Norway) -> Oslo (Norway)
Day 14: Oslo (Norway) –> Kiel (Germany)
Day 15: Kiel (Germany) –> Dunkirk (France)
Day 16: Dunkirk (France) –> Cherbourg (France)
Day 17: Cherbourg (France) –> Dublin (Ireland)

Other Posts & Information

MyPorsche Route Planning
Porsche Connect Services outage
Factory reset as an attempt to resolve Porsche Connect Service issues
Polaroid
Some context/background info for the road closure
Apple Maps (w/EV routing) and CarPlay
Staying in a Hydro Electric Station
Porsche Connect service update
Travel charger / Destination charging @ 22 kW
Destination charge with Juice Booster 2 EVSE completed / Frunk equipment
Half-way point of this road-trip / 50% completed
Tunnels
Taycan Turbo S acceleration
"Pining for the fjords"
Crossing a Norwegian fjord by ferry in a Porsche Taycan Turbo S (360 Video)
Transversing the Lærdal Tunnel – longest road tunnel in Norway – in a Porsche Taycan Turbo S
Porsche Macan EV @ Porsche Studio Oslo
Enjoyable evening in Oslo
Still getting decent range on our Gen I Taycan Turbo S
That's all Folks!
Full Charging Log
Battery State of Health (SoC) measured by ODBII app at the end of the trip
Monochrome photography
P&O Ferries ?

Electric Drives

This road trip is additionally available on our Electric Drives website for a full multi-media experience.

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[perski]

In case you'e making your way to the fjords through the southwest I would highly recommend trying out the official scenic roads rather than staying on the main E39.

The coastal road south of Stavanger is really nice and really gives a indication of the span of scenery in Norway (more like Denmark than the fjords).

North of Stavanger I would suggest selecting the "drivers" road that goes through Ryfylke. A lot of single lane roads and often quite empty. Definitely stop by the Energy Hotel along the way that is close to the biggest hydro power region in Norway.

Defiantly drive through Hardanger with all the apple orchards along the regional road R13 (along with a million camper-vans unfortunately). In case you have time you can combine visiting apple cider farms with beautiful hiking.

 

[tigerbalm]

Thanks @perski – really appreciate all that and a lot of it is indeed on our plan. The scenic roads site was our inspiration for this entire trip and yep, we're staging one night at the Energihotellet.

It is reassuring to hear a local recommend it all!

 

[W1NGE]

In case you'e making your way to the fjords through the southwest I would highly recommend trying out the official scenic roads rather than staying on the main E39.

The coastal road south of Stavanger is really nice and really gives a indication of the span of scenery in Norway (more like Denmark than the fjords).

North of Stavanger I would suggest selecting the "drivers" road that goes through Ryfylke. A lot of single lane roads and often quite empty. Definitely stop by the Energy Hotel along the way that is close to the biggest hydro power region in Norway.

Defiantly drive through Hardanger with all the apple orchards along the regional road R13 (along with a million camper-vans unfortunately). In case you have time you can combine visiting apple cider farms with beautiful hiking.

Buckle up this should be great!

Safe trip as always!

 

[BullitX]

Amazing! If I had a Taycan, I’d join in during the Netherlands part. Enjoy!

 

[GreenHornet]

Have a nice trip! These parts of Norway is very nice and has some amazing driving roads.

 

[Roppe]

Very cool! Just looked through your photos from the last trip. Epic! Thanks for sharing, will be following this one.
I’m a bit of a golf nerd so planning to drive up next summer to play midnight golf at the Lofoten Links, and will be going to Ireland in September to play the West coast challenge.
All the best of luck mate and drive safe!

 

[Boss Hogg]

Looking forward to reading the updates, safe trip, I'm in awe of your planning and attention to detail!

 

[anonymouse]

The National Scenic Routes are fabulous as is the architecture of the rest,stops and other infrastructure along them.

Some routes can be boring if full of campervans, so for Atlantic Road and Trollstigen we stayed nearby the previous evening, got up very early — and in the cases of the Trolkstigen got up,down and up again before a single other car appeared.

 

[DerekS]

I hope you'll consider https://get.chargey.app - it's now completely free.

 

[laua]

Tigerbalm’s road trip series are among my favorite threads on this forum! Enjoy and thanks for sharing!

 

[Sace]

Looking forward to this!

I just got back from a 3000km trip to Switzerland, Austria and Germany (starting from Denmark) and I also got re-confirmed how great the car is on such trips.

Are you going for Ionity in Denmark ? These can be a bit crowded since there is relatively few of them. But there is plenty of alternatives if needed.

 

[tigerbalm]

Are you going for Ionity in Denmark ? These can be a bit crowded since there is relatively few of them. But there is plenty of alternatives if needed.

We currently have IONITY Aabenraa and IONITY Nørager in our plan for Denmark – which we used last trip successfully – though that was in winter and likely quieter.

 

[Sace]

We currently have IONITY Aabenraa and IONITY Nørager in our plan for Denmark – which we used last trip successfully – though that was in winter and likely quieter.

Yeah unless you hit rush hour you will likely not have any problems - I just realised that schools are starting again here now so most holiday traffic should be gone.

Btw. the one in Aabenraa is just next to one of the biggest charging stations in Denmark with 30 spots.

What ferry route are you taking from Denmark to Norway? I've always wondered how those are with regards to relatively low and wide cars like the Taycan.

 

[tigerbalm]

What ferry route are you taking from Denmark to Norway? I've always wondered how those are with regards to relatively low and wide cars like the Taycan.

Colorline from Hirtshals to Kristiansand. We took it earlier in the year and it was fine – especially when you raise the car up before boarding.

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