Drive a Taycan through Europe from Oslo to Malaga - Erik Windahl Olsen

ron_b

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Thanks for the prompt from @Cpoarchy who posted a few of these videos from a team from Norway on a 4,000 KM road trip from Norway to Spain.

Posted by Erik Windahl Olsen
I have consolidated the list of the 7 videos made during the journey of 3 guys in a Taycan.

I will warn viewers it paints a somewhat bleak picture of charging infrastructure in parts of Europe and/or premature nature of the Porsche Range Manager guidance. Porsche dealerships always come through though, that's consistent.

Note: I am simply a silly American, would love to hear feedback from other non-Tesla European EV owners on how accurate this portrail really is.




Updated censored version of episode 2


Re-Updated censored version of episode 4


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Thanks ron_b for the summary.
For me the take away is well said in the final episode.

They feel that the Taycan is the best car they have ever driven! That really is worth getting the car for.

The Porsche Charge planner at 500 usd does get slated though and for all the right reasons! The comment that the bottom line of the car companies that own Ionity is greater than Tesla turnover, while Tesla have invested in world class and superb charging network, does hurt though.

The issues they bring up here and will make a separate video on are possible to fix though and I wish to hear that these car companies take ownership of the issue ASAP. Either they want EV’s to succeed or........ ????
 
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Just posted Episode 7 with complaints and suggestions on Porsche Charging Planner and a few other things.

 
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Bjorn Nyland's review of this trip by Erik part one.

 


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And now InsideEVs slams the Taycan.

Here's why the Taycan Europe road trip was a disaster. Reportedly, a certain German automaker isn't happy with these videos.
https://insideevs.com/news/409881/video-porsche-taycan-charging-planner-issues/

My personal take on Erik's trip:
  1. The software is v1.0.0, obviously not as turned as the car. I trust Porsche will revise this in months to come.
  2. The DCFC infrastructure in Spain is pathetic, anyone who experienced with owning an EV like Erik should and would have checked that before leaving. Yes you can still complain about it, but you shouldn't be surprised when you get there.
  3. When road tripping an EV I would almost always find a hotel with free charging. I see many many of those along their route. Yes it requires a little planning but going on such abroad trip usually involves some planning even in a fossil car. Also purchase a Tesla Destination Charger adapter to the J1772.
  4. I am thinking if he was not happy with the range it's because he was driving aggressively and any EV will not give great range. I find the Autobahn Specialist videos promising even at 130kph flat to get 370km range. (4S on winter tires) Erik said one place that they floured it a couple times then drove like old aunties. But then his friend pitched in to say they almost always drove 20-30km over the limit.
 
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Ron-b said:
When road tripping an EV I would almost always find a hotel with free charging. I see many many of those along their route. Yes it requires a little planning but going on such abroad trip usually involves some planning even in a fossil car. Also purchase a Tesla Destination Charger adapter to the J1772.


Ron
I agree with your comment about looking for Tesla destination chargers. But I guess the guys had planned on doing the trip as quickly as possible without overnight stays here and there??

And in Europe this is even simpler since the standard charge cable is a normal Menekes Type 2 cable. In other words you will not need any adapter to use a Tesla charger in other EVs!
 
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When road tripping an EV I would almost always find a hotel with free charging. I see many many of those along their route. Yes it requires a little planning but going on such abroad trip usually involves some planning even in a fossil car.
I'd say it requires quite some more amount of planning, especially on longer trips, to ensure all hotels have what it needs but then again, it's also worth it :)
 


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Erik is on his way back to Oslo, he is not having success with the Porsche Intelligent Range Manager in Spain, and frankly when I ordered it I assumed it was going to be a little sketchy at first but that it would get refined.


Bringing the Taycan back (EP. 1): Cartagena to Barcelona
 

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This is going to be a problem for all non-Tesla EVs until car manufacturers and delivery companies do get serious about infrastructure. Reading here and there the experience with Electrify America, it is encouraging to see there is growth, but this is nowhere close to the SC network. I cannot even remember when was the last time Tesla installed a supercharger with less than 4 stalls in US - I see many EA only have only 3 chargers. We need more of these, in better places. I am not sure I want to charge my Taycan at night in a Wallmart parking lot..... Many years ago I had a friend who worked at Wallmart, warned me never to go there at night.
 
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This is going to be a problem for all non-Tesla EVs until car manufacturers and delivery companies do get serious about infrastructure. Reading here and there the experience with Electrify America, it is encouraging to see there is growth, but this is nowhere close to the SC network. I cannot even remember when was the last time Tesla installed a supercharger with less than 4 stalls in US - I see many EA only have only 3 chargers. We need more of these, in better places. I am not sure I want to charge my Taycan at night in a Wallmart parking lot..... Many years ago I had a friend who worked at Wallmart, warned me never to go there at night.
I understand what you mean about Walmart parking lots. I am happy that they do BofA and some outlets too and restaurant chains on the East coast. The two main chargers I use for a 400mi trip I frequent are at an outlet mall and a BofA. Both look to be ok at night. I did visita Walmart one on the way back and during the day the biggest problem is the traffic, at night there may be other issues.
 

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I cannot even remember when was the last time Tesla installed a supercharger with less than 4 stalls in US
I think people need a bit of perspective. When the Tesla S launched there was a grand total of 6 supercharger locations. 6. And I am not sure that they were even very fast (they were certainly better than the existing chargers out there).
 

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I think people need a bit of perspective. When the Tesla S launched there was a grand total of 6 supercharger locations. 6. And I am not sure that they were even very fast (they were certainly better than the existing chargers out there).
You are absolutely correct that the SC network started with 6 chargers; they escalated quickly though. As far as I remember they were in theory 125 kW, but I usually peaked at 110 kW in my P85D.

The availability is bound to improve, but what worries me now is the reliability. It was painful to see the poor guy arrive at a charger that does not work...... And charging at 50 kW is painful to watch.

Growing pains.....
 

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You're much better off taking 5 minutes before a trip and plotting it out on Plugshare or what not than relying on the in car Nav. There are several apps that give much better/easier to use maps of charging stations w/ reviews.

If you do that, you'll be fine. Sometimes the chargers will be a hassle, EA has managed to install absolutely shit software on their machines, but you won't end up doing goofy side treks from the faulty in car charger map that way.

Just plan ahead, manually input a destination, and you won't have troubles. Done.
 

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You're much better off taking 5 minutes before a trip and plotting it out on Plugshare or what not than relying on the in car Nav. There are several apps that give much better/easier to use maps of charging stations w/ reviews.

If you do that, you'll be fine. Sometimes the chargers will be a hassle, EA has managed to install absolutely shit software on their machines, but you won't end up doing goofy side treks from the faulty in car charger map that way.

Just plan ahead, manually input a destination, and you won't have troubles. Done.
Of course you are right.

However, I think that there is a real point in that the legacy manufacturers such as Porsche etc. should be looking at Tesla and the SC network and understand that it is an amazing resource that Tesla has set up. And either get their own resource up to speed quickly so that customers of the cars are happy or make a SC alliance with Tesla (that they did offer) so that the customers can be happy that way..... But building out slowly is not reassuring for their budding customer base... many whom are coming from Tesla and have not felt range anxiety in a long while...... and if if they do not hurry they might loose quite a few customers again since range anxiety is a real nuisance and a massive hindrance to acceptance of EVs
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