FlyerTalk Forums - View Single Post - Consolidated "Renting an Electric Vehicle from Hertz" Thread
Old May 30, 2023 | 11:45 pm
  #445  
jmw
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Originally Posted by m907
Taking an EV in to Yosemite sounds like a disaster.
Agreed. Fortunately, the Highway 140 route doesn't involve as much elevation change as Highway 120 if you're only going to Yosemite Valley rather than the rest of the park. But the Highway 120 route or any trip going to or through Tuolumne Meadows or Glacier Point is asking for trouble.

Highway 120 (currently not possible for entry to Yosemite) has that steep Priest Grade road, especially the shortcut route. You will have to rely on a charging station with available spots and the charger not broken down somewhere between Groveland and Yosemite whether it's Tesla, Electrify America, or Chargepoint. Relying on EA because you don't have a Tesla is a big gamble IMHO and you might end up running out of juice. If you have a lot of uphill elevation change, you will drain that EV battery very, very quickly and need that recharge soon thereafter. Regen does not even come close to recovering the extra energy lost from the steep uphill drive on Priest Grade. Then there is the issue of wasting time at Groveland. Groveland is a very nice town but that's just a crappy excuse to waste 30 minutes of your life instead of getting into the park. I would be scared with a non-Tesla EV like a Polestar but even Tesla isn't so great. When I drive an ICE, I don't waste 30 minutes in Groveland sitting at the supercharger. I get gas for an ICE sedan in Oakdale or Mariposa for five minutes on the way into the park and that's all I need.
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