900 miles in a Tesla Model 3LR, Devon to France. How much range anxiety? How many superchargers?

Full charging cost breakdown of entire trip at the very end of the video.
For long journeys, there are some differences you need to be aware of if you are new to electric vehicles. But if you know what you need to know, you can go further and faster than in any comparable internal combustion engine. Here's the reality of a long drive from Devon to south west France.
I hope you enjoy the video. Got any questions? Put them in the comments below.
For anyone moving home, bestagent.co.uk lists all properties for sale and to let in England and Wales.
For advice on moving, see / movinghomewithcharlie

[@butoikaruga]

Great video. I’ve watch few road trips to France and this one was the cleanest of all. Planning UK to south Spain mid 2022. 👌🏼

[@ThatMarkGilroy]

I’m awaiting delivery of my Model 3 long range at the moment. This helped me feel better about the crazy wait! Subbed.

[@CharlieLamdin]

Definitely worth the wait!

[@justcruisin109]

Appreciated the video - I'm looking forward to getting our M3LR. Cheers

[@CharlieLamdin]

I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

[@Sheltie1001]

Really enjoyed that video. Thank you.

[@CharlieLamdin]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@stevemason6524]

Great video, thanks for doing this

[@CharlieLamdin]

No problem 👍

[@SeanAHarding]

Informative and fantastic video. I used to live in Toulouse and I drove from London using a petrol car. I'm thinking of owning a Tesla, so this was great to watch thanks.

[@CharlieLamdin]

Thanks, glad you enjoyed it!

[@jamesallen2146]

I’m super happy that a bottle of wine fits in the rear cup holder

[@KieranRawley123]

Interesting video. Good to see Waze being used. It would be good if it could be integrated into the main display.

[@trading-university.]

Great vid!. It doesnt look as stressful as I thought. Although I am a die hard petrol head my 2 friends have just ordered model 3 performances, and I am getting an itch for the same . Think it is the only way forward especially if the infrastructure is getting there.

[@CharlieLamdin]

It really isn't stressful as long as you think one step ahead. But if you don't, you can get caught out and have to wait while you charge at a slow charger

[@nickp5670]

Great informative video of real world usage on a long distance run. This would be my concern coming from petrol/diesel.

[@CharlieLamdin]

Thanks Nick. There really isn’t much to worry about as long as you get informed about the relevant differences. I’ve done many long trips like that and only once or twice got myself into a little bit of a pickle because I didn’t think one step ahead.

[@christm3]

Great video. Hello from Exeter.

[@CharlieLamdin]

Thanks Chris

[@enricio]

Nice. 👍

[@alanrossiter6626]

Nice video, really well edited and great use of music. Best of luck with the channel. Have you charged at Ionity charge points in France?

[@CharlieLamdin]

Thanks for the feedback! No, I didn't need to use anything apart from the Tesla superchargers.

[@architectofechoes4]

Great video, new subscriber.

[@CharlieLamdin]

Thanks and welcome!

[@normhanson981]

I’d love one of these , the basic one with a 15k annual mileage and a 4K down payment is 450 per month on a lease . Really enjoyed , thanks.

[@CharlieLamdin]

When you deduct your monthly fuel saving from that you begin to see how low the cost of ownership is. Also no servicing!

[@nicka2256]

i’m leasing a 3SR+ since 2019 for similar price (i’m in USA) 2 years gone by and it’s been flawless and cheap to operate.

[@normhanson981]

@@nicka2256 thanks Nick .

[@lardy600]

90mph lol plus now I've watched more. Didn't know it was a vlog started watching as want to go for my ppl. IT will only be a dream. Until my coffin

[@CharlieLamdin]

The first step towards getting your PPL is to show up for your first lesson, probably need £200. Then start studying for the exams, which doesn't cost anything. It took me 3 years of using my pub budget for flying, but I got there! 2008-2010.

[@Imw101]

Brilliant video. We drive to South of France once a year (or did pre-Covid) so I was interested to see how it's done in an EV. To be honest I'm not yet convinced that the extra time and faff of having to stop so often is yet worth the fuel saving. I was surprised you didn't have a SANEF tag so you could drive through the tolls without stopping. Makes the drive a lot more relaxing even if you do have a front seat passenger to grab the ticket and slide in the credit card.

[@CharlieLamdin]

Thanks Hank. Honestly if you drive at a normal pace, not at the lead footed knucklehead pace I was driving, you really don’t need to stop to charge much at all. I do have a SANEF tag but I forgot to bring it with me, like a knucklehead!

[@nitelite78]

I wonder if it might change the way people holiday a bit. An extra overnight stop off could make for a more relaxing/interesting holiday.

[@binodsubedi1166]

Change the miles to percentage then you will have more relaxing trip. ❤️ You will get used to driving in lower percentage charge

[@CharlieLamdin]

I tried that before, I see your point, but it was still pretty relaxing!

[@Dave-in-France]

Hi Charlie, Dave in France here, thanks very much for your video and the route planning/recharging info it contained. Just for your info, within the next couple of months or so, the Tesla supercharger network will be opened out to receive a wide range of other manufacturers EV's. So your seamless experience will then apply to VW, Kia Hyundai, Mercedes and BMW.

[@CharlieLamdin]

Really? Wow that’s news to me! Do you have a link to an article about that? They’ll become very crowded I would think.

[@RamboMT1]

@@CharlieLamdin it won’t be that simple or quick. And there will be some kind of compensation to Tesla which will fund expansion. It should lead to a significant increase in options.

[@CharlieLamdin]

I've only heard rumours, but haven't seen any articles. I would be very surprised if the do, because the Tesla superchargers are already getting busy just with Teslas. After 18 months of driving around the UK and Europe in a Model 3, always using superchargers, I can't understand how any other manufacturer will sell their EVs, no matter how good, if you need to charge for 4-6 hours every time on long journeys. I'm looking to replace our other car (a 2012 Touareg) with an EV, but that car does some long journeys too and I just can't find anything other than another Tesla.

[@tedzehnder961]

The trip software calc. and ease of use , conservative estimates and placement of chargers are the top factors for Range Anxiety. Just so chargers are in order.

[@CharlieLamdin]

Not sure I follow you…

[@TheEVside]

Great video, any tips on what to take with you for travelling in Europe? Heard about a device so you didn’t have to stop at tolls for instance?

[@CharlieLamdin]

Different ones for each country. Not worth it for a one off trip but if you’re going through France regularly then the toll pass is very useful especially in a RHD car.

[@lardy600]

At least the ranges are getting better on these vehicles and the chargers

[@CharlieLamdin]

It's already more than my older cars with similar performance had! I used to struggle to get 250 miles out of my Audi RS6!

[@normhanson981]

@@CharlieLamdin RS6 , nice car 👍

[@matthewrichardson7107]

Useful video thanks. About to take delivery of my LR and one of the main things I’ve been tried to work out is what I can expect to achieve mileage wise if I fancy pressing on sometime. In my diesel now I sometimes set the cruise at 90mph and push on to get home. What do you reckon you’ll be getting at that kind of consistent speed?

[@CharlieLamdin]

I was doing more than 90 most of this trip! The reality is that you always need to stop for a break before you use an entire charge, so as long as you always time your stops to be at a supercharger, you rarely, if ever, need the full range. But, at 90 you still get comfortably 200 miles plus. Unfortunately drag increases with the square of your speed, so the energy consumption goes up exponentially with speed, same as with ordinary fuel.

[@matthewrichardson7107]

@@CharlieLamdin good to know thanks. Everyone says that the range issue isn’t an issue once you get used to it!

[@tooflesstesla]

Nice video. Did you see many Tesla cars during your road trip? Do they seem to be more common in France or England? Are they common at all? Here in Hong Kong, we have over 12,000 Tesla cars. Love your comment that the "French on the whole are more competent drivers than the English"! Is this for highway driving? Or urban driving, or other?

[@CharlieLamdin]

I'm seeing. them more and more. They became the best selling car of all in the UK just recently.

[@markmccoll1253]

Hi great video hoping to go to Monte Carlo in a couple of years, what documentation did you need apart from passport

[@CharlieLamdin]

Just a COVID test result. Nothing else. Thanks

[@simeon2851]

After watching this video, I can understand where a certain "bombshell" came from...😃

[@CharlieLamdin]

I know, right?!

[@fraseradams7295]

Only thing with driving fast between stops is a longer charging sessions, meaning its longer on the whole journey than going a bit slower...

[@CharlieLamdin]

true but when you have kids the stops usually take a bit longer anyway!

[@TIMOTHYESKINNER]

I'd recommend the Plymouth to Roscoff ferry... much, much better from Devon... there is also a ferry from Plymouth to Santander which is good for South-West France if you want to sleep overnight...

[@CharlieLamdin]

I looked into that at the time, the timings didn't work for me.

[@TIMOTHYESKINNER]

@@CharlieLamdin There's also Portsmouth to Le Havre or St Malo. I prefer Le Havre as St Malo ferry adds a lot of journey time dog-legging the Cherbourg penisula, and, the autoroute to Brittany is free.. I then go south on A roads and enjoy the poplar lined roads with an occasional stop for good food in villages with civic pride... Clochemerle lives on...

[@IanDocherty335]

I wonder how easy a similar length journey in the UK might be by comparison.

[@CharlieLamdin]

Good question. I frequently drive from the west country to London and back, and also to Sussex and back. One day I took the kids for lunch with their grandparents in Sussex, then back the same day, almost 400 mile round trip, no issues. Also been up to Birmingham and back, but haven't yet done Scotland, although many have

[@frostyfrost4094]

I hope that coffee tasted of coffee at that price

[@CharlieLamdin]

Exactly! I did complain about the state of the toastie and got a £10 voucher

[@johnboland8024]

Great Vid. DId you have to pay a penalty for over staying at the tesla charger overnight? in idle fees...edit sorry, my wife told me you moved it, I was making tea lol

[@CharlieLamdin]

Haha! Yes, I moved it as soon as it was full. Glad you liked the vid.

[@stevenlawrie7819]

Should have taken the ferry from Plymouth to Roscoff :-)

[@CharlieLamdin]

Sooo sloooooow though!!

[@youtubverse]

Inspire from KZbinr- out of soec motoring- expedition road trip videos

[@themanofmead5273]

You need to get a toll tag. What a faff every time you get to a toll.

[@CharlieLamdin]

Haha! Absolutely. Such a faff. I do actually have one I forgot to take it on this trip.

[@paulhopkinson7479]

I am about to change my car and would love an EV, the convenience of plugging in at home really appeals to me, but if you do a lot of mileage as I do The pleasure of driving an EV will be totally overshadowed by range anxiety and the constant faff of trying to find a working charger , i’ve driven to southern Italy every year for the last 15 or so years ,from Wiltshire it’s roughly 1500 miles, In my current car that’s 4 tanks of Diesel, when Ev’s becomes that convenient I’ll jump in.

[@CharlieLamdin]

I did Lake Como and back in this car a year earlier than this was filmed. I spanked it, and still had twice as many Superchargers on my route as I needed. I promise you, it's been worth it for a long time! I do big mileage too. (Although I still love my old Merc 560 SEL more than anything!) Honestly, and I say this as a true fellow petrolhead, you'd be nuts not to get an EV now.

[@stephenhintz4628]

Ok for Europe, but driving across Australia not possible yet, unless you stick to the east coast

[@CharlieLamdin]

Interesting. I expect they'll get there eventually!

[@anonymousaccount3414]

Hopefully at least one supercharger route from coast to Perth soon!

[@CharlieLamdin]

@@anonymousaccount3414 fingers crossed for you, it'll make it much more fun!

[@anonymousaccount3414]

@@CharlieLamdin yea man! Need more people buy Tesla, den the super chargers will spring up like mushrooms. The coverage of super chargers right now in China is pretty dang awesome

[@jaredbohan6798]

What is the realistic range you get on the LR with 90% range left?

[@CharlieLamdin]

It behaves the same as a petrol car, if you accelerate hard all the time, you'll halve the range compared with if you don't. I have driven it gently and achieved almost the full range indicated (300miles, or 290 with 10 miles left) and I've spanked it hard and only got 150 miles. So, typically, you can expect between 200 and 250 miles if you enjoy using the cars acceleration sometimes.

[@jaredbohan6798]

@@CharlieLamdin awesome!

[@turkeyphant]

lol why do you get out to pick up the toll ticket?

[@CharlieLamdin]

After years of undoing my seatbelt and reaching across, breaking things, pulling muscles and often still not being able to reach, it ends up being faster and more reliable to just get out and get them! Unless I have a passenger of course...

[@audidiesel4368]

Lots of petrol stations just before Eurotunnel and we didnt have to wait at all. You were looking for positives that didn't exist there mate. £3000 Audi yes it did cost more in Diesel. Compared to your 40 50k Tesla yes.

[@CharlieLamdin]

I've owned 2 Audi RS6s - loved them both, (and drove the V10 RS6 too). I don't love my Tesla like I did my Audis, but it's faster, cheaper to run and safer than any car I've ever owned.

[@b3l14l]

Could have flown it :)

[@CharlieLamdin]

Sadly not, 50kt winds that day! The storm in May

[@CharlieLamdin]

Otherwise I would have flown it!

[@b3l14l]

@@CharlieLamdin Oh - right yes... :)

[@audidiesel4368]

3.0 tdi Audi A4 did Charmonix to Cornwall in 13 hrs. 3500 miles in a weeks holidays no way would we have been able to that in the Tesla.

[@CharlieLamdin]

I had an Audi A6 3.0 Tdi quattro - awesome car. I also have a V6 diesel Touareg and a V8 petrol Merc. The Tesla does it all faster than any of them, even with the charging stops. And saves £1,000 in fuel on a return drive to Portugal

[@audidiesel4368]

@@CharlieLamdin How is that possible? I drove my 3.0 tdi over 100mph for hours and hours and hours just stopping for fuel. impossible to beat in a tesla.

[@CharlieLamdin]

Oh yes I see what you’re asking. I meant the tesla is a faster car, but I used to drive for hours without stopping too. Once did Florence to London in 12hrs including tunnel crossing! That would be harder in a Tesla.

[@sandersson2813]

Is it mandatory for every KZbin to start a video with "So......"?

[@CharlieLamdin]

So..... it's about as mandatory as it is for people to comment on it! Haha. ;-) You're right, it's an annoying habit I don't like either. I'll work on improving it, thanks for the feedback.

[@sandersson2813]

@@CharlieLamdin Cheers Charlie. Your M3 videos are really helping me come to a decision.

[@Ifyoudonttakeitucantfakeit]

If you followed your own principles on charging you’d probably have done 2 stops less.

[@CharlieLamdin]

But I needed to pee as well!

[@mariacornwallis1602]

lets see what happens when every car is an EV fighting for a charge point when they are all occupied.... lets see what happens when all the lithium and other rare minerals for use in the making of the batteries are all used up. Your batteries will not be getting any cheaper. You may be fortunate in having your private charge point but millions of others around the world live in tall blocks of apartments or rows of terraced houses where they cannot get their EV within 100 yards of their home.... They are the ones who will be crying "Help".... How far do you think an electric truck can travel on a full charge? Lord Bamford (JCB) has stated that they can only be used for 4 hours before being charged up for more than 12 hours... He is now manufacturing all his diggers and cranes etc to be powered by hydrogen engines.. I may be in the minority for the next ten years or so but EVs are not the future , Musk has fooled the world's politicians and car manufacturers

[@CharlieLamdin]

I think you're right, the superchargers are going to get crowded, they already are. I also think that hydrogen fuel cells are a better alternative for heavy machinery, including aviation. But for now, Tesla's are the only serious usable EV. For people living in blocks of flats, eventually they will use things like street lamps and convert them into charging points. It will take time, but they'll get there. For now, I agree, if you live in a flat and can't access a power point at home, it's impractical. But financially, it's a no-brainer to buy an EV if you're in the market for a new car.