Model Y vs Gas | 1000 Miles, One Day.... and the power went out 

Great video! People stopping at that town with no power, were not going to be able to buy gas either. I sold my F150 to buy a Model Y, After two years I'm still happy with it.

I've been driving my Tesla Model Y for about 2 years and put just over 30,000 miles on it. At least half are roadtrip miles. I went with Tesla mainly because I wanted the ability to roadtrip, otherwise any EV would be fine for a daily commute vehicle. I will say, there are still stretches that require full charging to make it to the next charger or even slowing down a bit. For example, I found myself dealing with a strong headwind in eastern Oklahoma between Fort Smith and OK City. There there were no chargers for the entire 195 miles, I had to go about 65-60 mph in order to arrive with only 2% at the supercharger in OK City - that was with a 30mph headwind. I've done a similar distance in Wyoming, averaging 80mph and still arriving with 14%. Beyond that, having my Model Y has been a very good experience. I have driven it to the top of Pikes Peak, Mount Evans in a snow storm, through multiple high mountain passes on the way to and from ski resorts in Colorado and multiple long road trips. The instant torque is both fun and practical. Especially for the middle of the country, I will say my minivan is a touch better for long roadtrips - for the increased size/room and wide availability of fueling stations. For medium and short range trips, I prefer the Tesla. Of course, the minivan costs a bit more to fuel and it isn't good in the mountains or on icy roads (2WD - Model Y is AWD). My minivan's check engine light came on halfway up Pikes Peak, so never doing that again. Pro tip - 40oz Stanley cups fit very nicely in the cupholders - just pour your drink into that.

This is like the most straightforward non-bias car comparison I've seen on RU-vid ever. (Ending analysis)

Your comments on being less tired is spot on. My 2000 mi road trip was the least stressful I ever had and for the same reasons you stated. Being less stressed/tired makes you safer as well. Great vid.

I managed to go from Dumont NJ to Crestview FL. for about $75 in our Model Y during the summer time 2023. We started our road trip during the night time, and as we hit our first supercharger, I would specifically checked the route and check for the cheapest chargers during the night time, found a few about 16-30 cents per KW. Took about 14-15hrs to get to Dekalb GA. Slept there, and continued on to FL next day for about 5 hrs. Sure during the day the rates are highest, but honestly always check your route and check the supers charges nearby the ones it already allocated for you. We averaged about 230wh/K which works out to be just under 5 miles/KW. I enjoy crusing so most of my trip was 60mph. Some stretches I took it to 70Mph.

Traveling in an EV definitely made me not mind slowdowns as much. Getting 10-20% extra range due to being stuck in 30 minutes of traffic/side roads almost breaks even in an EV.

I recently completed a round trip from Nashville to Orlando for my daughter's cheer nationals. We rented a van, Chrysler Pacifica eHybrid. It was great. We got it to control the total trip time and the extra space. It was at a significant premium over our Model Y and Model S. In the end, the fastest we traveled in the van with our kids was 11:40 to cover 700 miles. Tesla estimated that the Model Y could have done the trip in just under 12 hours (11:56) and the Model S could have completed it with one less stop at 11:33. Charging would have been around $125. The van rental was $550. If I did it again, I'd probably still take the van for the space, but that's the only real reason. The EV stops would mostly be in the same areas, we even saw one where we stopped to eat in Lake City FL. There is a lot of FUD out there about EVs. I've driven our cars a lot and all over the country. The current generation of Tesla EVs are just great machines that can road trip with little to no issue. The rest of the market is still a work in progress. I've had a Bolt EV and my son still drives it. I don't recommend it for roadtrips at all. 13hrs to get to Chicago from Nashville, it's just awful.

My wife and I did a road trip from Charlotte, NC to Palmsprings, CA in a 2017 Bolt EV with the 66KwH battery. Almost exclusively used EA stations on the way there and back. Franklin's charging spot is a little sketchy at 1am, I originally wanted to sleep for a few hours while there but we just got a charge and left to Clarksville. We did a little over 900 miles our first day driving and took the next two days slow. Around 5500 miles in 2 weeks for $400 in charging cost from EA + a few free charges in different places like the Grand Canyon. Bought the Bolt in August of 2021 with 42k miles on it and now I am up to 150k miles.

Just found your channel, great video and the graphics/stats you’ve put on the screen are brilliant!🎉 keep up the good work

Really great video. The effort you put in shows!

Interesting seeing the stats. A lot of work going into that ! Kudos ! You got yourself another subscriber !

When traveling with my dog i love going in my Tesla. I supercharge to full in order to get a nice mile or 2 walk in!

Nice review, and I especially liked the great graphics. Well done!

Beautiful video quality. Beautiful data nuggets in there. Well explained and fun trip throughout. 10/10.

Dang. Such a good video! I know it's not a lot of views, but the quality of edits and discussion is fantastic. Well done!

Worth pointing out - if power is out in the whole city, nobody is getting gas or diesel either. Pumps are still electric.

Awesome job laying out all the stats at each stop.

Brilliant graphics. Actually brilliant all round video. Headwind/tailwind information would be interesting. I might have missed this.

Franklin Charging seems like a good choice. I hope we get more of those independent chargers.

EXCELLENT data-driven road trip test and comparison with an ICE vehicle,. Also, the graphic overlays, data tables and visulizations, and the anecodtal feedback helped paint a full picture of your experience. Last, the "OK, walkin to the sunset ... be cool, be cool." closer made me chuckle out loud :)

Great video and really like the graphics!

Loved the video. I like the fact that the power went out to show a real world scenario, and on the ice side the pumps are down as well. The grid down scenario is the great equalizer.

I am so glad you weren't trapped too long without power.

In response to your conclusion, I definitely think that "total trip time" is where people can be the most deceptive and disingenuous, and in my experience, that goes for BOTH gas car owners and Tesla drivers talking about other EVs. Most often, what gets missed in the discussion is just how much time is spent on the road actually driving versus how much is spent stopped. Even in the "super slow charging" Chevy Bolt EV, I was able to drive 1,100 miles in about 22 hours thanks to open roads and 80 mph freeways. Gas cars can theoretically do 20, 30, or even 40:1 driving to stopping time on a trip, but the driver, passengers, and pets have their own requirements. Even in a gas car, though, the fastest I typically travel is still less than a 10:1 driving to stopped ratio, and I'm looking to have an actual meal every 4 to 5 hours of driving as well as a bathroom/stretch break every 2 to 3 hours. Basically, my ideal EV is one that can consistently travel 200 to 300 miles at freeway speeds between stops that are no more than 30 minutes. So for me, a Tesla would be capable of that on paper, but realistically, the frequency and length of stops wouldn't align with my preferred travel. I ran into the same issue when testing the KIA EV6, though the one strength it had over Teslas was that even though the charging stops were typically 20 minutes or less (I'd often prefer 30ish minutes for meals), it would then be able to travel for another 3 hours before stopping again.

I really appreciated this road trip style, explanation, graphics, and total breakdown of time & money. It's exactly the sort of thing that I think about when traveling and it's hard for non-EV owners to really crystalize in their brains the divergence in styles. Rant Time: 90 minutes difference over 1000 miles is basically nothing! People are lying when they say it takes 5 minutes to gas their car up on a road trip. Road trip gas stops are totally different than fueling up near home because you have to use the bathroom, get something out of the trunk, empty garbage, get a Red Bull, etc. Besides, if people really only stopped for 5 mins to gas up, then Bucee's wouldn't exist. Secondly, on a 300 mile drive there's basically no difference between ICE and a modern EV. Driving between Oklahoma City to Waco, TX or Nashville to Athens, GA or Pittsburgh to Detroit, you're gonna have to stop for a nature break anyways which always works out to about 10-15 minutes. It's just in an EV you're getting a charge while emptying your bladder. Distances over 300 miles, ICE vehicles are faster but the stoppage times are separated by mere minutes. People always underestimate just how far 300 miles is and overestimate how often they drive that distance.

I've also seen that Franklin's Charging Hub featured in a couple other videos. Looks so cool, and a model the big companies should emulate.

Great video, I'm really looking forward to my cross country trip this spring in my EV6.

Thank you for taking time and converting imperial to metric. It means alot:) like we are brothers now😅 subbed.

We enjoyed our trip in the Model 3 more than any trip we have taken in our 4Runner. I find I have to take an extra stop on the first leg to pee quickly at a roadside rest area before we needed to do our first charge. When filling your gas tank you stand and watch, then go inside for snacks and restroom. So the time to stop is actually about the same. Great video.

Great video. Good real world example and comparison.

Fantastic visuals and great data.

Awesome video, very fair and common sense take on the topic

Amazing visualizations in this video!

Great video. Graphics are next level.

Great video. Just FYI the CO2 of the Model Y was nearly 0 since the Supercharger Network is 100% powered by renewable energy

Hey! I remember you guys! We survived the outage lol. It was terrifying especially since Arkanas went into an full lock down.

Thanks for a very good and honest video! However, I believe the CO2 emissions for the ICE cars only includes the tailpipe emissions. You should add around 30% extra CO2 on the ICE cars from the production of the fuel itself.

I find while charging it's good to close my eyes for a 20 min nap.... just set the alarm... My ice gets 15 mpg, so driving the ev is considerably less expensive = $ 75 for fuel vs $20 for energy for 300 miles.

Excellent data driven video. Was very much looking forward to purchasing a Model Y, but due to mostly traveling with it, bought Rav4 Hybrid instead. Rav4 was 15K cheaper than Model Y. Current cost per mile is .092 based on average price per gallon of $3.30. I also own a 21 Corolla Hybrid which has a cost per mile of .063 with same price per gallon as Rav4. I have an App on my phone that keeps track of all my fuel costs for my cars.

well balanced video. Thank you 😀

Correct me if I’m wrong but during a power outage even regular gas stations don’t work either so you would have to wait also if you needed gas.

Thanks for some real world numbers. Also nice that you included Prius numbers. Too many videos I see only include a gas car that gets under 30 mpg. I have a 21 Prius Prime and I generally get over 60 mpg on road trips. This car fits my use case and was so much cheaper compared to an EV when I bought it. I continue to watch the EV market. Will I get an EV ? Maybe but it might be awhile.

Great video!

I've forgotten whether you mentioned having the CCS1 adapter. If so, this trip is one that passes through an area with decent public charging support, but more importantly, the new EVgo stations going in at Pilot/Flying J locations with canopies, trash cans, squeegees, and of course a travel plaza. It might be an interesting contrast in experiences, and a lot of current/former Tesla owners have commented on the difference in the quality and convenience of the site locations. You'd definitely spend more on energy, but the quality of the site might go a long way in offsetting that.

charging locations vary wildly based on local municipalities IE: POLITICS!! I see those days going away soon as the market increases with full use of the NACS port system. I could be wrong but after 20K roadtrips in a year around the good ol USA that would be my take!

Wow great video!!

What software did you use for these lovely graphics for travel between superchargers and then for the charging stats ?

good job explaining all the real facts.

Great video

Great vid . You did Franklin great job . seen this location on a Kyle ( out of spec vid). And second , the info and detail , you do even a better job than Kyle . You do the effort for Europeans. Keep up the good work. 👍

11:45, How do you get the overlay to show all that data (temperature, elevation, miles/KWh, etc) ? Is that from a tracking app ?

I love data. This is a nice channel

Stupid question -- assume when the power was out -- gas stations also didn't have power? or do most have backup generators?

Good show. A 180 from the last comparison vs the Chevy Bolt.

Awesome Video 👏🏾

For the Prius's cost analysis, does that also include having it's battery fully charged to increase the car's MPG? If so you'd have to stop to charge on Level 2 chargers a LOT to make sure you're getting the best MPG possible.

I believe in the next 3-10 years we will start seeing a lot of charging stations like Franklins start popping up. Canopy with solar panels, grass/picnick areas/playground/small shops. Something you can easily spend 30 minutes stretching your legs while the car charges. I can't wait to own a Tesla personally. Mostly I'd like it for commuting since i drive roughly 80 miles to and from work.

Filling up a gas car (around your home/work and back etc) = about 36 fill ups a year (every 10 days approx). 36 X 10 minutes = 6 hours. Plugging the EV in (at home year round) 5 seconds X 365 days = 30 minutes. I just saved 5.5 hours of my time plugging in my EV. Mic drop :)

Did you say what your driving speed was or the ambient temperature? I question your 2.64mi/KWh as being low. In hilly cross country trips I get 3.7mi/KWh in a Model S in the summer months averaging on AutoPilot at 75mph. If I set the speed to 65mph I get 4mi/KWh. Nice I also get free Supercharging too.

Nice Video...Do you have a Long Range or RWD Model Y?...Im deciding between both of them...I do pretty much 90% City and Maybe 1 rode trip a year...Leaning toward the RWD and save $5K

Is this new sign with price per KwH the new Gas Station sign on the side of the street lol? I guess it could be put into apps as well

28:33 - road trip charging costs are 15x more expensive for me…$0.03/kwh at home, and my anecdotal observed average supercharger cost is about $0.43/kwh.

I have a Bolt EUV and a Volt and I was a little surprised by how much it cost for you to take the Tesla. I am not trying to be critical. I actually think it is worth it because it was almost as fast as a gas vehicle. I have been thinking one of the reasons I might take the Bolt when I am not in a hurry and deal with the painfully slow charging is that it would be cheaper but I can make our 900 mile trip to my family in the Volt for about $75 in gas and electric. I am sure I will still take the Bolt at least once to try it as it is so comfortable and Super Cruise would make the drive.so much easier. Long stops really are not an issue for me as even in a gas car, it seems to take forever to get my family in and out of the car when we stop. At least with the Bolt I will have. a reason to sit there and wait.

Pull in superchargers are for towing so if it's not full please don't use them.

They gotta get those prices down. 30 cents per kWh, when at home it’s like 10 or 11, feels like gasoline again.

I am currently planning a trip from Vancouver bc Canada to Las Vegas and I was actually blown away that my “fuel” costs would be exactly the same for the trip. I have both a model 3 rwd and a hybrid maverick fwd. We are taking the maverick not because it would take longer (overall we will stop the same interval for breaks and restrooms) but because the variety of places we can choose to stop at will be different. Instead of a Tesla parking lot, we can take it at a viewpoint or place of interest. With the Tesla on our last trip from the Canadian border to the Mexican border, it was always at a supercharger. Mind you there are actually quite a few cool charging stations if you plan you stops, but the fact of the matter is that you are restricted to stopping at specific stations, which makes a return trip via the same route boring and repetitive. EVs have their worst efficiency at high speeds and gas cars are just the opposite. Decision, buy both a ev and an efficient hybrid and you are set! Great video!

That smart he got gas and electric I'mma get a model y the model 3 cool but i like more room

What happens at gas stations when the power goes out? You couldn’t pump gas either, right? I’m not sure I’ve never ran into that situation.

I remember stopping in Brinkley myself. There is NOTHING there, and that chinese food place suckssssssss. It looks like a town that was bombed in the great War and it just never recovered.

Based on $2.60/g my 2012 GMC Yukon would cost ~$125 - $135 for that trip. Interesting to compare. Was good to see how a Tesla can make such a trip reasonably well. I'd be interested to see if a non-Tesla EV would fare as well. I suspect it would not. Nice job on the video, new sub! (I'm from Louisville as well btw)

The KWH charge on your trip was way cheaper on the road than in the UK. Don't think there would have been much change from £200.

Electric vehicles are pretty cool, but as a New Yorker I don’t think we’re ready for that type of infrastructure there’s not enough charging stations here unfortunately but as soon as they get it going, I’ll definitely get myself an Eevee

How do you have better info-graphics that large channels?

I feel lucky that I live on an island. I don't think I've ever driven more than 300 miles a day and I was dangerously tired by the end. My bladder needs emptying every 100 miles which forces me to take regular breaks these days. Last time I witnessed a power cut was in 1973. Different world obviously.

how much did the truck trip cost? Tesla was like 10 cents per mile

Curious why you are only partially charging at each stop?

I made a similar trip in my 2018 Jeep Renegade and I it cost me same as your charging cost. I don't see the advantage, there was never issue getting fueled up.

Much respect to Franklin's!

Not sure how you are calculating CO2. But remember, gas doesn’t magically appear at the station. Gas has to be refined (using electricity that could just go into a car), transported, stored, transported again, pumped using electricity, then finally goes into a car. So before you even pull off after a full up you have already emitted CO2. Then add that number to what comes out of the tail pipe

Why ABRP for panning vs Tesla inbuilt navigation for the whole trip?

Interesting. I was just doing the maths. My most economical ICE car was also the best and most comfortable for a long drive. A 1989 Mercury Grand Marquis ordered with the 5.8 litre (351) V8 and the towing package. Highway fuel consumption was 34 miles to the US gallon. Wirh the size of the tank, one fill aling the way eould have done the trick. Gas would have cost under $100 each way. That one was wrecked in a crash. Im looking for another.

My model 3 compared to our Prius we had the Tesla bets out the Prius on roadtrip cost.

Would anyone know why the Prius is more efficient with cost and co2 emission?

Doggy took a dump. Good doggie

Oh boy you really are data driven! lol. I love all the stats and numbers, my man. It appeals to my mild autism, haha. Thank you for your video! My wife and I tend to do fairly intense road trips (7-8 hours of actual drive time per day for about seven days in a ten day period, with a few full day stays in locations we are particularly interested in) and when we did the same type of trip in a Tesla last year we ended up covering about 100-150 miles less per day in those 7-8 hours than we would have in a gas car. That's certainly significant if you're looking to cover as much ground as possible, but it was by no means a deal breaker for us. You just have to plan your trip a bit differently. Overall, like you, I felt less exhausted after a 7-8 hour drive in a Tesla than I did in my gas car. Still tired, but not as bad.

Thank you for the theoretical gas at $4.00. In Los Angeles we are $4.05.

I would say you make a great argument for tesla as a second car in the family. As the only car, well, the hybrid would work better.

Is this a standard range or LR?

Thanks for doing one of the more believable drive in a Tesla. There is so much BS on RU-vid these days. Keep being honest. I will check out your other videos. PS I love your dog.

Jeez! Your model Y only got 24mpg equivalent! My 2001 Ford Ranger extended cab gets 23 on the Interstate with a 3-liter V6. My wife's Ford Maverick hybrid gets 54 mpg on the interstate. If you had driven the Maverick you would only had to have made one 5 minute stop for gas as it gets 700 miles on a 13.5 gallon fuel tank. Though people do look when you pee out the window.

3 stops for gas, you must have the small tank. I get about 700 miles of range on my F-150. So I stop 1 time for gas on a 1,200 mile trip.

mistake I believe people make is that they drive the SOC below 20%. If you do, you allow yourself to get stuck. Even in ICE cars, I never drop below 100 miles.

Great video! Hazel is so patient.😊 BTW, you can vote for the next Tesla SC location, you know?! Just cast your vote for the best 5 locations that you wish. Good luck!🍀

Damn I thought 750-800mi a day was a ton… 977 is crazy

Plug in an efficicient generator for long trip and it would do better than a mechanical gas engine

Were ypu stopping at V2 or V3 chargers? No need to use V2. When only V2 chargers are available, use an EA charger.

OMGosh. Their whole trip was controlled by the charging stations. Only in their own eyes can they justify their purchase. 8 stops to go 1000 miles. And they were looking forward to the stops, WOW!!

Looking at the records, an RV would make the trip from Los Angeles to NY in less time than a model y. Come to think of it, a classic mini from the mid to late 1960's would make the trip in less time assuming no breakdowns. Yes, I know of what I speak. I've worked on and lived with a mini from grade school to college, later years I've driven to both coasts in moving vans, mini vans, cars. Any of them would do the coast to coast run in less time than any Tesla even with broken fuel pumps. heck there are still places in the US with manual fuel pumps.

Awnings with solar panels seems logical to me

Solar awnings should be at all ev charging stations for sure.