Tesla road trip planner: stops and time, estimated.

Roughly how many charging stops a route needs, how much time they add, and what the electricity will cost — for planning before you leave.

Your trip

How to actually drive it

  1. Short stops, more often. Charging is fastest between roughly 10% and 50%, so arriving low and leaving before the taper is quicker overall.
  2. Do not chase 100%. The last 20% is the slowest part of the curve and rarely worth the wait mid-route.
  3. Precondition before a Supercharger. Navigating to the stall warms the pack so it accepts full power on arrival.
  4. Slow down when it is tight. Dropping 7–8 mph is usually faster than adding a stop.
  5. Let the car plan the detail. It has live stall availability, elevation and weather.

Planning estimate only — it assumes Superchargers roughly where you need them, which is true across most of the US network and not true everywhere. The Supercharger rate defaults to 42¢/kWh; yours varies by site and time of day.

Questions

How often do you stop on a Tesla road trip?
Typically every two to three hours. The efficient pattern is short, frequent stops rather than long ones: charging is fastest at a low state of charge, so two 15-minute stops usually beat one 35-minute stop for the same energy.
Should I charge to 100% on a trip?
Only at the last stop before a long gap in coverage. The final 20% charges slowly, so sitting there is usually slower overall than driving on and stopping again sooner.
How accurate is the car's own trip planner?
Very. It knows elevation, weather, your recent efficiency and live Supercharger availability, which no external calculator can match. Use this page to plan roughly before you leave, and the car's navigation once you are moving.
Does towing change things?
Dramatically — expect roughly half your normal range when towing anything substantial, and plan stops accordingly. Some Supercharger stalls are also awkward to reach with a trailer.
What if my range seems worse than it should be?
On a trip that is usually speed, cold or a roof load rather than the battery. Check what conditions cost you with the range calculator, and if you suspect real capacity loss, measure it with the battery health test.
More Tesla owner toolsBattery health testBattery replacement costVIN decoderCharging costRange calculatorTire pressuresInsurance costSoftware updatesWrap designer

Independent fan project. Not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to Tesla, Inc. Figures are estimates for planning only, not a quote or a substitute for a service diagnosis.

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