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SFandH
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I researched charging stations on the Peninsula and determined EVs don't suit my usual Baja driving. I drive Hwy 1 through Ensenada and El Rosario. I
did the San Felipe route once a few years ago, and not again.
During our last stay at the TerraSal motel in Guerrero Negro, I looked at the charger there. It was dirty and not being used. I wondered whether it
worked and what I would do if other people were ahead of me waiting to use it. I doubt it's a high-speed DC charger, but I'm not sure.
Down the street was a gas station with multiple pumps. Ten minutes in the morning, and I was on my way with a full tank.
My research also said I could charge up in off-grid Catavina at the hotel. Yeah, sure thing. Maybe, I suppose, if they have their diesel generator
running and the charger isn't broken.
In Baja, EVs are good for urban driving only.
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JDCanuck
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It could be the only electric vehicles that make much sense at present in Baja are either extended range EVs, plug in hybrids like the Shark, or a
Lightning EV with a cheap portable 7.8kv dual fuel generator in the frunk for backup power when you want to spend a week or more camping out. For more
local trips, I don't see why one of the cheap AWD Hyundais wouldn't be sufficient, especially if you have 5kw of solar installed at your place and a
240v 50A outlet. That might cost an additional 7500 installed, but would give you free energy for decades. What most people don't realize is any 240v
30A dryer plug or 50amp plug will charge your EV, it will just take 3-6 hours at that output. The high voltage DC chargers are only needed if you are
in a big hurry to get back on the road after stopping for a meal.
We charge ours overnite from our dryer plug so the personal recharge time expended is 2 minutes once or twice a week. The lower charge rate will
extend the battery life as a bonus.
[Edited on 9-6-2026 by JDCanuck]
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JDCanuck
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SFandH: I just looked at the reports for La Paz on Plugshare and it indeed is pretty dismal according to the users. Existing installed Tesla or J1772
chargers are commonly not in service far too often and there are limited numbers of people providing them. But based on the EVs that did attempt to
use them, there are quite a few Teslas, a few BYD Dolphin Minis and Hyundais in the area. They must either be charging locally on their own systems or
have found places like Maranatha campground with 240V amp RV outlets they are charging at. When I was at Maranatha last they stated they can charge
EVs on a time based rate. Ensenada on the other hand had some popular restaurants that were more than happy to let people charge while they had lunch
at the restaurant.
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BornFisher
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So has anyone here actually driven to Cabo in an EV? And for extra credit, done it in a Tesla with Full Self-Driving for, say 99 percent of the trip
that would include cities?
"When you catch a fish, you open the door of happiness."
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Ateo
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Quote: Originally posted by BornFisher  | | So has anyone here actually driven to Cabo in an EV? And for extra credit, done it in a Tesla with Full Self-Driving for, say 99 percent of the trip
that would include cities? |
Odds of that are probably pretty low.......I'd be pretty scared to use FSD 99% in Baja......I didn't use it on my weekend pleasure cruise thru the
tourist corridor in TJ-Ensenada either.....Oh wait I see you're mentioning "cities".....that would maybe be suicidal in place like TJ, or at least
very stressful trying to use the Via Rapida trying to enter and exit crazy lane systems! Ha ha.
I'm not a fan of FSD yet.......
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Sweetwater
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Mood: chilly today hot tomale
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I showed up here to check on Polo but this caught my eye. I started with a 2021 Model Y and upgraded to my current 2024 X after a few years. I totally
love the EV's, wife is in a Santa Fe hybrid as well. We have a grid friendly residential solar system and my fuel costs are zero. Having traveled
through the Rockymountain west, I will admit that good DC charging is needed and lacking even in the rural parts of the states. That's changing for
the better. The other part of the equation is FSD which I've demo'd but not bought...yet. My 80 yo buddy is extending his personal driving time by
using it consistently. He's a retired aerospace engineer and as it's improved, he's become a big fan. Tesla used the huge data from their fleet to get
to autonomous driving with the cybercabs. We went to lunch last week and the car was flawless in it's driving.
LOL, one trip I attempted to plan was the Baja peninsula and my conclusion is No Way. Gasolina and diesel are the standards of availability in this
environment. If the Chinese can change that with their BYD cars, I'll be surprised. I can see them used locally in places like La Paz or the cities of
the norte. But to travel and fully be reliant on a charger network is still not realistic.
Maybe someday?
Everbody\'s preachin\' at me that we all wanna git to heaven, trouble is, nobody wants to die to git there.-BB King
Reality is what does not go away when you stop believing in it. -Philip K Dick
Nothing is worse than active ignorance. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe(1749-1832, German writer, artist and politician)
When choosing between two evils, I always like to try the one I\'ve never tried before. - Mae West
Experience is what keeps a man who makes the same mistake twice from admitting it the third time around.
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Ateo
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Hello Sweetwater! I’d say some EV chargers could be done in Baja within 5 years but what the heck do I know? Place them every 200 miles for now
and that would get most EVs (or at least Teslas and BYD’s) almost back and forth from TJ to Cabo. Then slowly branch out more and more. BYD’s are
all over now and will be more prevalent soon.
We shall see……
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JDCanuck
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The BYD Shark appears to be the most viable and practical hybrid for Baja at present, but would be far better with more electric only range. For now,
it appears having your own solar provided 240v 50A outlet is the best answer for very inexpensive local travel, and planning on charging at available
RV 50 amp outlets at the campgrounds as an alternative on longer trips.
Dedicated EV chargers in BCS are still few and far between and very unreliable.
BYD Shark combined MPG should run above 60 mpg equivalent for local trips under 60 mile radius and give the additional benefit of the onboard
programmable auto start power supply to run your electrical camping equipment without the need to pack an additional portable generator. Off road
report from Aussies from a while back is here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cMepJfkWN6c
[Edited on 9-29-2026 by JDCanuck]
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AKgringo
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The BYD Shark looks like it would suit my needs here in Northern CA. One concern I have is the duplicate systems that present a wide range of things
that could go wrong, and the extra weight it packs around.
The curb weight is right at 6000 lbs, which could affect off-road performance on some terrain.
If you are not living on the edge, you are taking up too much space!
"Could do better if he tried!" Report card comments from most of my grade school teachers. Sadly, still true!
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JDCanuck
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| Quote: Originally posted by AKgringo | The BYD Shark looks like it would suit my needs here in Northern CA. One concern I have is the duplicate systems that present a wide range of things
that could go wrong, and the extra weight it packs around.
The curb weight is right at 6000 lbs, which could affect off-road performance on some terrain. |
We looked very briefly at this vehicle in Oaxaca when we were down there. Price was very good, but only saw a couple actually on the roads as they are
pretty new in Mexico. Australia has had them a bit longer so pretty much all the reviews come from down under. Forget about owning one in the US for
now as they are still banned. That review I posted had mixed results and he did manage to bog it down in very soft sand once, but otherwise he seemed
impressed, especially when towing near it's max rated capacity.
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AKgringo
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Who am I kidding?
| Quote: Originally posted by JDCanuck | | Quote: Originally posted by AKgringo | The BYD Shark looks like it would suit my needs here in Northern CA. One concern I have is the duplicate systems that present a wide range of things
that could go wrong, and the extra weight it packs around.
The curb weight is right at 6000 lbs, which could affect off-road performance on some terrain. |
We looked very briefly at this vehicle in Oaxaca when we were down there. Price was very good, but only saw a couple actually on the roads as they are
pretty new in Mexico. Australia has had them a bit longer so pretty much all the reviews come from down under. Forget about owning one in the US for
now as they are still banned. That review I posted had mixed results and he did manage to bog it down in very soft sand once, but otherwise he seemed
impressed, especially when towing near it's max rated capacity. |
I was speaking as a "wannabe" buyer. On my fixed retirement income, a new vehicle of any kind is off the table for now.
If you are not living on the edge, you are taking up too much space!
"Could do better if he tried!" Report card comments from most of my grade school teachers. Sadly, still true!
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JDCanuck
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There are 3 or 4 hybrids available in the US in 4wd smaller models that are similar, but up til now, none with plug in for 60 miles on electric alone
or built in V2L capabilities. Mileage seems to run around 30-40mpg in the cheaper models like the Ford Maverick Hybrid, but I agree on the dual
systems not making them particularly attractive. Might as well pay a lot less up front and just run gas only.
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Sweetwater
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Mood: chilly today hot tomale
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A real charger network that has high voltage DC stations every 200 miles or so. That's a grid that Baja will have trouble building and maintaining but
that's what it takes for a fleet of full EV's. There are plenty of those in populated states here but not in wide open states in the west. Wyoming is
a great example and those cowboys don't want EV's, they're dedicated ICE folks. I've taken my Tesla there a few times and it's a rarity on their
roads.
My other take is that those who think they can supplement with 40-50 amp charges at places like RV parks are off on a tangent. I've got 40 amps at
home driven by residential solar. It adds around 30 miles per hour of charge. Great for local use but not so much for traveling.
Everbody\'s preachin\' at me that we all wanna git to heaven, trouble is, nobody wants to die to git there.-BB King
Reality is what does not go away when you stop believing in it. -Philip K Dick
Nothing is worse than active ignorance. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe(1749-1832, German writer, artist and politician)
When choosing between two evils, I always like to try the one I\'ve never tried before. - Mae West
Experience is what keeps a man who makes the same mistake twice from admitting it the third time around.
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JDCanuck
Ultra Nomad
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| Quote: Originally posted by Sweetwater | A real charger network that has high voltage DC stations every 200 miles or so. That's a grid that Baja will have trouble building and maintaining but
that's what it takes for a fleet of full EV's. There are plenty of those in populated states here but not in wide open states in the west. Wyoming is
a great example and those cowboys don't want EV's, they're dedicated ICE folks. I've taken my Tesla there a few times and it's a rarity on their
roads.
My other take is that those who think they can supplement with 40-50 amp charges at places like RV parks are off on a tangent. I've got 40 amps at
home driven by residential solar. It adds around 30 miles per hour of charge. Great for local use but not so much for traveling.
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I sortof agree. It takes me 8 hours to fully recharge my EV at 24 amps on a smaller 30Amp outlet. So you would have to plug in overnite and let it
charge while you are sleeping at an RV site or hotel to get a days' mild 5 to 6 hours of travel in Baja. Suits my rate of driving down Baja but not
for anyone in a big hurry. Would only be useful if you were transporting a car down the peninsula and had a local place to leave it at once you got
there. Otherwise, you are stuck looking for those rare DC chargers and hope they are actually working when you get there. I assume the people in BCS
that have EVs at present had to go through this once only and have their own local chargers for running back and forth from La Paz to Cabo.
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AKgringo
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A couple of years ago (possibly on this forum) I saw a photo of a Nissan Leaf towing a utility trailer with a portable home generator strapped into
it.
If you are not living on the edge, you are taking up too much space!
"Could do better if he tried!" Report card comments from most of my grade school teachers. Sadly, still true!
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JDCanuck
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That takes me back to the 1970's when the only way to get an EV hybrid was build it yourself. VW chassis with a kit body and a tiny generator
charging lead acid batteries and driving an electric motor. We have come a long way since then, thankfully.
Hyundai now has 4 models (Ioniq 3, 5, 6 and 9) all with ranges over 300 miles without the need for a recharge. I have an 8 year old dinosaur Leaf so
am stuck to keeping my range under 200 miles if I want to play it safe and have more than 10% left when I get home at 60-70 mph speed.
People here are buying up these Teslas as fast as they can bring them in and they claim even better range for a price of just under 30,000 USD. I do
think the roads in Baja might be a challenge tho
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kUwJsSH9D_w&t=342s
[Edited on 9-29-2026 by JDCanuck]
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Ateo
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Are you guys saying that someone like Telsa couldn't install Superchargers (like they did in Ensenada) in other big cities like San Q, El Rosario,
Guerrero Negro, Santa Rosalia, Mulege, Loreto, La Paz etc.....??? Those towns appear to have their own grids and aren't running off a generator like
Catavina is. Ha ha.
I'm genuinely curious.......seems like they can.
I have US gas station customers installing EV chargers at their gas stations and most just have to get a new line in from the city power to get the
power needed to charge EV's.
I'm pretty ignorant on this so please forgive me if I'm wrong.
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JDCanuck
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Ateo: I have no idea what is holding them back. Any major shopping center in La Paz like Walmart, Sam's Club, Liverpool would be ideal locations,
right on the main thoroughfare with local eateries and shopping to benefit from what has become a very short stopover.
Then again, perhaps the charge times have become too short as I seldom see the Tesla drivers exit their vehicles while charging, but instead they plug
in and get on their cellphone for the short time they are using it. A full charge wouldn't even justify getting out to have a short sit down meal.
[Edited on 9-30-2026 by JDCanuck]
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Ateo
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JDCanuck: Totally forgot about Walmart/Sam's Club parking lots......good idea and should already have the high power plumbed in....
My guess is the market is just too small right now but I see that changing soon (over next couple years).
BTW, sorry for what our president has done to the US/Canadian relationship.
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mtgoat666
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Mood: Hot n spicy
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| Quote: Originally posted by Ateo | Are you guys saying that someone like Telsa couldn't install Superchargers (like they did in Ensenada) in other big cities like San Q, El Rosario,
Guerrero Negro, Santa Rosalia, Mulege, Loreto, La Paz etc.....??? Those towns appear to have their own grids and aren't running off a generator like
Catavina is. Ha ha.
I'm genuinely curious.......seems like they can.
I have US gas station customers installing EV chargers at their gas stations and most just have to get a new line in from the city power to get the
power needed to charge EV's.
I'm pretty ignorant on this so please forgive me if I'm wrong. |
Chargers have a cost a lot(?) to install and maintain. Since most people charge their EV cars at home, the market to sell electricity is primarily
travelers.
Building and operating chargers does not seem like a very lucrative business… possibly explaining their scarcity in baja.
Woke!
Hands off!
“Por el bien de todos, primero los pobres.”
“...ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country.” “My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America
will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man.”
Pronoun: the royal we
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