Andrew Mangano, a retired electrical engineer, completed a 42-day journey around Australia in a Tesla Model 3 Long Range. The primary goal of the trip was to demonstrate the feasibility of traveling using solar-powered charging infrastructure, avoiding reliance on fossil fuel-based grids or diesel generators.
The route planning relied on PlugShare and Google Earth to identify solar-equipped charging sites. Mangano encountered significant technical challenges in Western Australia, where he reported widespread failures of the state's EV charging network. Issues included broken equipment, vandalism, and degraded performance of Tritium chargers due to cooling pump failures.
During the trip, Mangano faced various operational hurdles, including limited charging speeds of 3kW to 11kW at several locations and the need to adjust driving speeds to manage range. He noted that chargers in the Northern Territory were more reliable than those in Western Australia, citing specific solar installations like the 34MW solar farm in Katherine.
Mangano recommends that long-distance electric vehicle travelers choose cars with a highway range of at least 400–500 km. He emphasizes the importance of carrying multiple charging cables, including 240V and 3-phase options, and maintaining access to RFID cards for various charging networks to ensure connectivity across remote regions.
