Today is going to be a classic Southern California “marathon” day. If you live anywhere else, driving 200 miles in a single day might sound like a major road trip. But for us in SoCal, that’s just a regular Saturday running errands and attending family events.
Today, Abby and I are taking the Cybertruck across multiple counties. We’re starting with a baptism in Murrieta, heading up to Rancho Cucamonga for lunch, and then capping the night off with a Quinceañera in El Monte. Along the way, I’m going to be tracking the Cybertruck’s efficiency to show you what “around town” driving really looks like for a heavy-duty EV.
Stop 1: St. Martha’s Church, Murrieta
We kicked off the day early in Murrieta. Abby is a godmother today, and it was great to catch up with some familiar faces from the EV community, including Isa and Arnold with their blacked-out Model 3.
Efficiency Check: Starting the day with 81% state of charge, our first 53-mile leg averaged 361 Wh/mile. That’s surprisingly decent for the Cybertruck, given the mix of highway and surface streets.
Fueling Up: Texas de Brazil, Rancho Cucamonga
After the ceremony, we headed north to Rancho Cucamonga for a celebratory lunch at Texas de Brazil. If you’ve never been, it’s a meat-lover’s paradise. I definitely left with a serious case of “the itis” (a meat coma), which is exactly what you want on a Saturday afternoon.
Stop 2: Charging
Before heading to the Quinceañera, I decided to top off. We arrived at a Supercharger at 34% state of charge. Even though I probably could have made it home, I didn’t want to deal with a low battery late at night, especially since my local home Supercharger is a slower 72 kW unit.
Charging Specs:
- Network: Tesla Supercharger
- Starting SoC: 34%
- Peak Speed: 209 kW
- Goal: Charge to 60% for peace of mind.
Stop 3: El Palacio Entertainment Hall, El Monte
Our final event of the day was a Quinceañera—a beautiful 15th-birthday rite of passage in Hispanic culture. It’s very similar to the Filipino “Debut” which we celebrate at 18. The venue was stunning, complete with a fountain and a massive ballroom. It was a great way to end the festivities before the long trek back home.
The Final Numbers: SoCal Efficiency Breakdown
We finally made it back home after picking up some food for the boys. Here is how the Cybertruck performed over a day of mixed driving:
| Metric | Value |
| Total Distance | 198 Miles |
| Energy Used | 80 kWh |
| Average Efficiency | 405 Wh/mile |
| MPGe Equivalent | ~2.47 miles/kWh |
Why EV is the Only Choice for SoCal
Driving 200 miles in a single day is very common here. Between my 130-mile daily work commute and weekend events, I easily clear 2,000 miles per month.
When you drive that much, gas is simply not an option. We are effectively “locked in” to the EV ecosystem for our convenience and budget. While I’m open to other brands like Rivian (especially since they opened a service center within 30 miles of my house), Abby remains a Tesla-only driver. For her, the ease of the Supercharging network and the familiar UI is unbeatable.
One thing to keep in mind for those considering a lease: if I only had one vehicle and it was a standard 12,000-mile-per-year lease, I would burn through those miles in about six months! This is why having a multi-car EV fleet is a necessity for our lifestyle.
