Embarking on a pure electric self-drive journey from Urumqi to Sayram Lake is truly a remarkable experience, deserving every ounce of recommendation! The route boasts excellent road conditions, an abundance of charging stations, minimal charging crowds, and significant cost savings. Here’s a suggested itinerary for your参考:
Day 1: Drive from Urumqi to Bole City (approximately 500KM). Rest overnight in Bole, where the Aibi Lake Hotel offers Tesla Superchargers, and there are also State Grid charging stations within a 3-kilometer radius.
Day 2: Bole to Sayram Lake (about 86KM). Please note that this section involves ascending hills, resulting in gradually cooler temperatures and a significant increase in power consumption. Therefore, it’s crucial to ensure a full charge before departure. For exploring Sayram Lake, it’s advisable to enter through the east gate and exit through the south gate, counterclockwise. Additionally, make a detour to the Guozi Gorge Bridge, followed by charging at the NIO charging station near the entrance of Sayram Lake before returning to Urumqi.
Regarding charging, refer to the service areas along the Lianhuo Expressway from Urumqi to Sayram Lake, all equipped with charging stations, offering immense convenience. Given the scarcity of pure electric vehicles in Xinjiang, the charging stations are primarily utilized by hybrid vehicles with smaller batteries, resulting in minimal waiting times. Charging powers typically range from 60-80kW, with fees averaging 1.6-1.8 yuan per kWh. Notably, the NIO Supercharger station at Sayram Lake Scenic Area offers a particularly attractive rate of only 0.8 yuan per kWh during our visit at 4 pm.
As for range and energy consumption, how many times will you need to charge? With the Tesla Model 3 Refresh Rear-Wheel Drive variant boasting a stated range of 438KM, charging once midway through the journey is sufficient for a single trip. While the return journey from Sayram Lake to Urumqi covers a longer distance, the initial 100 kilometers are entirely downhill from the 2000-meter altitude of Sayram Lake. The first 30 kilometers effectively serve as reverse charging, resulting in zero energy consumption for the first 50 kilometers and minimal consumption for the first 125 kilometers. Therefore, charging once for each leg of the journey is feasible. However, it’s advisable to avoid fatigued driving and take frequent breaks, seizing the opportunity to plug in and recharge for a more comfortable experience.
In terms of expenses, a total cost of approximately 2000 yuan for two people includes 309 yuan for charging, 143 yuan per person for scenic area self-drive tickets, 500 yuan per day for car rental in Urumqi, and 192 yuan for accommodation in Bole. Photographic highlights include the breathtaking scenery around Sayram Lake, with its 95KM circular route offering panoramic views of snow-capped mountains and swans in the east and north, and a closer encounter with snow-covered peaks and forests in the southwest. A particular highlight is the Guozi Gorge Bridge, offering a stunning vista as you navigate close to the mountains on your way back to Sayram Lake.
Tags: #TeslaSelfDriveXinjiang #SayramLakeGuide #Model3RefreshEdition #UrumqiToSayramLake #GuoziGorgeBridge
