Accuracy of Trip Estimator

[virtualsmack]

Hello,

I got the following estimate from the online trip planner and I had a couple of questions:

1) Is this accurate? They lumped RWD and AWD together, and I'm wondering how this changes with AWD
2) I haven't used superchargers much (for my S)... is it possible to charge more in Mojave and then not have to charge in Lone Pine? How do I know how much of a charge I'm getting for the 15 minute charge?

In a nutshell, I'm trying to see if I can just charge once instead of stopping twice. Thanks in advance for the help!
Gabe

 

[SSonnentag]

The trip computer doesn't recompute charging stops once you start a trip. If you have a strong tail wind for example, you may indeed have enough juice to skip a stop, but the car won't tell you about it. What you can do though, is cancel and recompute your trip when you get close the intermediate supercharger stop and see if it will let you skip it.

PS I'm assuming the Model 3 trip software is the same as the S/X. On my S, the trip computer is a bit pessimistic when computing how much power I'll be using. The arrival battery percentage normally goes up by 5-10% once I get into my drive. During the winter the estimate is probably closer to the initial estimate.

 

[cpa]

There is quite an elevation gain between Mojave and Lone Pine and again on the way to Mammoth north of Bishop over Sherwin Summit.

It may be possible to hypermile all the way up and reach Mammoth on a 100% charge in your 3.

But all things being equal, it appears to me that a short stop in Lone Pine to top off to obtain a reasonable buffer to reach Mammoth is sensible, prudent, and easy on the nerves.

 

[utvol3287]

I agree with the above posting. however please remember that its not as easy as having AAA bring you a gallon of gas to get to the next station. i have found that the charging stops are rather accurate. so it is always a good idea to recompute as you go.

 

[SSonnentag]

Having said all that though, 15 minutes at a charging rate of roughly 300 mph will add a significant charge to your battery. Probably over 20 kWh.

 

[WileyTheMan]

I've found the trip estimator to be quite accurate, within a few percentage, when I went from SF to LA and back.

 

[ewoodrick]

Yes, it seems you can stop once instead of twice. It may not be the fastest way, but it will get you there. Since the trip is just over the range of the car, you will have to charge at least once.

But, think of what happens after you arrive. How much charge will you need to get around locally? How much will it take to get you back to full to start the trip back home?

Like a GPS, you should never "just follow the computer" add a little sense to it. Heck, try figuring it out before letting the computer do it. By looking at the maps and seeing where the superchargers are, you should get a better idea of the charging needed to fit your specific requirements, as well as understand what your backup alternatives may be.

 

[tivoboy]

The trip estimator is apparently quite accurate taking into consideration elevation in both directions.. up and down. I do find the evtripplanner site to give more detail and information though than the Tesla trip planner (no affiliation).

What I would REALLY love to have is a smartphone version of that software, that can be run in real time DURING a road trip and might take into consideration things like temperature and wind speed (all could be drawn in by some of the API's from companies like Dark Sky) and allow one to input some remaining KW data from the car (manual most likely). then, it could adjust stops and charging times required to optimize charging at lower SOC and take into better consideration a personal preference for where/when/how long to stop.

 

[aesculus]

What I would REALLY love to have is a smartphone version of that software, that can be run in real time DURING a road trip and might take into consideration things like temperature and wind speed (all could be drawn in by some of the API's from companies like Dark Sky) and allow one to input some remaining KW data from the car (manual most likely). then, it could adjust stops and charging times required to optimize charging at lower SOC and take into better consideration a personal preference for where/when/how long to stop.

Digital Auto Guides | Bringing mobile technology to both classic and emerging automobiles.

 

[Rocky_H]

I see this question pretty often through the years from new owners. They are used to a gas car, and doing things with no stops, or barely any, so the first instinct seems to be trying to avoid stopping. Well, what that leads to is excruciatingly long charging times, going to nearly full, and then white-knuckling the drive, stressing constantly about range anxiety from trying to push for too long a distance. I would say to relax and take the more stops on your first few trips. A 15 or 20 minute stop isn't a big deal, and will add a good bit of range, and make the drive less stressful, as @cpa mentioned. After you've gotten used to seeing how the charging speeds go and how the routes fit into it, you can get more of a feel if certain places warrant skipping a stop. Maybe some place has a really good restaurant you like, so you plan for that to be your longer stop, so the car fills more and then you get to skip over the next Supercharger. The trip planner wouldn't know that, but it may work well for you.