Air Conditioning vs Range

[SSD420]

Just driving today in a borrowed ICE vehicle anticipating my MX delivery next month.

It's 36 degrees Celsius (96.8 F) here and i'm blasting my Air Conditioning trying to stay cool.

How much range will I lose doing this in an EV? Obviously everything I do uses electricity.

Yes, although I'm told I should be fine, I still do have range anxiety,

 

[SSD420]

Bump

 

[ChadS]

Tools like EVTripplanner include AC calculation, though I don't know if they break them out.

I don't think Tesla has an X range estimator yet, but the S range estimator (on THIS page, scroll down) lets you pick a temperature, speed, AC on or off, etc. It looks like you'll lose roughly 10% when you turn on AC in those temperatures; of course exactly how much depends on battery size, inside temperature settings, speed, and other factors.

Note that battery performance increases at this level of exterior temperature - less than 10%, but still it partially offsets the losses from turning on AC.

 

[SSD420]

Tools like EVTripplanner include AC calculation, though I don't know if they break them out.

I don't think Tesla has an X range estimator yet, but the S range estimator (on THIS page, scroll down) lets you pick a temperature, speed, AC on or off, etc. It looks like you'll lose roughly 10% when you turn on AC in those temperatures; of course exactly how much depends on battery size, inside temperature settings, speed, and other factors.

Note that battery performance increases at this level of exterior temperature - less than 10%, but still it partially offsets the losses from turning on AC.

Thanks for the suggestion. I'll check out that link

 

[SSD420]

Tools like EVTripplanner include AC calculation, though I don't know if they break them out.

I don't think Tesla has an X range estimator yet, but the S range estimator (on THIS page, scroll down) lets you pick a temperature, speed, AC on or off, etc. It looks like you'll lose roughly 10% when you turn on AC in those temperatures; of course exactly how much depends on battery size, inside temperature settings, speed, and other factors.

Note that battery performance increases at this level of exterior temperature - less than 10%, but still it partially offsets the losses from turning on AC.

That link took me to the tesla model s page. I don't see what you've told me to look at

 

[ChadS]

It may depend on your browser...I don't see it on my mobile device. But when I look at that page on my desktop, I see an interactive "Range Per Charge" section that lets you pick speed, temperature, wheels and HVAC controls, and tells you range for each battery size.

Of course it's still missing wind, rain/snow, elevation and such - but it gives you a good idea of what you'll get in good conditions.

 

[David99]

You can on the Tesla website and use their range calculator (it's on the Model S section). You can set speed and temperature and turn AC on or off and see how it affects rage. AC, even in hot climate, doesn't take up much range. The range calculator had an option to open the car windows. It showed that it actually takes up more energy to drive with the windows open and the AC off than closing the windows and having the AC on. The calculator is only working for the Model S right now but it shows it reduces range by about 20 miles on a 300 mile trip. To be on the safe side, just assume you lose 10% range.

 

[Macgaver]

That link took me to the tesla model s page. I don't see what you've told me to look at

Only on the USA page

 

[chillaban]

In my MS I've honestly found turning off the AC to have a really negligible impact on range versus the amount of suffering it causes everyone inside. (I presume the alternate doesn't involve opening the windows at highway speeds which will probably offset most of your savings due to aerodynamic drag).

It seems like the best way to stretch range a bit is to slow down, and stick to the speed limit or heavens forbid slightly below the speed limit if tight on range. It seems like the AC compressor uses around 300W or less in steady state (e.g. after bringing the car down initially from crazy hot temperatures), so you can do your math based off your average consumption and how much an additional 300W overhead at your speed translates.

 

[Rocky_H]

Just driving today in a borrowed ICE vehicle anticipating my MX delivery next month.

It's 36 degrees Celsius (96.8 F) here and i'm blasting my Air Conditioning trying to stay cool.

How much range will I lose doing this in an EV? Obviously everything I do uses electricity.

Yes, although I'm told I should be fine, I still do have range anxiety,

I do have people ask me that frequently, about A/C use in the electric car. There is something they (and you) are missing a little bit.


They are thinking of the amounts of energy use of a gas car:
(1) Moving the car
(2) A/C

And they never think about heat use because it’s free. A gas engine always has more heat than it can handle and is trying to get rid of it. With an electric car, the motor doesn’t make much heat, so to heat the interior is having to burn up extra energy (using up range) with an electric coil heater.

So with an electric car, the energy use is more like:
(1) Moving the car
(2) Heat


(5) A/C

I left a gap to indicate that heat use is quite a bit more than A/C use. Some people ask about things like headlights, wipers, stereo, the touchscreen, etc. energy use, but they are all so low that they are unnoticeable.

 

[SSD420]

Thank you for your insight.