AWD performance boost question

[Amp776]

Hello all. Apologies if this topic is covered elsewhere. I'm thinking of getting the $2k performance boost for my M3 but am wondering if it has any effect on efficiency /range. For anyone that has it, have you noticed any difference in range one way or another?

 

[birdsquared]

I can understand not wanting to wade through the lengthy threads on the Acceleration boost....

The boost has no direct impact on efficiency or range. If you drive the car the exact same way, it will have the same range as before.

Now....indirectly, having the boost means that the desire to punch it off a green light is ever stronger, especially when there is a loud muscle car or sports car beside you. That will reduce your range, but not much, from my experience.

I bought the boost and highly recommend it. If you are already contemplating it, you will not be disappointed in it. Also, as a bonus, it balances out (slightly) the power of the front and rear motors, which may come in handy in AWD situations (like snow or ice).

 

[Amp776]

I can understand not wanting to wade through the lengthy threads on the Acceleration boost....

The boost has no direct impact on efficiency or range. If you drive the car the exact same way, it will have the same range as before.

Now....indirectly, having the boost means that the desire to punch it off a green light is ever stronger, especially when there is a loud muscle car or sports car beside you. That will reduce your range, but not much, from my experience.

I bought the boost and highly recommend it. If you are already contemplating it, you will not be disappointed in it. Also, as a bonus, it balances out (slightly) the power of the front and rear motors, which may come in handy in AWD situations (like snow or ice).

Thanks. That was pretty informative.

 

[pcons]

+1 to it being worth it, but not affecting the range if you don't lead foot it. Either way, even if you 'loose' 10 km of range per charge it's still more fun to drive, and the extra smiles are worth it.

 

[JPELKA]

Buy it. You have 48hrs to return for refund.
Wasn’t worth it to me. Yea it made a difference but not worth 2 grand.

 

[rsmphoto]

I bought it.
Tried it.
Returned it.
Now is miss it.
Guess I’ll be reordering.

 

[TwoK4drSi]

Just buy it. What else you gonna spend it on?

 

[SlimJim]

Just buy it. What else you gonna spend it on?

Coke and hookers?

 

[TwoK4drSi]

Coke and hookers?

They might have corona so I’d say boost is safer

 

[KenC]

I can understand not wanting to wade through the lengthy threads on the Acceleration boost....

The boost has no direct impact on efficiency or range. If you drive the car the exact same way, it will have the same range as before.

Now....indirectly, having the boost means that the desire to punch it off a green light is ever stronger, especially when there is a loud muscle car or sports car beside you. That will reduce your range, but not much, from my experience.

I bought the boost and highly recommend it. If you are already contemplating it, you will not be disappointed in it. Also, as a bonus, it balances out (slightly) the power of the front and rear motors, which may come in handy in AWD situations (like snow or ice).

Interesting. Has the power balancing between motors been documented?

 

[birdsquared]

Interesting. Has the power balancing between motors been documented?

Yes, in the long thread about the power boost, there is a link to an analysis of the impact of the upgrade, which, interestingly reduces (very slightly) the rear motor's power and increased the front.

 

[Knightshade]

Interesting. Has the power balancing between motors been documented?

I think he's talking about the fact peak power was reduced a little on the rear motor- and increased on the front-in the accel boost that's been shown with CANBUS data by WUGZ among others.

That's at WOT of course, I dunno if anyone has data on if that's throughout the entire range of accelerator use.

 

[Collier007]

+1 that it is worthwhile if the $2k is not a large amount of your discretionary income.

 

[luke68bird]

You will notice a drop in performance as the battery gets depleted. My 2018 had the same power full or almost empty when new. Now, 3 bumps in power later 80%+ charge is much more power VS nearly empty but I charge battery to 70% for daily needs. No negative difference in consumption post boost unlock.

 

[SammichLover]

My 2018 had the same power full or almost empty when new.

Be assured it did not. Just not enough difference for you to notice on the street over a variety of roads.

The power output is fairly stable until about 60% SOC, then it starts dropping a lot faster as the SOC falls. However new, without this purchased boost, you'll probably only notice that if you are repeatedly pushing it to the limit over the same extended distance of acceleration over and over, and noting the speed reached or doing a time. For example at a racing road track.

 

[JulienW]

...My 2018 had the same power full or almost empty when new....

All EV's performance (or power tools for instance) will degrade as the power/battery voltage goes down. As the voltage drops to probably about 3.5V or lower (or about 330V or so) the amperage/current will go down sharply. This is just physics.

 

[luke68bird]

Be assured it did not. Just not enough difference for you to notice on the street over a variety of roads.

The power output is fairly stable until about 60% SOC, then it starts dropping a lot faster as the SOC falls. However new, without this purchased boost, you'll probably only notice that if you are repeatedly pushing it to the limit over the same extended distance of acceleration over and over, and noting the speed reached or doing a time. For example at a racing road track.

Maybe it did have a little more power depending on state of charge when new but it was not noticeable. Now 90% VS 20% it's very obvious.

 

[Krash]

All EV's performance (or power tools for instance) will degrade as the power/battery voltage goes down. As the voltage drops to probably about 3.5V or lower (or about 330V or so) the amperage/current will go down sharply. This is just physics.

Tesla cars have a max power setting. When that max power setting is low you can run the battery down considerably and the performance is the same. As the cars get subsequent performance boosts that max power setting is increased, that buffer becomes smaller and decreases in state of charge drop below max power more easily and become noticeable.

 

[SammichLover]

Tesla cars have a max power setting. When that max power setting is low you can run the battery down considerably and the performance is the same. As the cars get subsequent performance boosts that max power setting is increased, that buffer becomes smaller and decreases in state of charge drop below max power more easily and become noticeable.

Correct. Power is V * I (current). The drive unit attempts to compensate for dropping voltage by opening up more current. What happens as the voltage drops is the current reaches the top safe limit, either out of the battery or in the conductors & electronics coming to the motor.

If you oversize those limiting factor parts, or put another way run your motors nearly always below their full potential, you can maintain a dead flat SOC vs motor output.

The reason the $2K boost shows more drop vs SOC is because the higher power output setting starts you closer to the ceiling.

PS This is almost certainly why Porsche went with a 800V system. Twice the V means you only need 1/2 the current for same results. Lower current allows getting by with smaller conductors & creates lower heat in the conductors.

 

[Mod3forMe]

I can understand not wanting to wade through the lengthy threads on the Acceleration boost....

The boost has no direct impact on efficiency or range. If you drive the car the exact same way, it will have the same range as before.

Now....indirectly, having the boost means that the desire to punch it off a green light is ever stronger, especially when there is a loud muscle car or sports car beside you. That will reduce your range, but not much, from my experience.

I bought the boost and highly recommend it. If you are already contemplating it, you will not be disappointed in it. Also, as a bonus, it balances out (slightly) the power of the front and rear motors, which may come in handy in AWD situations (like snow or ice).

Funny thing is there are enough Tesla's in my area that those muscle cars will longer even try to drag me.