Break in time?

[Joe G]

Is there a time period where the car will get better ranger as you drive it? Or does it have more to do with the way you drive it?
We have had our car for about a week and a half and we are getting better range now.

 

[woodisgood]

It's the way you drive it. It takes a little bit of experience to learn how to feather the pedal for maximum regenerative braking.

Of course, the new tires are particularly sticky when you first get the car too.

EDIT: Congrats!

 

[5_+JqckQttqck]

Your tires(new) gets broken in - "slippery coating" wears off the outside of the threads. So more regen, less braking.

 

[Kirby64]

It's likely the tire coating, as mentioned, combined with your driving habits. Most tire manufacturers say its about 500mi before tires are 'broken in'. If your range isn't what is expected, then a driver adjustment may be required

 

[ngogas]

You’re not driving like you stole it. Lead feet will fix this range increase you are seeing. Lol

 

[Joe G]

Thanks everyone, that all makes a lot of sense now!!

 

[Joe G]

You’re not driving like you stole it. Lead feet will fix this range increase you are seeing. Lol

hahaha how did you know!!

 

[lolder]

There will be a few percent improvement in range the first few months but then the battery degrades a few percent the first year. Speed, temperature, winds obscure all those effects.

 

[PoitNarf]

Also if this is your first EV you may be getting used to using regenerative braking. The more you get used to it the better you will utilize it which in turn will lead to better range.

 

[M3Nicola]

If you’re like me and this is your first EV, then your range is poor because you’re having too much fun with the amazing acceleration I’ve never had a lead foot until this car!

 

[ewoodrick]

Is there a time period where the car will get better ranger as you drive it? Or does it have more to do with the way you drive it?
We have had our car for about a week and a half and we are getting better range now.

I tell newcomers to not even think about range for a month. It often takes that long to settle into a normal driving habit. I'm pretty sure that everyone has hit the accelerator hard on the first drive home.

There is some degradation with temperatures, up to around 30%, even as far south as Atlanta when things get cold. Short trips also hurt, and climbing up and down hills make a difference.

But do yourself a favor, PLEASE don't even think about the efficiency and range for a month. Turn the battery icon to per cent instead of miles. Drive it like you have always driven your cars. You don't have to worry about the battery, fill it like you did a gas tank, except now you get to plug in at home or work (hopefully).

You've got range anxiety, got to get over it. Take a trip to Phoenix and back without charging. Or better yet, up to Kingman and charge. Weather should be getting good, time to get out and enjoy the world. Kingman is only 130 mile and easily reached by the SR cars and even round tripable with the LR batteries.
Heck, just get in the car and ask it to Navigate to Washington DC and see what it's response it. If you are a SR, There may be a few problems getting the New Mexico on a SR battery, but not an issue on a LR.

 

[Joe G]

If you’re like me and this is your first EV, then your range is poor because you’re having too much fun with the amazing acceleration I’ve never had a lead foot until this car!

This is a very true statement lol. It is a lot of fun to drive.

 

[Joe G]

I tell newcomers to not even think about range for a month. It often takes that long to settle into a normal driving habit. I'm pretty sure that everyone has hit the accelerator hard on the first drive home.

There is some degradation with temperatures, up to around 30%, even as far south as Atlanta when things get cold. Short trips also hurt, and climbing up and down hills make a difference.

But do yourself a favor, PLEASE don't even think about the efficiency and range for a month. Turn the battery icon to per cent instead of miles. Drive it like you have always driven your cars. You don't have to worry about the battery, fill it like you did a gas tank, except now you get to plug in at home or work (hopefully).

You've got range anxiety, got to get over it. Take a trip to Phoenix and back without charging. Or better yet, up to Kingman and charge. Weather should be getting good, time to get out and enjoy the world. Kingman is only 130 mile and easily reached by the SR cars and even round tripable with the LR batteries.
Heck, just get in the car and ask it to Navigate to Washington DC and see what it's response it. If you are a SR, There may be a few problems getting the New Mexico on a SR battery, but not an issue on a LR.

My wife has extreme range anxiety, she works 40 miles from our home, so its 80 miles round trip. She wanted to take the charger with her to work so she could charge it from a plug so she would be able to get back home. Luckily she's getting use to driving it and her anxiety is going down. We have plans to make a trip to Flagstaff this summer. We do have the LR M3 because I did want to a lot of traveling in it so we will see how it all works out

 

[ewoodrick]

My wife has extreme range anxiety, she works 40 miles from our home, so its 80 miles round trip. She wanted to take the charger with her to work so she could charge it from a plug so she would be able to get back home. Luckily she's getting use to driving it and her anxiety is going down. We have plans to make a trip to Flagstaff this summer. We do have the LR M3 because I did want to a lot of traveling in it so we will see how it all works out

If you are using the UMC at home, I'd recommend getting another for the car. Relatively cheap insurance. There's always the possibility that something out of the ordinary occurs and she need more from the car. I use mine when parked at the airport and when parked on trips. Sure, I could use one, but it is always nicer to not to have to remember things.

You definitely need to take a weekend trip, or something to extend the range. In our 88 mile Leaf, we took what was about a 65 mile trip. We made it there. But had an broken DC Fast Charger and the J-1772 were ICE'd. While we had some other options, going to them would take us very close to 0. So we finagled the cord around and got plugged in. Got charged and made it back home. The little town of Clayton Georgia is a mountain town and a great place to chill for the time it took us to charge on the J-1772.

In other words, Plan A failed, Plan B failed, but we got back home and had a quite enjoyable adventure doing it.

All along, we knew, that at an absolute minimum, we had 120V charging available and we'd have to stay overnight.

That went a long way at defeating range anxiety and was a great adventure.

But in this case, the Model 3 LR tends to suck. It takes a 4 hour drive to run that damn thing down to near 0, makes for a really long trip.

18,000 miles in less than a year. From Atlanta to Ft Lauderdale, From Atlanta to Jackson MS to Destin FL and back. Multiple trips to Knoxville TN. Trip from Atlanta to Dayton Oh coming up next month. Been back to Clayton on roads that many Jeeps wouldn't go, driving around, looking at houses all day and back to Atlanta on a single charge.

 

[Mod3forMe]

If you are using the UMC at home, I'd recommend getting another for the car. Relatively cheap insurance. There's always the possibility that something out of the ordinary occurs and she need more from the car. I use mine when parked at the airport and when parked on trips. Sure, I could use one, but it is always nicer to not to have to remember things.

You definitely need to take a weekend trip, or something to extend the range. In our 88 mile Leaf, we took what was about a 65 mile trip. We made it there. But had an broken DC Fast Charger and the J-1772 were ICE'd. While we had some other options, going to them would take us very close to 0. So we finagled the cord around and got plugged in. Got charged and made it back home. The little town of Clayton Georgia is a mountain town and a great place to chill for the time it took us to charge on the J-1772.

In other words, Plan A failed, Plan B failed, but we got back home and had a quite enjoyable adventure doing it.

All along, we knew, that at an absolute minimum, we had 120V charging available and we'd have to stay overnight.

That went a long way at defeating range anxiety and was a great adventure.

But in this case, the Model 3 LR tends to suck. It takes a 4 hour drive to run that damn thing down to near 0, makes for a really long trip.

18,000 miles in less than a year. From Atlanta to Ft Lauderdale, From Atlanta to Jackson MS to Destin FL and back. Multiple trips to Knoxville TN. Trip from Atlanta to Dayton Oh coming up next month. Been back to Clayton on roads that many Jeeps wouldn't go, driving around, looking at houses all day and back to Atlanta on a single charge.

IF you going to buy a second mobile connector, consider a mounted charger for home. The price is not much more than the mobile connector