As TexasEV said. Rated range is just a simple fuel gauge like on a gas car. Does your gas car fuel gauge take in all factors like weather...etc? I just keep the car in percentage mode now and when traveling put my destination in the Nav and look at the estimate on what percentage I should arrive at. I keep an eye on predicted and actual and how fast they diverge. If that happens I slow down or do something else.
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As TexasEV said. Rated range is just a simple fuel gauge like on a gas car. Does your gas car fuel gauge take in all factors like weather...etc? I just keep the car in percentage mode now and when traveling put my destination in the Nav and look at the estimate on what percentage I should arrive at. I keep an eye on predicted and actual and how fast they diverge. If that happens I slow down or do something else.
Actually, my previous ICE cars had miles remaining based on the economy in the last n miles driven, AND a fuel percentage. The EPA estimated range went right into the trash with the monroney sticker...
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You know what, this sh** isn't rocket surgery. There's some data gathering and math involved, but the car should show you estimated city AND highway range based on previous driving patterns and temperature. Ideal should become EPA, never to be used by anyone again.
I usually target 384Wh/mile or 240Wh/km around 32F weather with no headwind. Maybe you can display energy graph and try not to consume energy over 384 (or 390). But if you are using autopilot, the only way you can reduce your power usage without heat compromise, is to reduce speed. If you are not using autopilot, you have some ways to save power - for example, set regen to normal, slightly slow down uphill, coast on downhill, minimize use of regen and never use brakes.
Panoz
Member
Just last week I experienced a 40% overhead when driving 170 miles in 12 degree F weather. I'm going to take the advice of a previous comment on this thread and charge DOUBLE the range I need when it's 32 degrees F or colder.
cpa
Active Member
It seems to me that an interim, quick fix for Tesla on its range estimator (trip tab) would be to have the trip tab display a chart for wh/mile to reach the next destination. For example, if the destination is 135 miles away, the software would estimate that at 75% SOC 320wh/mile means we arrive with 15%. 340 wh/mile -- 10%. 365 wh/mile -- 3%. (All figures just made up.) It would not factor in wind or climate (no change from the current iteration) but at least it would give the driver some understanding of a target wh/mile to try to attain during the leg.
This feature would permit the driver to have a choice when charging: Increase the SOC upon departure and be able to afford a higher wh/mile, or leave with a smaller SOC but be more attentive to energy usage.
This feature would permit the driver to have a choice when charging: Increase the SOC upon departure and be able to afford a higher wh/mile, or leave with a smaller SOC but be more attentive to energy usage.
HankLloydRight
No Roads
I frequently travel between Columbus and Cincinnati, and have had similar experiences with range uncertainty. I agree with the OP - traveling at the posted 70mph on parts of I-71 is impractical... traffic flows more like 80mph in some of the more rural areas.
On the topic of pre-heating, on cold weather days would the battery stay warm during supercharging or would it be advisable to flip on the cabin heat (even if I'm not in the vehicle) to keep the battery heater from drawing too much power after charging?
On the topic of pre-heating, on cold weather days would the battery stay warm during supercharging or would it be advisable to flip on the cabin heat (even if I'm not in the vehicle) to keep the battery heater from drawing too much power after charging?
It does do this, but not via Wh/mile. The car will tell you "drive less than 70 mph to reach destination" in a yellow box on the nav and on the IC. This is easier to deal with for the average person, compared to the technicality of Wh/mi. It does not take into account weather changes, but does take into account the current Wh/mi in relation to speed, which will take into account temperature and wind.
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Charging generates heat, so you're good there. But I make it a point during Supercharging to raise the temp in the cabin in winter to a higher level (say, 78 degrees or so) so that the loss of heat is minimized as 4 kids and 2 adults are piling back in.
Joules Verne
Member
Vigile, I had the same experience as you.
I had an overnight P85D test drive, which was awesome.
I took a road trip from the boston area to cape code, about 90 miles each way.
The car is rated for 253 miles (although it was charged to 207 miles), so I figured I *could* go back and forth without charging if I wanted. However, I wanted to tryout the supercharger experience, and factored-in a stop at the Sagamore supercharger.
With the cold weather (30 degrees) and my spirited driving (who drives 60 on a highway? and in a Tesla?), I watched that little battery icon drain much quicker than expected. The stop at the supercharger ended-up being necessary... both ways!
The estimated miles rating proved to be useless.
Reading all the posts in this thread, I now understand why. However, it doesn't really excuse the fact that Tesla does not take environmental conditions into account (it is a computer after all, and it has the data). I do think it started taking my spirited driving into account, as it learned I like the number 80 (I was careful not to take it to 88).
The test drive experience overall was great, but the BIG (and important) thing it did was change my expectations of the Model S range capabilities under real world conditions. Something new for me to think about.
I had an overnight P85D test drive, which was awesome.
I took a road trip from the boston area to cape code, about 90 miles each way.
The car is rated for 253 miles (although it was charged to 207 miles), so I figured I *could* go back and forth without charging if I wanted. However, I wanted to tryout the supercharger experience, and factored-in a stop at the Sagamore supercharger.
With the cold weather (30 degrees) and my spirited driving (who drives 60 on a highway? and in a Tesla?), I watched that little battery icon drain much quicker than expected. The stop at the supercharger ended-up being necessary... both ways!
The estimated miles rating proved to be useless.
Reading all the posts in this thread, I now understand why. However, it doesn't really excuse the fact that Tesla does not take environmental conditions into account (it is a computer after all, and it has the data). I do think it started taking my spirited driving into account, as it learned I like the number 80 (I was careful not to take it to 88).
The test drive experience overall was great, but the BIG (and important) thing it did was change my expectations of the Model S range capabilities under real world conditions. Something new for me to think about.
green1
Active Member
Maybe that's partly because of the range mode. if it's on while charging and preheating the car doesn't pre-heat the pack like it does when range mode is off, which paradoxically reduces range instead of increasing it...
Very few car manufacturers will state how your EPA gas mileage will go down in the winter time drastically, and how factors like heating will impact range too.
Teslas also seem to do far better in winter than other EVs. My Leaf goes from about 100-110 city miles in the summer with AC, down to about 60 miles city (heat always running) when it's 20 or below. Pre-heating my car doesn't help all that much except for getting the cabin temperature high before departure. My car will still show me 70-80+ miles of range after charging it up until it catches up to reality, trip after trip.
I'm sure they're working on a more advanced trip planner to help out, though, but as a low-range EV driver myself a lot of the tips and tricks given by people here can definitely help out. I can't even make the Columbus to Cincy drive in the summertime unless I spend 4 hours at a level2 charger in Dayton, inbetween the two cities.
Teslas also seem to do far better in winter than other EVs. My Leaf goes from about 100-110 city miles in the summer with AC, down to about 60 miles city (heat always running) when it's 20 or below. Pre-heating my car doesn't help all that much except for getting the cabin temperature high before departure. My car will still show me 70-80+ miles of range after charging it up until it catches up to reality, trip after trip.
I'm sure they're working on a more advanced trip planner to help out, though, but as a low-range EV driver myself a lot of the tips and tricks given by people here can definitely help out. I can't even make the Columbus to Cincy drive in the summertime unless I spend 4 hours at a level2 charger in Dayton, inbetween the two cities.
Joules Verne
Member
Thats true, but they also do not have the estimated range displayed right there on the dashboard either.
If you're going to tell me how many miles I have left, you might as well be smart about it and factor-in the variables you know.
Given range anxiety is a thing with this technology, Tesla's goal with this metric should be to help the driver manage their trip to the best of their ability. BTW, I understand they want this too, they just are not there yet - at least not for novices like me.
I don't think estimated range is displayed on the dash -- rated range is -- that is the range you'd get if your consumption matched the EPA test cycle (which is pretty low speeds, fair weather, etc). To get more accurate range estimates, you have to look at the energy app. That will take your last 5, 15, or 30 miles of driving and project range based on your consumption for those periods. Or you can set a nav destination, and look at the Trip Tab of the Energy App to see how your actual consumption is compared to predicted consumption. (Trip seems to take speed and elevation into consideration when calculating energy consumption for a nav destination).
green1
Active Member
My F150 work truck did, and it was chronically over-estimating the remaining range by almost double. The MS is quite accurate by comparison.
My new Dodge Ram C/V for work also has one, I haven't had it long enough yet to gauge accuracy, but at least this one seems to take average usage in to account unlike the Ford.
No, I was factoring in Louisville being there. In the winter, I simply can't make it home from Louisville at 225 miles distance - even to the hunting lodge, at 197 miles, is iffy in the cold weather if winds are out of the north and/or west. In the summer it will cut 130 miles each way by going through Louisville instead of Indy.
