Disappointing Range on a New Model 3

[Montfleur]

My Tesla 3 extended range is now a month old and is used mostly for in-city driving. I have now charged it 3 times and the range that I am getting in "chill" mode is pretty disappointing given that I am in my mid 70's and have a light foot.

It's parked in a heated garage in my home and I charged it to 90% capacity last night. I drove to St Lawrence Market and back home this morning - a total of 12km and the energy graph shows that I have 210 km range left and the outside temp. today is about 3 degrees celsius. When I started out this morning it showed that I had 480km range available.

So far I love driving the vehicle, but the range is certainly something that would make me reconsider trading it in in 3 years for a Model Y, which is far more appropriate for transporting my two beloved dogs. I guess that in 3 years I would have far more options from other manufacturers to choose from!

 

[YusufT]

You took short trips without preheating the vehicle in the winter? Sounds about right. You need to realize all the additional things you use that consume energy(sentry mode, heat). The car will try to heat the cabin and battery up and that uses energy. You took a short trip without letting the battery fully heat, then took another short trip without preheating.

 

[darkenergy]

YusufT is on point.

Cabin set temperature would also affect the battery usage. We keep ours at 18C and use the seat heaters in the winter. Super comfortable as far as we're concerned. Running high temp will be like running a hair dryer, gluttonous for power.

If you're in a private garage and figure the car is safe you can set sentry mode to be 'off' at home, or for any location. That will save power when you are not using the car.

Teslas definitely do consume power when on standby, but we're generally only charging 1-2x per week. Although we do drive our other EV for work purposes.

I'd also comment that stop and start driving means you'll have to accelerate from a standstill. That momentum is energy. Turning regen to high and giving it time to slow down without active breaking will also help your range.

 

[Casmium]

In the winter I find you end up using the same amount of charge weather you drive 12 or 50 km each way since most of the energy in the winter will go to just warming up the car to begin with. Once spring rolls around you'll see your range not disappear so quickly. I still find its much cheaper to charge then what I paid in gas coats.

 

[YusufT]

In the winter I find you end up using the same amount of charge weather you drive 12 or 50 km each way since most of the energy in the winter will go to just warming up the car to begin with. Once spring rolls around you'll see your range not disappear so quickly. I still find its much cheaper to charge then what I paid in gas coats.

Incorrect. Driving 12 or 50km is not the same. The vehicle will try to warm the battery up to a certain temperature. The battery will not get a chance to warm up within the 12km, so it will be warming up the entire time which is high usage. But let’s say within the 50km it warms up, you now have regen for better efficiency for rest of the drive. The battery is also no longer heating itself so less usage for that too. Preheating before you leave helps a lot, especially if you’re already plugged in.

 

[Lon12]

I don't think I've seen the model 3 actively heating the battery from just driving (Using ScanMyTesla). I do see it when charging, preheating, or navigating to a Supercharger.

 

[bijan]

Incorrect. Driving 12 or 50km is not the same. The vehicle will try to warm the battery up to a certain temperature. The battery will not get a chance to warm up within the 12km, so it will be warming up the entire time which is high usage. But let’s say within the 50km it warms up, you now have regen for better efficiency for rest of the drive. The battery is also no longer heating itself so less usage for that too. Preheating before you leave helps a lot, especially if you’re already plugged in.

I think he is hyperbolically stating that it uses the same amount of total energy to go 12km as 50km since it's doing extra heating you mention at the start.

 

[bijan]

I don't think I've seen the model 3 actively heating the battery from just driving (Using ScanMyTesla). I do see it when charging, preheating, or navigating to a Supercharger.

It happens when battery temperature is below -7C. Target active heat is generally -7C when not plugged in.

 

[S4WRXTTCS]

I'm totally confused.

I don't understand how a 12km trip would cause the range to drop so much.

I routinely drive a short commute during the winter, and the efficiency is horrible. But it doesn't eat up that much.

As example yesterday I drove 8.8 miles to work, and I used 13.22 miles of range. I drove back after work, and used a bit more since I went a different way to get my Friday night burger.

All told I went from 234 miles range to 202 miles.

I think the OP should use something like Teslafi to narrow down where he's losing so much range.

 

[S4WRXTTCS]

It happens when battery temperature is below -7C. Target active heat is generally -7C when not plugged in.

That seems correct from my own unintended observations.

Unintended meaning that I left the car outside and suddenly saw it using much more power on really cold nights. But, it hasn't happened recently since its been well over 0C.

I also don't see the loss over night when I leave it in the garage.

 

[S4WRXTTCS]

I don't think I've seen the model 3 actively heating the battery from just driving (Using ScanMyTesla). I do see it when charging, preheating, or navigating to a Supercharger.

The Model 3 actually uses its drive electronics to heat the battery.

It can even do it when parked (the preheating).
Tesla Model 3: Exclusive first look at Tesla's new battery pack architecture - Electrek

 

[Casmium]

2

I think he is hyperbolically stating that it uses the same amount of total energy to go 12km as 50km since it's doing extra heating you mention at the start.

Yes, that's exacy what I meant.

 

[ewoodrick]

New user
Winter months
Expect 30% degradation
Don't worry about battery for at least a month.

 

[Lon12]

The Model 3 actually uses its drive electronics to heat the battery.

It can even do it when parked (the preheating).
Tesla Model 3: Exclusive first look at Tesla's new battery pack architecture - Electrek

I don't understand why you quoted my post for that information? I was not discussing how it heats. Just when it heats.

 

[Montfleur]

My Tesla 3 extended range is now a month old and is used mostly for in-city driving. I have now charged it 3 times and the range that I am getting in "chill" mode is pretty disappointing given that I am in my mid 70's and have a light foot.

It's parked in a heated garage in my home and I charged it to 90% capacity last night. I drove to St Lawrence Market and back home this morning - a total of 12km and the energy graph shows that I have 210 km range left and the outside temp. today is about 3 degrees celsius. When I started out this morning it showed that I had 480km range available.

So far I love driving the vehicle, but the range is certainly something that would make me reconsider trading it in in 3 years for a Model Y, which is far more appropriate for transporting my two beloved dogs. I guess that in 3 years I would have far more options from other manufacturers to choose from!

Thanks!

 

[Montfleur]

YusufT is on point.

Cabin set temperature would also affect the battery usage. We keep ours at 18C and use the seat heaters in the winter. Super comfortable as far as we're concerned. Running high temp will be like running a hair dryer, gluttonous for power.

If you're in a private garage and figure the car is safe you can set sentry mode to be 'off' at home, or for any location. That will save power when you are not using the car.

Teslas definitely do consume power when on standby, but we're generally only charging 1-2x per week. Although we do drive our other EV for work purposes.

I'd also comment that stop and start driving means you'll have to accelerate from a standstill. That momentum is energy. Turning regen to high and giving it time to slow down without active breaking will also help your range.

 

[Montfleur]

Thanks. the temp is set at 19, sentry mode is off, howveever I do not pre-heat.

 

[GtiMart]

Battery active heating happens when the battery temp is under 10C (50F) from the values I see in ScanMyTesla. No active heating once you drive, but the engines generate heat from driving and the "coolant" circulates to heat the battery eith that heat.
OP might be comparing rated range of the battery e.g. 480km with the consumption tab's estimated range e.g. 210km upon return. Battery rated range is just a proxy for percentage full. The power graph will show what the car thinks you'll really do based on the last 10/25/50km driven.

 

[Montfleur]

Thanks all for your responses! Notwithstanding my concerns regarding range, it is still much cheaper to run than gas, I really did not buy it for that purpose - more out of concern for the environment, however I do wonder about battery disposal at the end of it's life.

 

[Webeevdrivers]

Incorrect. Driving 12 or 50km is not the same. The vehicle will try to warm the battery up to a certain temperature. The battery will not get a chance to warm up within the 12km, so it will be warming up the entire time which is high usage. But let’s say within the 50km it warms up, you now have regen for better efficiency for rest of the drive. The battery is also no longer heating itself so less usage for that too. Preheating before you leave helps a lot, especially if you’re already plugged in.

Preheating the interior or the battery. Can the latter be done manually? What are the “best practices” for this type of environment. Have patience with me. I’m used to just hitting preheat on the leaf app.