Front motor rarely used in city driving and not used for regen

[Daniel in SD]

We haven't seen any complaints that the front motor doesn't work in snow or other adverse conditions calling for AWD so what is the point here?

There are a couple threads with people complaining about this and asking for a true AWD mode for winter driving. It's pretty obvious if you drive the car in icy conditions.
I thought the AWD has more regen braking the RWD? I wonder if the test hit maximum regenerative braking.
I feel the front motor torque all the time under heavy throttle.

Also I notice a little pitching forward just like in friction braking (because of the fronts) that wouldn't happen from rear (dragging) only. Do others (AWD) notice this?

The weight transfer (pitching) is independent of which wheels are braking. Weight transfer - Wikipedia

 

[KenC]

Makes sense that the car is rear-biased, shouldn't be a surprise.

 

[diamond.g]

Yes, I've read most of that but I still can't see a definitive answer to the question: "How do I connect an OBD scan tool to my 2019 Model 3?"

How did this guy in China do it?

I think you're currently out of luck unless your the DIY type.

evtv.me has what you are looking for. Retails for ~300USD. Allows you to plug in a ODBII reader to the ODBII port the unit provides you. I believe it also allows you to read other CANBUS data as well outside what most ODBII apps read.

 

[bedoig]

evtv.me has what you are looking for. Retails for ~300USD. Allows you to plug in a ODBII reader to the ODBII port the unit provides you. I believe it also allows you to read other CANBUS data as well outside what most ODBII apps read.

He said 2019 Model 3, though. I don't think they have one for the new connectors yet.

 

[diamond.g]

He said 2019 Model 3, though. I don't think they have one for the new connectors yet.

EVTV Motor Verks Store: Tesla Model 3 OBDII Adapter, OEM Electric Vehicle Items, Model3OBDII2019

They have a 2019 version. I think either the connector or the pinout is different from the 2018 version.

 

[Dangerous Fish]

EVTV Motor Verks Store: Tesla Model 3 OBDII Adapter, OEM Electric Vehicle Items, Model3OBDII2019

They have a 2019 version. I think either the connector or the pinout is different from the 2018 version.

Yes, they have pre and post Jan 2019 versions, so I've ordered one. Hope it all works!

 

[ivyvy]

There are a couple threads with people complaining about this and asking for a true AWD mode for winter driving. It's pretty obvious if you drive the car in icy conditions.
I thought the AWD has more regen braking the RWD? I wonder if the test hit maximum regenerative braking.
I feel the front motor torque all the time under heavy throttle.

The weight transfer (pitching) is independent of which wheels are braking. Weight transfer - Wikipedia

I hope Tesla dev team release snow mode where the car actually use front motor and won’t slide when turning corners. Last winter, I couldn’t take the 3 up winter park as the “AWD” is barely functional compared to other AWD.

 

[pdx_m3s]

Well, why would you want to use a less efficient motor (front induction motor) when you don't have to? The front motor only needs to be used for high performance and/or low traction situations. The switched reluctance motor at the back is far more efficient for daily driving tasks.

 

[justsomeguy]

It seems that in periods of super weak Regen (sub 20mph for example) the front motor could be used to increase the deceleration could it not?

 

[PhaseWhite]

Well, why would you want to use a less efficient motor (front induction motor) when you don't have to? The front motor only needs to be used for high performance and/or low traction situations. The switched reluctance motor at the back is far more efficient for daily driving tasks.

This ++

Tesla is prioritizing the rear motor to improve efficiency. This is the same reason to use it for regen braking. As other's have commented it would be nice to have the ability to adjust the torque bias for winter/low traction environments.

 

[happyzod]

People ask why the I-Pace has such horrible efficiency. This is why!

 

[diamond.g]

Well, why would you want to use a less efficient motor (front induction motor) when you don't have to? The front motor only needs to be used for high performance and/or low traction situations. The switched reluctance motor at the back is far more efficient for daily driving tasks.

It would be interesting to see if the Ravens are mostly front wheel drive...

 

[FastFreddie]

After reading this thread am glad we got the LR-RWD, plus we live in the land of no snow or ice and limited wet roads.

 

[mongo]

It would be interesting to see if the Ravens are mostly front wheel drive...

They are, otherwise they would not have gotten the range boost from the front motor change.

Non-Raven DP version S/X were also usually front wheel drive
New AWD Motor Info from fueleconomy.gov

 

[Saghost]

It would be interesting to see if the Ravens are mostly front wheel drive...

They are, at least from my limited testing with the L+ stats page.

It pushes a little power to the rear at launch even with fairly gentle starts, but quickly goes to all front motor for loads that are well below the front motor's power and traction limits.

80+ kW of regen all on the front motor at 70 mph, the same amount split about 80% front at 50 mph.

 

[WarpedOne]

So... how long until someone starts offering FMR service on M3D?
FMR being FrontMotorRemoval ... improve range, efficiency and tirewear with almost no performance degradation.

If Tesla needs $$$ they could sell RWDLR at the same price as AWD.
I'd still order an RWD, it is just a better car without AWD PR BS.

 

[Saghost]

So... how long until someone starts offering FMR service on M3D?
FMR being FrontMotorRemoval ... improve range, efficiency and tirewear with almost no performance degradation.

If Tesla needs $$$ they could sell RWDLR at the same price as AWD.
I'd still order an RWD, it is just a better car without AWD PR BS.

It's the almost no performance degradation part that'll get them in trouble. Almost no difference in gentle driving in good weather, sure.

But go hooning around a couple corners or get into a low traction environment and the differences become stark.

 

[mongo]

It's the almost no performance degradation part that'll get them in trouble. Almost no difference in gentle driving in good weather, sure.

But go hooning around a couple corners or get into a low traction environment and the differences become stark.

Time to go back to locking hubs?

 

[Watts_Up]

That’s why we seen AWD have their rear tires wore out a bit faster even accounting for weight transfer during acceleration.
I have AWD and this seems plausible.
I do hear front motor when I stump on accelerator.
Maybe there is still more juice to squeeze from these babies if both motors work at lower speed.

This is something that I also noticed, I can hear the front motor when I am accelerating very hard hard.

I'm not sure about the exact spelling definition, It seems that
- the Model 3 is an All Wheel Drive system (the front motor is only activated when needed)
- by opposition to an 4 Wheel Drive system (where all the wheels are always engaged)

This follow the current trend, which improve efficiency versus improving driving on slippery condition.
There are some interesting articles dealic this topic:

Audi’s new-for-2016 ‘Quattro with Ultra’ all-wheel-drive system
What You Need to Know About All-Wheel Drive and Four-Wheel Drive​

>> SSedan said: ↑
>> We haven't seen any complaints that the front motor doesn't work in snow or other adverse conditions
>> calling for AWD so what is the point here?

There are a couple threads with people complaining about this and asking for a true AWD mode for winter driving.
It's pretty obvious if you drive the car in icy conditions.
I thought the AWD has more regen braking the RWD? I wonder if the test hit maximum regenerative braking.
I feel the front motor torque all the time under heavy throttle.

I hope Tesla dev team release snow mode where the car actually use front motor and won’t slide when turning corners.
Last winter, I couldn’t take the 3 up winter park as the “AWD” is barely functional compared to other AWD.

Time to go back to locking hubs?

There are good tests for various AWD cars on rollers showing that the the Model 3 AWD passes the 'single front wheel'
but it takes a little bit of time, while BMW and Audi had problem with it.

A Snow Mode for the Model 3 would be certainly useful.

 

[JulienW]

...
- the Model 3 is an All Wheel Drive system (the front motor is only activated when needed)
- by opposition to an 4 Wheel Drive system (where all the wheels are always engaged)....

Generally 4 wheel drive has locking differentials so equal torque is always going to all 4 wheels. This is why you can't use 4 wheel drive at higher speed on pavement. AWD systems are all over the map and can use may different methods of controlling torque vectoring. I think Tesla uses motor control (of course) with brake vectoring.