Getting increasingly fewer miles per charge

[voip-ninja]

Because I actually believed the mileage range on the Tesla website..

If you drive in a spirited fashion then a gas burning car won't get the EPA rated range either, it's just a bit quicker to fill it up.

My 340i had something like 20 city 29 highway but that also assumes you don't run the air conditioner and for highway you drive something like 55-60 mph.

My real world fuel economy with that car was more like 18 mpg with 60% city/suburban driving. With a 16 gallon fuel tank this means the "real world" range was capped at about 320 miles.

If I still had that car then it would currently cost $80 to fill it at current fuel prices. The cost to charge my Model 3 fully is about $9.

 

[DanDi58]

If you drive in a spirited fashion then a gas burning car won't get the EPA rated range either, it's just a bit quicker to fill it up.

My 340i had something like 20 city 29 highway but that also assumes you don't run the air conditioner and for highway you drive something like 55-60 mph.

My real world fuel economy with that car was more like 18 mpg with 60% city/suburban driving. With a 16 gallon fuel tank this means the "real world" range was capped at about 320 miles.

If I still had that car then it would currently cost $80 to fill it at current fuel prices. The cost to charge my Model 3 fully is about $9.

It's interesting that we never believe the EPA ratings for an ICE vehicle yet are upset when Tesla (or any EV) doesn't meet the EPA ratings...!

 

[flstcgranucci]

This is what I have been doing and its actually working.

Tesla battery management system (BMS) calibration

Tesla battery management system (BMS) calibration instructions

tesla-info.com

 

[iamnid]

The estimated miles mean nothing and vary wildly. A few cycles of driving far and depleting the battery very low followed by a high charge and another depletion or two and you'll see that the BMS is better able to estimate the miles left. For this reason, many people suggest switching to percentage instead of miles. 80% is always going to be 80% regardless of what the BMS estimates the remaining miles to be (which never accurate anyway).

TLDR, there's nothing wrong with your vehicle.

 

[voip-ninja]

It's interesting that we never believe the EPA ratings for an ICE vehicle yet are upset when Tesla (or any EV) doesn't meet the EPA ratings...!

Anyone who asks me about my Tesla and starts getting into hypothetical range issues I almost always tell them it's not the car for them. It's not the car for you if you do a lot of range driving especially off the beaten path.

If like most people you usually do moderate length drives and do the occasional trip then the minor inconvenience of needing to charge it a little more frequently and for a longer period of time are a non issue.

IMHO.

 

[Msicario]

If you drive in a spirited fashion then a gas burning car won't get the EPA rated range either, it's just a bit quicker to fill it up.

My 340i had something like 20 city 29 highway but that also assumes you don't run the air conditioner and for highway you drive something like 55-60 mph.

My real world fuel economy with that car was more like 18 mpg with 60% city/suburban driving. With a 16 gallon fuel tank this means the "real world" range was capped at about 320 miles.

If I still had that car then it would currently cost $80 to fill it at current fuel prices. The cost to charge my Model 3 fully is about $9.

I totally get it; How many kWh for $9 ? and probably charging at home off peak hours I still own my faithful/reliable 7 year old Prius, still getting about 42mpg. About 450 range; No problem staying with fast running traffic.
I truly enjoy long drives without having to worry about where and when I need to stop to get enough juice to get me to the next charging station, while watching my speed limit.
Sometimes you get challenge by a Porsche, Hellcat, Vette, along the way and while you want to go for it, you suddenly realize, you might not make it to your next assigned charging station.

 

[jboy210]

It's interesting that we never believe the EPA ratings for an ICE vehicle yet are upset when Tesla (or any EV) doesn't meet the EPA ratings...!

Yes. People need to look at the EPA schedule for highway mileage testing shown on this page. Select the "highway" tab and look at the speeds. This is the schedule each manufactures uses. Is that matching the speeds at which people are complaining about the estimate? Drive faster, uphill, into headwind, etc. and you will not match the EPA highway mileage figure.

Start with these first and then add the BMS considerations.

 

[Msicario]

Yes. People need to look at the EPA schedule for highway mileage testing shown on this page. Select the "highway" tab and look at the speeds. This is the schedule each manufactures uses. Is that matching the speeds at which people are complaining about the estimate? Drive faster, uphill, into headwind, etc. and you will not match the EPA highway mileage figure.

Start with these first and then add the BMS considerations.

So the EPA testing is on a straight road, not going faster than 60mph, under ideal weather conditions, probably A/C off

 

[nate704]

Many people have sued the car manufacturers for not meeting the EPA mpg ratings in the past. Some succeeded and many failed.
It might be your chance to sue Tesla and see what happens.

 

[jboy210]

So the EPA testing is on a straight road, not going faster than 60mph, under ideal weather conditions, probably A/C off

No. It is in a lab on a dynamometer. The car is chained down and the wheels are pushing against computer-controlled rollers. The schedule is defined and very precise so that all cars are required do the exact same course. I am not sure about the car's environment control settings. See this story to see a picture of such a setup in action. Note, this picture shows verification testing for catching cheaters. Car makers have their own similar labs.

 

[xyeahtony]

Because I actually believed the mileage range on the Tesla website..

Tesla doesn't come up with the range figures on its website, its determined by the EPA thru a very specific testing cycle that likely does not take advantage of the raw power the performance vehicle has. I could get a Chevy Tahoe to get 40mpg if i drove it a certain way too. Rule of thumb is to take 80% of what the range says it is for "real world range," that has usually worked for me in most scenarios. So a 303mi range car, you'll probably get a good 230ish miles of real world driving the way you want assuming no wild weather.

 

[Msicario]

Tesla doesn't come up with the range figures on its website, its determined by the EPA thru a very specific testing cycle that likely does not take advantage of the raw power the performance vehicle has. I could get a Chevy Tahoe to get 40mpg if i drove it a certain way too. Rule of thumb is to take 80% of what the range says it is for "real world range," that has usually worked for me in most scenarios. So a 303mi range car, you'll probably get a good 230ish miles of real world driving the way you want assuming no wild weather.

YIKES, …seriously, if I would have known that, I would have not purchased my MYP

 

[jboy210]

YIKES, …seriously, if I would have known that, I would have not purchased my MYP

Every car you purchased previously was tested in the same way and performs similarly worse at higher speeds, colder temperatures, or inclines. As @xyeahtony points out this drop off is not unique to Tesla or EVs.

 

[Msicario]

Every car you purchased previously was tested in the same way and performs similarly worse at higher speeds, colder temperatures, or inclines. As @xyeahtony points out this drop off is not unique to Tesla or EVs.

I guess with ICE cars it wasn’t all that noticeable/important because there are gas stations everywhere and gas prices were not all that crazy.. things have certainly changed

 

[nate704]

If you are concerned about the range, don’t buy EVs. Buy a Prius and laugh at the EV owners.
BTW, please don’t block the passing lane or drive 20 mph under the speed limit while thousands of cars crawling behind you in one or two lane roads. =)

 

[Msicario]

If you are concerned about the range, don’t buy EVs. Buy a Prius and laugh at the EV owners.
BTW, please don’t block the passing lane or drive 20 mph under the speed limit while thousands of cars crawling behind you in one or two lane roads. =)

Ha Ha Ha That’s really funny.. I’ve passed up many Teslas trying to conserve juice to make it to the next SC..lol Prius can do easily a steady 95mph and the CHP won’t even notice them.. I’ll be at my destination hours before you get there.

 

[nate704]

Ha Ha Ha That’s really funny.. I’ve passed up many Teslas trying to conserve juice to make it to the next SC..lol Prius can do easily a steady 95mph and the CHP won’t even notice them.. I’ll be at my destination hours before you get there.

I didn’t know Prius can go faster than 40 mph. =)

 

[SilentWarp]

Charge to 90% like tesla says and ignore the so called internet “experts”

This is especially true if you lease .
For the rest of us, not so much. And unrelated, don't buy a formally-leased Tesla.

 

[jboy210]

I guess with ICE cars it wasn’t all that noticeable/important because there are gas stations everywhere and gas prices were not all that crazy.. things have certainly changed

Agreed. And as the density of high speed chargers grows this will also be less and less of an issue for EVs. Even now for me in NorCal it is pretty much a non-issue for day to day driving and trips in the greater Bay Area and Central Valley. I can charge at home or when on the go pop into one of the Superchargers. There are 6 SC locations within 15 miles of my house, some with 12 or so V3 stalls.

 

[Msicario]

Agreed. And as the density of high speed chargers grows this will also be less and less of an issue for EVs. Even now for me in NorCal it is pretty much a non-issue for day to day driving and trips in the greater Bay Area and Central Valley. I can charge at home or when on the go pop into one of the Superchargers. There are 6 SC locations within 15 miles of my house, some with 12 or so V3 stalls.

That’s great; While visiting my daughter in Chandler AZ, I couldn’t find any SC in the greater West Valley ( Tempe, Mesa, Gilbert, Queen Creek) Unbelievable