Our MX75 only got about 200 miles range, so I like to have at least 15% on arrival. That would be about 30 miles. My wife just drove home yesterday and she told me before her 55 miles trip home, the estimator shows 20 miles (10%) left when she got home. She said she got 3 miles (1.5%) left on the gauge when she pulled into the garage.
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How low are you comfortable going on range estimator on a trip?
- Thread starter Blacktes24
- Start date
I've seen a few comments about the speeds used by the car's navigation in order to make its estimates. I always assumed it used the posted speed limits.
If that is the case, if your car is more efficient than average, then you're going to be able to match the trip consumption line at higher speeds than posted, and vice versa, if your car is less efficient than average, etc. I routinely can match the trip consumption graph at speeds about 10mph above posted limits, as my all-season snow tires, Vredestein Quatrac5, seem to be as efficient, if not more efficient than my OEMs. Using the calibration feature in ABRP, I can see my custom efficiency at 65mph is 235Wh/mile, so very efficient at highway speeds.
If that is the case, if your car is more efficient than average, then you're going to be able to match the trip consumption line at higher speeds than posted, and vice versa, if your car is less efficient than average, etc. I routinely can match the trip consumption graph at speeds about 10mph above posted limits, as my all-season snow tires, Vredestein Quatrac5, seem to be as efficient, if not more efficient than my OEMs. Using the calibration feature in ABRP, I can see my custom efficiency at 65mph is 235Wh/mile, so very efficient at highway speeds.
funny story: when traveling from Taos / NM back to Dallas area on Memorial Day Monday... we had *insane* tailwinds blowing us east from Taos to Clayton / NM Supercharger - while going 75mph+. When supercharging in Clayton the navigation onboard told us that we will *skip* Amarillo SC and make it straight to Childress SC instead (a 245 mile drive). Obviously a stretch by any means and after only 10 minutes on the road towards Amarillo and going still my 75mph+ ... but with a now different wind direction.... the system very quickly rerouted us to Amarillo SC.
I like to have at least 20 miles to spare.
However, when I drive to a non-Tesla fast charger, I check for an alternative and try to have at least 10 miles left at the alternative, in case the first one fails.
I also check the energy screen and drive more slowly if consumption is higher than predicted. In the worst case I drive behind a truck, which has happened only very rarely so far.
Percentages are not meaningful here, because their meaning differs from car to car.
However, when I drive to a non-Tesla fast charger, I check for an alternative and try to have at least 10 miles left at the alternative, in case the first one fails.
I also check the energy screen and drive more slowly if consumption is higher than predicted. In the worst case I drive behind a truck, which has happened only very rarely so far.
Percentages are not meaningful here, because their meaning differs from car to car.
Anyone heard of a M3 dying while it shows miles left to go? Had someone tell me it will keep going with 0 mies left for a good bit. Did some quick googling and found some cars will and others have said they died before they got to 0.
probably YMMV. I assume it's slightly underrated from 5% to 0% - meaning just like gas cars who have in fact more range right around 0% than the indicator would imply. That being said - it's idiotic to try out and intentionally get that close unless you have a charger nearby. if the HV battery goes in fact to 0% you are stranded and within several hours (unless you can recharge) the 12V battery might bite the dust or at a minimum it's not great for the HV battery either.
FastEddieB
Member
4 months into ownership of our 2022 M3LR. Just over 12,000 miles, with 4 trips to FL and one to the DC area.
We’ll generally plan to charge to at least 15% remaining at the next Supercharger. But most often, we’ll sit an extra 10 minutes or so to run it up to 20% or a tad more. In E TN and N GA and rural GA Superchargers can be pretty widely spaced, and in the mountains road closures due to accidents/rockslides can result in quite long detours. Can’t think of any good reason not to have the extra cushion, at least for us.
We’ll generally plan to charge to at least 15% remaining at the next Supercharger. But most often, we’ll sit an extra 10 minutes or so to run it up to 20% or a tad more. In E TN and N GA and rural GA Superchargers can be pretty widely spaced, and in the mountains road closures due to accidents/rockslides can result in quite long detours. Can’t think of any good reason not to have the extra cushion, at least for us.
Yeah I don't want to go that low I just want to be sure people don't run out typically at 5% sometimes for whatever reason or if it does happen it's rare. I wasn't even comfortable at 10%. Now if I was at home or close to home I wouldn't be that concerned but out on the interstate I started thinking it would really suck to run out. lol
First road trip experience where I travelled to point B and then back home:
I had to charge once at point B and I arrived at the supercharger with about 24%. I brought my charge up to 75% and was at 17% when I got back home. Going on forward planning not to go below 20%
I had to charge once at point B and I arrived at the supercharger with about 24%. I brought my charge up to 75% and was at 17% when I got back home. Going on forward planning not to go below 20%
stopcrazypp
Well-Known Member
Generally for regular driving, I keep it above around 50 miles remaining (on my SR+), mainly because battery icon turns yellow by then. In terms of planning, usually I average about ~120% consumption in terms of rated range vs actual range, so I use that plus 50 miles as the rated range I leave with (I use the rated range indicator instead of %).
How low I'm willing to go really depends on where I'm driving. Lowest I've got it down to is 9 miles / 4% when finishing a long trip back to home. Only dared to do this because I pass by a supercharger station along the way that is 10 miles from my house, so if I couldn't make it, I can always top up there. Not going to risk going that low if I'm somewhere I don't really have much options if I run too low, especially on trips primarily on highway.
I tend to have the camera screen on when driving, so don't look at energy screen, but peeking at the nav screen occasionally, I can tell how I'm doing on energy consumption generally by seeing my rated range vs the miles left in the trip. Don't really adjust my driving or check that however until I get below that 50 mile mark (then just start adjusting speed down closer to speed limit as necessary). The buffer I describe in first paragraph gives me enough I don't really have to worry about range and driving style.
How low I'm willing to go really depends on where I'm driving. Lowest I've got it down to is 9 miles / 4% when finishing a long trip back to home. Only dared to do this because I pass by a supercharger station along the way that is 10 miles from my house, so if I couldn't make it, I can always top up there. Not going to risk going that low if I'm somewhere I don't really have much options if I run too low, especially on trips primarily on highway.
I tend to have the camera screen on when driving, so don't look at energy screen, but peeking at the nav screen occasionally, I can tell how I'm doing on energy consumption generally by seeing my rated range vs the miles left in the trip. Don't really adjust my driving or check that however until I get below that 50 mile mark (then just start adjusting speed down closer to speed limit as necessary). The buffer I describe in first paragraph gives me enough I don't really have to worry about range and driving style.
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MrWattson
Member
I tend to plan to 20% but do 15% at times. I like to have extra for a detour or other unknowns - unless an area with many SC sites, Most of my travels the SC sites are further spaced apart than home.
Just completed another road trip, 5400 miles round trip from San Diego to Miami, Miami to Brunswick Georgia and back to San Diego, no issues arriving to each supercharger, the navigation is very accurate. Today I just get in the car and go.
Jeremy3292
Active Member
The car's navigation has to know how fast you normally drive or has some general assumption built in. I say this bc I always look at what it says the estimated arrival SoC is right after you put your destination in the nav. Then I began my journey and have found that arrival SoC doesn't really vary much, maybe 1-2%, and this is with driving 80+ on an interstate. If the nav just assumed you were going the speed limit the whole time the original arrival SoC would be wildly off.
Also with software update 2022.16.x currently rolling out the nav will be even better (I think it is pretty darn good now):
Also with software update 2022.16.x currently rolling out the nav will be even better (I think it is pretty darn good now):
Can't wait to see how the new Navigation Energy Prediction works out, I'm excited that this may take care of the 10% I've sometimes seen, not often, just sometimes.
I thought the same, but if it were adaptable in its estimate, then surely, its estimate must have been off when you first got it and improved over time. Has anyone seen that?
Since my estimates are like yours, I can drive 5-10mph more than the posted speed limit, with the estimate staying spot on, I used to think the estimate must be set for 5-10mph more than the posted limit. But it also occurred to me that my tires also seem very efficient, and maybe that's why I'm able to drive above posted limits and the estimate is still spot on.
It will be interesting to see the improved estimate when wind is factored in. I thought it already included ambient temps.
Jeremy3292
Active Member
I don't remember what it was when I first got the car but I would assume Tesla always is conservative in their estimate. I would say most people drive over the speed limit, even it is only 5 mph, so I'm sure Tesla doesn't default to speed limit only.
My estimated arrival SOC has never been accurate.….unless I drive the speed limit. I tend to use ~10%/100mile buffer compared to the projected arrival SOC…especially during the winter. waiting to get the new update….and see if it makes it more accurate for me.
A while back the car's estimates were very optimistic so I didn't trust them. I used ABetterRoutePlanner's recommendation and they were spot on, because I used advanced settings and set the values properly. Having done more trips with the car, or because of software updates, the estimates on my last long trip were much closer to reality, and I was clearly going over the speed limits (following the flow of traffic). Note that ABRP is still pretty much spot-on.
I won't go low on purpose but the answer is : it depends. In general I like to plan with around 15%SOC on arrival. If I'm at a badly performing supercharger I might leave earlier and arrive at 7% at the next one. If I'm going in an area that doesn't have any other charger, I'll plan closer to 25% arrival in case it's not working. I always monitor the energy graph's trip panel and adjust if necessary. Even 4% arrival, which I did a few times, isn't stressful if you monitor correctly.
I won't go low on purpose but the answer is : it depends. In general I like to plan with around 15%SOC on arrival. If I'm at a badly performing supercharger I might leave earlier and arrive at 7% at the next one. If I'm going in an area that doesn't have any other charger, I'll plan closer to 25% arrival in case it's not working. I always monitor the energy graph's trip panel and adjust if necessary. Even 4% arrival, which I did a few times, isn't stressful if you monitor correctly.
I tend to shoot for 8-10% battery remaining when on a long road trip. Faster charging that way. Longer I can stay on the upper part of the charging curve, the happier I am.
Lowest I’ve ever been is 1 mile of range to go; at a notoriously busy Supercharger (Allentown PA.) That was a complete screwup on my part. I failed to account for 6 passengers (in our X) and luggage on a cold winter day. Stupid on my part - ignored the X, thought I knew its range better than it did. Lesson learned.
Lowest I’ve ever been is 1 mile of range to go; at a notoriously busy Supercharger (Allentown PA.) That was a complete screwup on my part. I failed to account for 6 passengers (in our X) and luggage on a cold winter day. Stupid on my part - ignored the X, thought I knew its range better than it did. Lesson learned.
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