I just added a standard range Model Y to my garage to join my long range Model Y. Range thoughts...

[spokey]

I very routinely get 250 wH/mi. I'm not heavy on the accelerator and virtually never drive over 60 MPH, though.



No one ever complains that they don't get the same gas milage as the sticker at the dealer showed...

The reality is, that EVs are not as easy to refuel as ICE vehicles are. Charging stations are less common than gas stations and it takes longer, so you notice your battery charge in an EV much more than you do in an ICE vehicle. I charge at home, but participate in a discount program so I can only charge at night, further limiting my charging options.

IME, the variation in 'fuel economy' with EVs is much greater than with ICE vehicles, too. I often get 250 wH/mi in nice weather but during cold winter days I would easily hit 500, meaning my range drops from 300 miles down to 150.

Agreed. I don't understand the hostility to wanting to know how many miles to empty. I also think about charging in miles per hour. Don't see anything wrong with that at all. I don't care about watts. I care about putting 50 miles (or whatever) more in to the car. I don't want to travel a certain number of watts. I want to travel a certain number of miles.

And yes, there are gas stations on every corner so even if you're low, you're cool. Not so with an EV. If I go below 10%, I couldn't get to a supercharger from my house. I can get the nearest gas station with less than 1/10 of 1 percent of gas available to the outback. But the second nearest gas station jumps to about 2/3 of 1 percent. But yes, if I'm out west in the middle of nowhere, I'll start worrying about refueling that car too.

And Tesla could do a better job of this. They could figure out and predict better than they do.

 

[Rocky_H]

Agreed. I don't understand the hostility to wanting to know how many miles to empty. I also think about charging in miles per hour. Don't see anything wrong with that at all. I don't care about watts. I care about putting 50 miles (or whatever) more in to the car. I don't want to travel a certain number of watts. I want to travel a certain number of miles.

Yeah, same, except I do try to continue to call them "rated miles" to keep that clear that it's the EPA version of that thing. It's kind of like Canadian miles or "Manufacturer's suggested retail price" miles. It's a little higher than the real thing.

 

[WhiteWi]

Lol if you hit 500 maybe easy up on 85 F in your cabin.

 

[THF2021MY]

Hi, I got my MY SR a week ago, but did not start driving it to/from work until three days ago. it is black on black on black and named the MY SR-71 Blackbird. My commute is 60 miles round trip. I live in South Florida and my commute is mostly on I-75 and the Palmetto expressway. I drive spiritedly. Usually not less than 70 unless traffic dictates. I’ve got a couple questions:

1. When I start driving I feel constant minor vibrations in the steering wheel. They go away after a bit. Could it be the tires?

2. On the Energy display are the displayed ranges, instant or average, calculated from the last charge or from that point in time? IE, Are the ranges showing what’s left in the battery or total range remaining since last charge?

Thanks in advance.

 

[jcanoe]

Hi, I got my MY SR a week ago, but did not start driving it to/from work until three days ago. it is black on black on black and named the MY SR-71 Blackbird. My commute is 60 miles round trip. I live in South Florida and my commute is mostly on I-75 and the Palmetto expressway. I drive spiritedly. Usually not less than 70 unless traffic dictates. I’ve got a couple questions:

1. When I start driving I feel constant minor vibrations in the steering wheel. They go away after a bit. Could it be the tires?

2. On the Energy display are the displayed ranges, instant or average, calculated from the last charge or from that point in time? IE, Are the ranges showing what’s left in the battery or total range remaining since last charge?

Thanks in advance.

1.) If you feel a vibration in the steering wheel that may be the Tesla providing haptic feedback that you are driving over the white center line markings or shoulder marking.

1.) Check that your tire pressure is correct for all 4 tires. Don't rely on only the Tesla TPMS readout. Use an accurate tire pressure gauge; check tire pressure in the morning when the tires are cold. 42 PSI is the recommended tire pressure.

2) The Energy display provides for the current trip; last 15 miles or last 30 miles and instant or average energy usage. To reset the energy screen enter a destination in the Tesla Navigation system (be sure to add your home location and your work location into the Navigation system.)

When you select a destination the Energy Screen will display the expected energy usage along the route and will display any variation. On a longer trip you can use this information and either adjust your speed, use of climate control or detour to a charging location as required. On a 30 mile commute, each way, you should see a straight sloping line that would be based on the posted speed limits for the route and any elevation changes (not applicable since you live in the second flattest state in the union.) The Tesla Navigation system route planner does not take into account road conditions (i.e. rain, etc.) or head winds.

 

[THF2021MY]

1.) If you feel a vibration in the steering wheel that may be the Tesla providing haptic feedback that you are driving over the white center line markings or shoulder marking.

1.) Check that your tire pressure is correct for all 4 tires. Don't rely on only the Tesla TPMS readout. Use an accurate tire pressure gauge; check tire pressure in the morning when the tires are cold. 42 PSI is the recommended tire pressure.

2) The Energy display provides for the current trip; last 15 miles or last 30 miles and instant or average energy usage. To reset the energy screen enter a destination in the Tesla Navigation system (be sure to add your home location and your work location into the Navigation system.)

When you select a destination the Energy Screen will display the expected energy usage along the route and will display any variation. On a longer trip you can use this information and either adjust your speed, use of climate control or detour to a charging location as required. On a 30 mile commute, each way, you should see a straight sloping line that would be based on the posted speed limits for the route and any elevation changes (not applicable since you live in the second flattest state in the union.) The Tesla Navigation system route planner does not take into account road conditions (i.e. rain, etc.) or head winds.

Thank you. I turned off the LDA a few days ago. I’ll check the tire pressure.

I drive to work and park the car for hours. I get back in and start driving. That starts a new “trip”? If I select the 30 mile range when I start home does it look back at the drive to work? The range estimate is an estimate of what is left in the battery at that point in time based on the last 5,15, or 30 miles or instant(ly) correct? If on the way home it says the range is 100 miles. That means the total range would be 100 plus the 30 miles I drove to work right?

 

[jcanoe]

The energy screen will keep track of the last 5, 15 and 30 miles you have driven. To clear the energy history you can select a destination from the Tesla Navigation touch screen or use the Voice Command; Press the right scroll wheel on the right side of the steering wheel and speak "Take me to Work" or "Take me Home" (also "Navigate to ...".) That should start a new route and reset the Energy Screen for the trip (even though it is only a 30 mile trip.)

The range estimate at the right side of Energy Screen chart is the estimated range remaining for your current state of charge (SOC) of the Tesla's battery. If you have already driven 30 miles and the estimated range is 100 miles then the total range is 130 miles (but if you followed the Tesla recommendation you only charged to 80% (this can be up to 90% for your daily driving needs) so 130 miles is in reality 80% of the estimated total range. If you charge to 100% as on a longer trip you would be able to travel ~162 miles (assumes your highway speed and outside temperature, HVAC settings head winds being the same.)

Many Tesla owners prefer to display the battery indicator as a % SOC instead of estimated miles. This can be changed from range to % within the Display screen settings. the % SOC is a more accurate indicator of the state of the battery. Estimated range does not take into account your preferred driving speed, temperature, road conditions or head winds.

If you have not done so swipe right at the bottom of the driving simulation on the Tesla screen. This will display the Current Trip; Since Last Charge; Trip A and Trip B energy usage and mileage statistics. To access the Since Last Charge, Trip A, Trip B stats swipe up. You can reset and rename Trip A and Trip B (Many prefer to rename Trip B to be be "Lifetime (do not reset)" to maintain the lifetime stats.

 

[MD-2000]

I think most people will have an obsession with miles until charging locations become as common as gas stations. If I had the option of slow charging every time I parked at work, a mall or a restaurant I'd probably worry less about range. I expect that's coming, but for now, if I'm going to use more than 50% of my charge in a day it's important to pay attention to the numbers, since I'm starting at 80%. (If I had a long commute, maybe that would be 90%). Plus, with a gas car, I can fill to 100% each time so I have a bit more wiggle room and a solution on every corner if I notice I'm low, so I tend to drive that one closer down to empty.

On a good day with moderate driving I can do 160W/km which works out to 250W/mi. (Model 3 LR AWD) But yes, like gasoline engines, cold weather or high speeds (and winds) can affect the mileage. My BMW 328 (my wife drives, she's afraid on getting door dings on the Tesla in the parking lot at work) gets about 10k/l but that varies from less than 400km on a tank in really cold weather to almost 600km in good weather, typically about 90-100kph (55-62mph) commute.

 

[EVer Hopeful]

As computer based as these cars are, it would be very simple for the available range to be based on historical driving (maybe past 1,000 miles) of the car

I think a better idea would be like one of those diagrams they have on the news when a tornado is bearing down on you

Close in, you pretty much know where it's going to hit, but behind that the possible track gets wider and wider as more variables come into play ... like it making a hard right because it found a trailer park on the horizon

 

[MD-2000]

I think a better idea would be like one of those diagrams they have on the news when a tornado is bearing down on you

Close in, you pretty much know where it's going to hit, but behind that the possible track gets wider and wider as more variables come into play ... like it making a hard right because it found a trailer park on the horizon

That might be a good idea for a secondary screen. But if my typical driving is commuting, then I'm taking a highway trip, the car will tell me for example I only have 250km to empty - then after 100km, will tell me I have 200km to empty - then after 150km, I still have 150 to empty. Not handy for route planning.

There's no simple answer on how to figure out range. Too many variables. Some people suggest just showing percent, not miles/km. whatever cranks your wheels, so to speak.

In winter, with a less-than 15 mile commute at -20C (below zero in F) the cabin heat accounted for at or more than a 800Wh/km for the first while until the cabin was warm. ( that's about 1200Wh/mi. I would always forget to set the cabin heat beforehand while plugged in). If I did a highway trip in that weather it was nowhere near that bad.

 

[sleepydoc]

Lol if you hit 500 maybe easy up on 85 F in your cabin.

or -30º outside meaning you have the heater on, the heated seats on and the battery can't charge because it's so cold so you can't use regenerative braking. Oh, and there's snow on the road.

 

[Piquet Willard]

As I mentioned in the title, I just added a SR Model Y (for my wife) which joins my LR Model Y.
I feel so lucky to have found it. Someone else had ordered it and was non-responsive when Tesla reached out for delivery and my Tesla rep was able to grab it. We took delivery just a few days ago. But I digress...
I believe the range for the 2020 Model Y was quoted at 303 miles. I charge my car to about 80 percent which gives me a quoted range of 250 miles. Since my last charge, I have driven 45 miles but lost 80 miles of range. A few of those miles were last overnight, but the point is that the "quoted" range is nowhere near reality. As computer based as these cars are, it would be very simple for the available range to be based on historical driving (maybe past 1,000 miles) of the car. I know those numbers are available in the energy section of the in-car screen, but it seems pretty ingenious that Tesla are having the car show a 250 mile range when it will never even get close. My driving since my last charge was all local street driving (no highway driving) where I believe the car is more efficient. What numbers are you getting on your car?

I have a Tesla y long range and I not even getting 200 miles

 

[tangible1]

As I mentioned in the title, I just added a SR Model Y (for my wife) which joins my LR Model Y.
I feel so lucky to have found it. Someone else had ordered it and was non-responsive when Tesla reached out for delivery and my Tesla rep was able to grab it. We took delivery just a few days ago. But I digress...
I believe the range for the 2020 Model Y was quoted at 303 miles. I charge my car to about 80 percent which gives me a quoted range of 250 miles. Since my last charge, I have driven 45 miles but lost 80 miles of range. A few of those miles were last overnight, but the point is that the "quoted" range is nowhere near reality. As computer based as these cars are, it would be very simple for the available range to be based on historical driving (maybe past 1,000 miles) of the car. I know those numbers are available in the energy section of the in-car screen, but it seems pretty ingenious that Tesla are having the car show a 250 mile range when it will never even get close. My driving since my last charge was all local street driving (no highway driving) where I believe the car is more efficient. What numbers are you getting on your car?

local street driving is LEAST efficient.
all stop and go, quick acceleration and braking are far worse than continuous, consistent highway driving.

of course, if you're doing 90mph, that'll suck energy hard due to aerodynamics.
but if you drive a consistent 65 on the highway, that's your best case for range.
of course, no one does that....

 

[sleepydoc]

local street driving is LEAST efficient.
all stop and go, quick acceleration and braking are far worse than continuous, consistent highway driving.

of course, if you're doing 90mph, that'll suck energy hard due to aerodynamics.
but if you drive a consistent 65 on the highway, that's your best case for range.
of course, no one does that....

Actually the best for range is usually a consistent 40-50 mph. Above 50-55 MPH drag and wind resistance increase dramatically.

Local driving is where EVs and Hybrids really shine compared to ICE vehicles. Accelerating from a stop is where ICE engines are at their worst and braking is where they lose all their energy so the efficient low end torque and ability to recover energy with regenerative braking makes a huge difference.

 

[Rocky_H]

local street driving is LEAST efficient.
all stop and go, quick acceleration and braking are far worse than continuous, consistent highway driving.

You can go look up the EPA ratings for city versus highway for any EV and see that the efficiency values are much better for city driving. It's the opposite of how gas cars are.

 

[tangible1]

You can go look up the EPA ratings for city versus highway for any EV and see that the efficiency values are much better for city driving. It's the opposite of how gas cars are.

Not my real world experience.
Stop / start city driving has been the worst.
Could just be me / my driving style, but it is my reality.

 

[frankvb]

Not my real world experience.
Stop / start city driving has been the worst.

It depends a lot on your acceleration and slowing down style. I do like to accelerate briskly, but just roll in to it from a stop, and never floor it. Local driving efficiency (up to 50mph roads) is at least 10% better for me than doing freeways at 75 mph.

 

[EVer Hopeful]

Accelerating from a stop is where ICE engines are at their worst and braking is where they lose all their energy

Ha ha - did you ever sit at a light next to a huge monster sized truck, the light turns green and he floors it so hard you can actually hear the gas being sucked out of his tank? Then about 400 yards down the road when he (because it's always a he) gets within about 50 yards of the next light which of course is red, you see the brake lights come on and the truck nose down a little ... then along you come just about the time the second light turns green so you just tootle through it, only to see a huge monster sized truck next to you floor it so hard that . . .

 

[tangible1]

Ha ha - did you ever sit at a light next to a huge monster sized truck, the light turns green and he floors it so hard you can actually hear the gas being sucked out of his tank? Then about 400 yards down the road when he (because it's always a he) gets within about 50 yards of the next light which of course is red, you see the brake lights come on and the truck nose down a little ... then along you come just about the time the second light turns green so you just tootle through it, only to see a huge monster sized truck next to you floor it so hard that . . .

many (many) moons ago, I had a Pontiac Firebird with a modified engine - 400hp, racing crankshaft, and upgraded carburetors (yes, 's')
you could literally hear the gas spilling into the carbs when you punched it.
of course, gas in those years was a little cheaper.....

 

[sleepydoc]

many (many) moons ago, I had a Pontiac Firebird with a modified engine - 400hp, racing crankshaft, and upgraded carburetors (yes, 's')
you could literally hear the gas spilling into the carbs when you punched it.
of course, gas in those years was a little cheaper.....

and it would go 0-60 in...7 seconds or so, if it was really fast?