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Increasing range on AWD
- Thread starter Wildbill
- Start date
SeanM
Member
These new Model-3 AWD motors are programmed to split the power (between them) required to move the car. So, if you are going to switch one motor off, then the 'load' will fall on the only one active motor thus probably making it consume about the same electric power or maybe more.
Secondly, what's the point to invest more money on AWD dual motor when you wish to only use one? ;-)
Secondly, what's the point to invest more money on AWD dual motor when you wish to only use one? ;-)
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When cruising at a steady speed, the power requirements from the motors are very small. Since the efficiency of motors can be quite poor at the ends of the performance curve, they optimize by concentrating the load on the most efficient motor.
Tesla has tweeted on this: Tesla on Twitter
(quote: "Model 3 AWD automatically optimizes motor torque for highest efficiency depending on driving conditions, transferring torque where necessary and shutting down individual motors when not needed")
ℬête Noire
Active Member
The front induction motor is going to have efficiency perhaps as much as 10 points lower than the rear PM motor, it's the nature of the type of design it uses. That's assumed to be a meaningful part of why the AWD has lower effective range....and also why cruising at highway speeds isn't as much difference, because the front will sleep a lot.
Because Tesla won't sell people a RWD LR right now, why it never really came up until now.
P.S. I still think it's a heavily flawed idea. Just trying to help explain.
AlanSubie4Life
Efficiency Obsessed Member
Yeah, I agree that it's likely that Tesla's efficiency on battery to motor output on AWD is close to optimal for the Model 3, and we shoudn't expect any huge changes to help out. How they balance the power to front/rear motors would be nice to know, but it does seem like they would do it optimally with the experience they have so far, and provide heavy bias to the efficient rear motor.
As far as improving the AWD range, the low hanging fruit that you can control are:
1) Swap to efficient tires and sacrifice stopping & cornering performance. (Tesla doesn't do Ecopia or the best Michelin LRR tire because they have to get decent CR reviews, and they have a pretty efficient vehicle/battery platform and can leverage that efficiency to use good compromise tires (MXM4).)
2) Drive more efficiently. Don't ever touch the brake pedal when you are driving above 5-10mph. Never. Anticipate, watch road & traffic lights 500 yards ahead. This is one place where the upcoming Tesla regen changes could help make it easier to get more range. But you're actually probably better off with the current software, IF you can currently avoid using the brake, because more regen is just a Band-Aid fix for careless, non-anticipatory (but possibly fun!) driving. Less energy sloshing is always better due to the various losses.
Another reason for the second AWD motor is that it should allow more regen while maintaining stability (similar to the Spark EV I have). For more aggressive drivers, the AWD front motor should allow them to recapture more energy than they could with the RWD. For sedate, efficient drivers, it doesn't matter. If you aren't using the brakes in the RWD, the additional AWD motor isn't going to help you.
I don't count moderating speed in above because I assume you have to drive a certain speed on certain roads. You can draft off of other vehicles on the freeway if you'd like, it makes a big difference, but there are risks there of course.
As far as improving the AWD range, the low hanging fruit that you can control are:
1) Swap to efficient tires and sacrifice stopping & cornering performance. (Tesla doesn't do Ecopia or the best Michelin LRR tire because they have to get decent CR reviews, and they have a pretty efficient vehicle/battery platform and can leverage that efficiency to use good compromise tires (MXM4).)
2) Drive more efficiently. Don't ever touch the brake pedal when you are driving above 5-10mph. Never. Anticipate, watch road & traffic lights 500 yards ahead. This is one place where the upcoming Tesla regen changes could help make it easier to get more range. But you're actually probably better off with the current software, IF you can currently avoid using the brake, because more regen is just a Band-Aid fix for careless, non-anticipatory (but possibly fun!) driving. Less energy sloshing is always better due to the various losses.
Another reason for the second AWD motor is that it should allow more regen while maintaining stability (similar to the Spark EV I have). For more aggressive drivers, the AWD front motor should allow them to recapture more energy than they could with the RWD. For sedate, efficient drivers, it doesn't matter. If you aren't using the brakes in the RWD, the additional AWD motor isn't going to help you.
I don't count moderating speed in above because I assume you have to drive a certain speed on certain roads. You can draft off of other vehicles on the freeway if you'd like, it makes a big difference, but there are risks there of course.
If it was all about efficiency, Tesla could force everyone into "chill mode" all the time. But Tesla wants the car to be fun, responsive, sporty, and other things that can go against max efficiency.
They could probably have beat the Ioniq as most efficient if they were willing to make the car more boring, but they are trying to find a great balance, not a "one trick pony."
They could probably have beat the Ioniq as most efficient if they were willing to make the car more boring, but they are trying to find a great balance, not a "one trick pony."
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