Use Range Mode when you need the range, otherwise leave it off. Don't worry about the rest. Besides, there is no proven negative impact to the battery for leaving it on. I use it as often as needed here in the extreme Arizona heat and I get 227 miles of rated range at 90% after four years and almost 70,000 miles. It's a non-issue.
-
Want to remove ads? Register an account and login to see fewer ads, and become a Supporting Member to remove almost all ads.
It is.
All I'm saying is that I wish I can access those screens too because they show so much useful information some of which will explain the behavior of range mode much better.
I saw some videos where they just type-in the access code to enter the screen. One video even show the access code is "f025" but not working for my car.
It is.
All I'm saying is that I wish I can access those screens too because they show so much useful information some of which will explain the behavior of range mode much better.
I saw some videos where they just type-in the access code to enter the screen. One video even show the access code is "f025" but not working for my car.
I read on these forums that the code changes daily (whether it is also unique per car, I'm not sure)
I've also read they are daily rolling codes now; similar to 2FA. I will say this, a Bluetooth CANbus dongle will actually read full speed whereas the diag info on the screen is limited to, like, 30%.
I watched the rest of the video and it does get better than my initial impression. However:
1. Incorrect the pack heater turns off with range mode on. Thresholds changed, not off. Will still turn on at a certain temp.
2. Incorrect that cabin heater will draw 6kW with range mode on. His mistake was going to "hi" mode, which effectively cancels range mode and blasts the heater. Anything less than hi, you will have reduced heat capacity. Of course, if it's cold enough you may be tempted to use hi anyway, which more than negates the savings from range mode, as using a thermostat would be more efficient that blasting the heat when you get too cold, then turning it back down when you're too hot.
3. Incorrect about 1-2kW heat from drivetrain while driving. Of course the real answer is it's much more complicated - referring back to his own video on rapidly heating the pack (much faster than the pack heater) by using heavy throttle and regen. But take a hint from max battery mode, with highway cruising the pack heats much faster with driving than manually with the pack heater.
4. Wrong about front/rear split vs speed, This has changed wildly between firmwares, but you can clearly hear the front motor with range mode off on some firmwares at low speeds. I stopped doing a personal QA cycle on the car everytime a new firmware is released, so can't say the exact parameters of it now. This spreads my anger over what Tesla has broken in a given release out over time.
5. More opinion on this one, but he recommends keep range mode off for long trips and on for long trips. I would say if anything, it's the other way around. Warming the pack, now days, is the real consumption benefit of range mode - lower internal resistance and more available capacity, which due to the incompetence of Tesla's trip meter is unlikely to be visible to you on the dash, but you will get more miles out of the car assuming you drive long enough.
WannabeOwner
Well-Known Member
It seemed to me that Bjorn made that point, and then did a second test, not on MAX, and showed different power draw between Range Mode On vs. Off. That test was when connected to Shore Power; it seems strange to me that Range Mode would have any function when charging as per my benchmark of measuring my wife's reaction to "Long journey turn Range Mode on, but be sure to turn it off when charging"
As I understood it Bjorn was also saying that Range Mode heats the battery more, but above normal level, and therefore on short journey = good thing [battery warmed faster, but probably not for long enough to rise above "normal"], but on long journey = the higher, sustained, temperature may increase battery degradation, so a trade off of range vs. degradation
But perhaps I have misunderstood?
Because the feature is the opposite of smart.It seemed to me that Bjorn made that point, and then did a second test, not on MAX, and showed different power draw between Range Mode On vs. Off. That test was when connected to Shore Power; it seems strange to me that Range Mode would have any function when charging as per my benchmark of measuring my wife's reaction to "Long journey turn Range Mode on, but be sure to turn it off when charging"
The fraction of calendar time that your car spends driving, and furthermore driving with elevated temperatures for range mode is tiny. You have to be driving a long time to reach the target temperature, on a short journey in cold weather your battery may be *colder* (bad cold, not good cold) with range mode on.
But still my position is never use range mode, except for if you will really need every last drop of range on very very long drives.
I'm not sure if this has been stated (I did a quick thread search), but if Supercharging speeds are based on SOC%, pairing, and battery temperature...perhaps turning on "Range mode" would help reduce charging times if you were driving to a Supercharging with a cold battery. For instance if it were cold outside or you had a short distance to a Supercharger before starting on your journey. I'm amazed at how dismissive some have been about this feature and perhaps a Tesla engineer should explain the pros and cons of its usage.
robby
Member
@maximizese Great point. I've been meaning to test that same hypothesis, but haven't had a chance yet. I am skeptical it will work, as I believe BMS temp thresholds are managed independently of driving temp thresholds, but it is worth getting confirmation.
One thing that bugs me about Range Mode is the coupling of battery temperature targets with torque sleep. I would like to enable torque sleep in all situations (but only reduce the battery heater on very short trips). I'm curious why Tesla does not do this by default. I suspect it negatively impacts traction control but I can't prove it.
One thing that bugs me about Range Mode is the coupling of battery temperature targets with torque sleep. I would like to enable torque sleep in all situations (but only reduce the battery heater on very short trips). I'm curious why Tesla does not do this by default. I suspect it negatively impacts traction control but I can't prove it.
ThosEM
Space Weatherman
Slightly off topic, but I believe that my Model 3 lacks a Range Mode because it is essentially always in Range mode. That is, by default, no resistance heating is applied to the battery to bring it up to normal temperature. All battery heating is by waste from the drive unit and inverter electronics. That means that regen is reduced much of the time for short trips in cool or cold weather, and supercharging rates are also reduced until the battery comes up to normal operating temps. The normal heating that one gets in a Model S (with Range mode off) can apparently be produced by turning the climate system up to Hi, which seems like it might also overheat the cabin. I haven't played with that, but may need to if the car gets really cold soaked at some point...
I've been monitoring canbus temps with range mode on and off. With the cold weather, I think it actually helps that the active cooling of the battery is reduced because driving over 65mph manages to increase the temp naturally, and thereby reduce impedance. You essentially heat the battery for free.
The interesting catch 22 is if your are getting low on SOC, driving slower with range mode on *appears* as though it may actually be a detriment as the battery temp starts to drop and impedance increases, they reducing range. Just an observation.
The interesting catch 22 is if your are getting low on SOC, driving slower with range mode on *appears* as though it may actually be a detriment as the battery temp starts to drop and impedance increases, they reducing range. Just an observation.
Absolutely! The battery is definitely more efficient when very warm. I talked to an engineer working with Formula E cars about batteries. He said 50 degrees Celsius is perfect for the performance of a Lithium battery. Even up to 60 C / 140 F, but then you have to cool it enough that it won't go any higher. It is better for the battery to be warm when supercharging. It also doesn't help the charging process to have a cold battery when arriving at a supercharger. The cooling system is perfectly capable keeping the battery temperature at the right level, even when it's hot outside. The charge rate isn't reduced or limited because the cooling system can't keep up and the battery overheats. At least not in normal conditions. In fact when the battery is less than 25 degree Celsius and you plug in at a supercharger, the car will turn on the battery heater and warm up the battery. Tesla does not want to have a cold battery when pushing in 120 kW.
I think in general its a common misconception. Most people think high temps are bad for the battery. Yes they are bad for longevity and cause higher degradation over time. But high temperatures are good for the performance of a Lithium battery. Especially charging it at cold temperatures is not good for the battery at all.
gavine
Petrol Head turned EV Enthusiast
It seems the Model 3 has decent regen when the battery is cold. Much more than the Model X at the same temp. I presume the Model 3 chemistry is more tolerant of charging at cold temperatures.
robby
Member
It's possible, but the Model 3 also has a lesser battery warranty and no pack heater. I'd wager they are willing to put more stress on it.
The Model 3 has the same battery heating abilities. It doesn't have a dedicated heater, but the motor can act has a heater which is effectively the same thing. Not just the heat losses. The Model 3 motor can be run ineffectively on purpose to create extra heat. The motor can even create heat without producing any torque. So even in standstill, the Model 3 can heat the battery just as much as the S or X.
Similar threads
