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Is a 270 mile interstate leg feasible from a 100% charge?
- Thread starter ratsbew
- Start date
Looking forward to seeing that trip report.
Keep an eye on your efficiency in various weather conditions at various speeds as you drive the vehicle between now and August. You'll get a better feel for what distances you can trust the car to complete. Divide 75,000 by whatever your Wh/mile rating is, and you'll get a rough estimate of the range you'd have if the entire drive was in those conditions with no stops.
For example, if you find you're getting 312 Wh/mile:
75,000 / 312 = approximately 240 miles total range in those conditions.
On the other hand if you're getting 228 Wh/mile:
75,000 / 228 = approximately 329 miles total range in those conditions.
You're going to need to get AT MOST 277 Wh/mile to make it the 270 miles. The farther below that, the less the risk of running out if conditions worsen. Also, be aware that the watt hours that are sucked out of the vehicle (by the A/C, the electronics, and whatever other power draws the vehicle likes to use) while it is parked are NOT included in the Wh/mile calculation that is displayed to you. As such, if you stop along the way at all, you'll want to keep in mind that 75,000 is no longer a good estimate of total watt hours available for the drive.
In the end, it's mostly going to depend on things like weather (rain and head winds will eat through kWh), temperature (warmer weather will allow more range to be pulled from the battery, but it it's too warm then A/C will begin to eat back into that range), changes in elevation, and speed. Personally, if I didn't feel comfortable that I'd have at least 45 miles (or about 15%) left when I got to the end of the drive, then I'd probably consider finding another route, finding somewhere to charge a bit along the way, or taking a different vehicle. To have that much left, you're going to want to see AT MOST 237 Wh/mile
To follow up on DannyHamilton's excellent post, I went back and looked at my numbers from my recent road trip. Using the mileages I gave you above, here are the Wh/mile numbers for each of those legs. Keep in mind I was driving 78 mph on average.
SpiceWare
Member
Don't have to get right up on the ass of the truck for it to be beneficial.
My 3's screen went black a few days after I picked it up. I had a loaner S100D while Tesla fixed it. This occurred right before a planned road trip to Wisconsin, Tesla said take the S with free supercharging. On the way back* our original estimate for Miner, Mo to Little Rock, AR was 5% remaining, with warnings to keep the speed down in the 60s. We had the car set to 4 (which seemed to be following distance of the two second rule), and followed trucks less than half the time. Doing that we were able to keep up with traffic at speeds of 75+ and arrived with 17%.
That trip, followed by one in my 3 to return my nephew home, gave us experience with the 3 and S. My folks and nephew preferred the 3.
* wasn't an issue on the way up as we stayed at a Best Western in Little Rock with Destination Charger (72amp!). Distance from there to Miner was less than from the Little Rock Supercharger, and morning traffic getting out of town kept our speed low enough that by the time traffic cleared the reduced speed warning to make it to Miner was long gone.
I wish I had some scientific evidence for you, but what I will say, is that the M3 is extremely efficient from what I've experienced at highway speeds.
We took a 400 mile trip in our S60 last year and we used in excess of 30% of the stated range at 75 mph (Tampa to Miami). Range anxiety was serious for my wife, barely made it between superchargers.
Doing the same trip, at the same time of year, the M3 only used in excess of 10% of the stated range.
There may have been something wrong with my S60 for all I know, but this is the only comparison that I can give you.
With that being said, I wouldn't risk it since you're so close to the MAX expectation. Better to play it safe and stop than to risk the vehicle shutting down 20 miles from the nearest SC.
We took a 400 mile trip in our S60 last year and we used in excess of 30% of the stated range at 75 mph (Tampa to Miami). Range anxiety was serious for my wife, barely made it between superchargers.
Doing the same trip, at the same time of year, the M3 only used in excess of 10% of the stated range.
There may have been something wrong with my S60 for all I know, but this is the only comparison that I can give you.
With that being said, I wouldn't risk it since you're so close to the MAX expectation. Better to play it safe and stop than to risk the vehicle shutting down 20 miles from the nearest SC.
Nothing to worry about unless someone worries about needing a windshield replacement every 1000 miles or so.
israndy
Supercharger Hunter
Oddly I am still on my first windshield after 150K and 18 years of driving. The windshield is at a steep angle to be aerodynamic, I thought that might be why I have yet to get a chip in it. Then I got a chip in my Model 3 on the second road trip I took and I was NO WHERE NEAR a semi at the time. Same with the annual chip in the RV windshield, usually riding directly behind a truck protects you from things that are flying, it's when you get further back that things bounce up and hit you. Not that I live behind a truck in the Insight, but since the car has no cruise control it's a good way of limiting my speed.
-Randy
-Randy
Cruise control was the first thing I added to my insight, made all the difference once tweaked for better mileage. Still had the factory windshield until the 2 inch hail storm caught me 2 years ago and also punched through the fender. Now that the MS is in use, i have found a good new home for the insight.
freefaller1985
Member
The car will want you to stop in Little Rock for 1 hour an 10 minutes and then route you through Tulsa(Catoosa supercharger) then down to OKC which is a 272 mile leg. There was another Model 3 owner than did Little Rock to Miner,Mo which is a 274 mile leg. I think its very doable is you stay below 70.
freefaller1985
Member
I believe that was in a facebook group. They guy was driving his 3 from Tx to Michigan or Minnesota. He made it. There are a few hotels with destination charging along I40 between Little Rock and the AR/OK state line. I looked at a trip from Memphis to Okc and it routed me through Tulsa so that leg is doable. The wife took our 3 to Texas yesterday and the Texarkana supercharger was down. She did Little Rock to Sulphur Springs,Tx at 65 mph.
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