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Is a RWD / Standard Model 3 ok for a 140 Mile daily commute?

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I offer the following so you see how your available range will be impacted by the charging and driving decisions you make.

The range for a Standard 3 is 267 miles, I believe, but this assumes you go from 100%-0% SOC and that you drive your car in a conservative fashion. Since you should not be charging your car to 100% everyday, let's back that off to 95% and assume you plan to arrive home at a minimum of 10%, your available range is now 225 miles - still a good number. And then the other factor is your driving style. I have an MS and the rated range in miles is based on a consumption of 248 Wh/mi, My personal average is nearly 300 Wh/mi,, which is a 20% hit So just as a reference if we knock off another 20% from 225 miles you are down to 180 miles, which is still a good number! You could even raise you minimum to arrive at home to 20% and your range will be 160 miles.

One final point, if you plan to make more than the occasional road trip then you may want to consider going with the long range version.
 
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Since you should not be charging your car to 100% everyday
I believe the Tesla Model 3 RWD comes with LFP battery now? Which is fine to charge to 100%

The range for a Standard 3 is 267 miles
18” wheels is $1,500 less and a small bump to 272 miles.

NOTE: If you go to the order page there is no mention of “Standard Range” anywhere, “Model 3 Rear-Wheel Drive” is the least expensive Model 3. Not sure when they changed the terminology but it does add to the confusion.
 
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I am considering a model 3. I drive 70 miles to work one way. 140 total. Will a standard range handle this or should I get the long range. Thank you.
Run some simulations for your actual commute in ABRP, abetterrouteplanner.com, and adjust the temps for winter conditions, and potential battery degradation. Having said that, does your workplace offer charging? Is there a supercharger enroute? Either of those will mean no worries.
 
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There is a brand new supercharger about half way but I would like to avoid that if possible. Also been looking at some used ones. I’ve seen a few deals but not many. When looking at used ones what are the main things to check out. Also not sure if anyone is familiar with Asheville nc area but I will be coming up the mountain on i40. Not sure how much this will affect range.
 
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Range is specified in EPA miles. Real world miles are less, depending on how fast you drive. Rule of thumb: 80% of EPA miles. Quite a bit less in freezing temperatures. Also, summertime weather activates cabin overheat prevention. That drains the battery quite a bit. In addition, if you use sentry mode, that also drains the battery. And of course, on the way back for work you may want to drop by a friend or something… Conclusion, get the LR and avoid range anxiety. 🙂
 
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There is a brand new supercharger about half way but I would like to avoid that if possible. Also been looking at some used ones. I’ve seen a few deals but not many. When looking at used ones what are the main things to check out. Also not sure if anyone is familiar with Asheville nc area but I will be coming up the mountain on i40. Not sure how much this will affect range.
Still it's a big help in this decision, knowing that you have a backup if weather or extra driving happens.
 
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Also been looking at some used ones.
Be aware that used Model 3 SR / SR+, compared to new Model 3 RWD (with ~60kWh LFP battery and 272 mile EPA range), may have:
  • Lower capacity batteries (~55kWh for SR+, ~50kWh software limited for SR) and lower EPA range.
  • NCA chemistry (except for some late 2021 SR+) which:
    • Tends to have faster or greater capacity loss than LFP chemistry.
    • Is advised not to charge to 100% for daily use due to that increasing the rate of capacity loss.
    • Note: all LR has NCA chemistry, with the above caveats.
  • Resistance (instead of heat pump) cabin heating (2020? and earlier), which increases consumption if the cabin heating is used in cold weather.
  • Replacement tires that have worse efficiency than the OEM tires.
A big factor in your actual range will be how you drive, particularly highway speed. If you have driven a previous EV, how does your range and economy compare with the EPA range and economy? If your previous vehicles have all been ICEVs, a similar comparison is possible, but consider city and highway economy separately, and be aware that while cabin heat is free in ICEVs, it is not in EVs.

EPA rated ranges from Fuel Economy of 2017 - 2022 Tesla Model 3
  • 2017 LR: 310
  • 2018 MR: 260
  • 2018 LR: 310
  • 2018 LR AWD: 322
  • 2019 SR: 220
  • 2019 SR+: 240
  • 2019 MR: 264
  • 2019 LR: 310
  • 2019 LR AWD: 310
  • 2020 SR: 220
  • 2020 SR+: 250
  • 2020 MR: 264
  • 2020 LR AWD: 322
  • 2021 SR+: 263
  • 2021 LR AWD: 353
  • 2022 RWD: 272
  • 2022 LR AWD: 358
The fueleconomy.gov page does not list all wheel and tire option effects, but usually the 18" wheels with aero covers show better range than the 19" wheels when ordering cars on Tesla's web page. The late 2021 SR+ with LFP batteries are also not listed there, but they have been reported as having a 253 mile EPA range.
 
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I meant I wouldn’t want to have to stop and charge as a part of my commute to work.
Right, so for a 70mile one-way commute, and you have a supercharger, enroute, any Tesla will work. As mentioned earlier, you can run simulations, using real-world data. Hypothetical answers from people who don't know your commute can't compare to running sims with real-world data on your actual commute, where you can test temps, etc.
 
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I believe the Tesla Model 3 RWD comes with LFP battery now? Which is fine to charge to 100%


18” wheels is $1,500 less and a small bump to 272 miles.

NOTE: If you go to the order page there is no mention of “Standard Range” anywhere, “Model 3 Rear-Wheel Drive” is the least expensive Model 3. Not sure when they changed the terminology but it does add to the confusion.
They changed in Nov. 2021
 
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