Is it possible to get 250 miles on the interstate with a 2022 M3P?

[Evpowerdan]

Personally I find the range more than adequate. I could never drive 400+ miles without a mental break, let alone 250.

On long road trips - 600 - 700 miles a day, I like to stop every 2-3 hours to stretch, get a drink and a human break. 15-25 minutes at a supercharger is ideal.

Once you get use to it, makes the trips less stressful and more relaxing.

 

[PianoAl]

What blows my mind is the nav in the car when planning a long trip will show what percent it thinks will be left at the next supercharger and it never gets close to it's estimate.

On our recent trip CA to Denver and back, the estimates were good. Sometimes we had 10% more than estimated, sometimes 10% less. At least half the time it was spot on. We shoot for a 15% or better estimate to keep wife happy.

One strange observation: On one leg we needed our Autosocks and had to drive at 30 MPH instead of 65. I expected us to be way in the green on the energy curve, but we were not. We followed the estimate exactly. However at the end of drive it showed the whole curve in the green.

 

[gtg465x]

Personally I find the range more than adequate. I could never drive 400+ miles without a mental break, let alone 250.

On long road trips - 600 - 700 miles a day, I like to stop every 2-3 hours to stretch, get a drink and a human break. 15-25 minutes at a supercharger is ideal.

Once you get use to it, makes the trips less stressful and more relaxing.

Same. My dad lives almost exactly 400 miles from me, and I've been making that drive a few times per year for the past 20 years. Never once have I made it the whole way there without stopping. First of all, I've never had a car that could make it that far on a single tank of gas (I've had some that could get close, maybe high 300s, but I never tried to push it and risk running out of gas). Second, I usually want to stop for at least one meal. Third, I have to drink coffee to stay awake and alert that long because it's a boring drive, which means I have to stop to pee at least a couple times. I would say I average 3 stops, sometimes 2, sometimes 4. Most EVs rated for at least 250 miles EPA range could do the drive in 2 stops, so it's not really any different to driving a gas car for me.

 

[Evpowerdan]

Same. My dad lives almost exactly 400 miles from me, and I've been making that drive a few times per year for the past 20 years. Never once have I made it the whole way there without stopping. First of all, I've never had a car that could make it that far on a single tank of gas (I've had some that could get close, maybe high 300s, but I never tried to push it and risk running out of gas). Second, I usually want to stop for at least one meal. Third, I have to drink coffee to stay awake and alert that long because it's a boring drive, which means I have to stop to pee at least a couple times. I would say I average 3 stops, sometimes 2, sometimes 4. Most EVs rated for at least 250 miles EPA range could do the drive in 2 stops, so it's not really any different to driving a gas car for me.

Mine are typically solo or with my paw family, which is not capable of driving and loves to get out and play (she is a young lab). Add coffee for the journey and stops are a welcome break for both of us. Now if I could only get the fur paw child to drive - but that would not be good for anyone - new version of full FSD???

This pic brings new meaning to "dog mode".

 

[ThomasD]

When I travel to Florida from my home in KY I usually stop for 15 min every 2.5 to 3 hours of driving. Of course eating takes longer. First fuel stop is usually Ringgold Ga. Second fuel stop is usually around Valdosta Ga. then on to Clearwater Fl. Are there plenty of Supercharging stops with Real Restaurants and not fast food within a couple of minutes walking distance when traveling on I 24 and I 75. I ask because I may get a used electric car next year and use the Truck for traveling into areas with no charging and towing.

 

[3sr+buyer]

I think the #1 thing people have a hard time with is realizing that usable range for an EV (in the practical sense) is maybe 70% of the advertised range.

Of course, lots of drivers get 30% worse than the EPA in their ICEVs... but refueling an ICEV is fast enough that they don't notice (though they can certainly complain about fuel prices when they go up).

 

[ZenRockGarden]

I disagree with this assessment, that is not the point I am making at all. You can drive 65 on the highway all day and it still isn’t practical to try and go 300 miles between chargers because it causes you to charge inefficiently. Charging speed is not constant as you fill up the battery so keeping it between 5-50% will often be the fastest way to get places even though that means stopping every 120 miles or so.

View attachment 897123

My statement was addressing the point of the EPA range not being attainable - not if it met your particular trip and timing requirements to use the 100% full range of the car repeatedly over thousands of miles with shortest possible stops. You have a point for that use case - it's better to top up around 50% in terms of charging speed. But who wants to drive 5 hours solid without a break? Not me. Your life and travel needs may be different.

But you CAN go 300+ miles on the freeway as rated by the EPA if you drive relatively slowly, which is how the EPA tests the cars. The heading of this thread "Is it POSSIBLE to get 250 miles on the interstate". Answer is a simple yes.

 

[mycroftxxx]

I recently did a 250 mile round trip in my ‘21 M3LR; 90% of the trip was limited-access divided highway with the prevailing traffic running between 65-70mph; there were maybe 10 miles or so of slow freeway traffic in the 20mph range. Nice SoCal weather. Charged to 100% before leaving and got back with 25% charge, about 60 miles showing on the display. I was actually pretty surprised; I was expecting one 10-minute SC stop but the nav system was amazingly accurate about what to expect.

Obviously that’s one data point on a M3LR, not an M3P, but…

 

[Evpowerdan]

I recently did a 250 mile round trip in my ‘21 M3LR; 90% of the trip was limited-access divided highway with the prevailing traffic running between 65-70mph; there were maybe 10 miles or so of slow freeway traffic in the 20mph range. Nice SoCal weather. Charged to 100% before leaving and got back with 25% charge, about 60 miles showing on the display. I was actually pretty surprised; I was expecting one 10-minute SC stop but the nav system was amazingly accurate about what to expect.

Obviously that’s one data point on a M3LR, not an M3P, but…

Those are almost ideal conditions. Speed play a big part in efficiency - 70mph and below is the sweet spot.

 

[DownshiftDre]

I wish the EPA tests and ratings would include updated more relevant use cases at various fixed speeds from 30mph to 70mph. Can add some minor wind drag and HVAC operation to the test as already done. Doesnt the current EPA “highway” test only go up to 55mph or 60mph and has all kinds of accel/decel profiles in it? Not how I usually drive on the highway.

Imagine being able to compare apples to apples at various speeds and know which car is the better city commuter and which car is the range/efficiency king at highway speeds. Repeat tests for cold and hot.

 

[Y_tho]

puddle jumping method of optimizing road trips.

"puddle jumping" - this is my new favorite expression to describe short charge-n-go sessions.

 

[golfcart]

My statement was addressing the point of the EPA range not being attainable - not if it met your particular trip and timing requirements to use the 100% full range of the car repeatedly over thousands of miles with shortest possible stops. You have a point for that use case - it's better to top up around 50% in terms of charging speed. But who wants to drive 5 hours solid without a break? Not me. Your life and travel needs may be different.

But you CAN go 300+ miles on the freeway as rated by the EPA if you drive relatively slowly, which is how the EPA tests the cars. The heading of this thread "Is it POSSIBLE to get 250 miles on the interstate". Answer is a simple yes.

Yeah I get your point I think you just replied to the wrong post I was talking about something completely different in response to someone else. The OP's question was hashed out a long time ago.

"puddle jumping" - this is my new favorite expression to describe short charge-n-go sessions.

I agree that is a great term. Not at all obvious that this would be the best way to road trip in an EV until you see charging rate vs SOC graphs so I can understand a lot of people's frustration when they try to time their stops based on EPA range.

 

[3sr+buyer]

Doesnt the current EPA “highway” test only go up to 55mph or 60mph and has all kinds of accel/decel profiles in it? Not how I usually drive on the highway.

Here are the EPA test cycles:

Detailed Test Information

EPA tests vehicles by running them through a series of driving routines, or schedules, that specify vehicle speed for each point in time during the laboratory tests.

www.fueleconomy.gov