Tha_Ape
Active Member
Only thing I disagree with here is #9.... I'm smoother than the car and can look WAY ahead to see what traffic and lights are doing. Otherwise 100%
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Minimizing Whr/mile
- Thread starter ranss12
- Start date
Bikeman
Member
Mythbusters also made a car that had hundreds of dimples like a golf ball and that got a noticable improvement in gas mileage.
SageBrush
REJECT Fascism
OP is not a hypermiler. I was during my Prius owning days (~ 70 mpg) but no more.
Not that I have turned into an aggressive driver, it is just for me a case of driving at speeds of the flow of traffic. I have also narrowed down the list of fuel savings tricks to the top 5 or so that matter the most:
Not that I have turned into an aggressive driver, it is just for me a case of driving at speeds of the flow of traffic. I have also narrowed down the list of fuel savings tricks to the top 5 or so that matter the most:
- I combine trips
- I anticipate what is ahead, and coast down. Very little friction brake use
- I pay attention to the sun. I use it to heat the car in the winter, and I block it in the summer
- I use the car's seat heater and heated steering wheel for comfort, and rarely use cabin heating
Do you have a citation for the claim that a vehicle drafting behind another causes the leading vehicle to use more fuel? I thought I had heard that when bicycles draft, the second rider smooths out the air flow behind the first resulting in a very minor reduction in drag for the front rider. I assumed it would be the same for trucks and cars?
So... a quick Google search says that in Nascar racing, both cars go faster when drafting. Two nearly identical race cars is different than a truck and a car, so maybe the aerodynamics work out differently. The car would have to make the low pressure zone behind the truck worse to cut into its fuel economy.
For me, the possibility of cracking a windshield is a bigger reason to avoid drafting a truck than the possibility I might cause them to burn more fuel. I've already had one windshield replaced on my Y, and I'd like to keep the current one around for a while.
I don't draft behind trucks, but I do remember from my bicycle commuting days that after a large truck passed me, the breeze it generated lasted longer than 2 seconds, so even following 2 seconds behind a truck should result in some improvement of Whr/m.
I think 219 Wh/mi over 32k miles is amazing. I averaged 237 Whr/mi over 53,000 miles in my 2018 LR RWD Model 3, but that did include 2 roundtrips from Rochester, NY to SanDiego which probably drove my average up considerably.
The smoother you drive the better quality you'll get from the Tesla (or any car). Don't speed. Don't slam the breaks. Don't speed up, then down, then up, then down, etc. Steady pace is best. Also, no need for AC or heat? Don't use it. As OP stated, all these small things add up if you're actually trying to get as much miles as possible.
Graham J
Member
So you're probably paying about $60 more per year in electricity than Op. Seems reasonable for not worrying about it imo
I have kind of a heavy foot but still appreciate tips that can help improve efficiency. I would add narrower tires to the list.
Mythbusters did the truck drafting test. There is a gain but ONLY if you drive scaringly close, otherwise it's not worth it. So, it's just plain not worth it.
I'm one of those that would indeed say that chill mode isn't necessary since you can achieve the same thing by being reasonable, and you have access to all your power in emergency situations. But to each his/her own.
I'm one of those that would indeed say that chill mode isn't necessary since you can achieve the same thing by being reasonable, and you have access to all your power in emergency situations. But to each his/her own.
gx9901
Member
I'm always pleased to see the efficiency improve when I'm driving the MYP, but alas, between the MN winter and the fact that my car is a P, my lifetime efficiency over around 11k miles is at 295 Wh/Mi. I like seeing that number go down in the warmer months, and I usually try to drive in a way that's biased toward efficiency. But I also want to mash the accelerator once in a while, so sometimes I feel conflicted while driving this car. 
Johnny Vector
Member
I wouldn't worry about it. The occasional accelerator mash is unlikely to have a measurable effect on lifetime efficiency, unless by "once in a while" you mean "every few seconds". All the other things mentioned are going to have a much larger effect. If you feel like mashing the accelerator when there's a Camaro with loud pipes next to you at the stop light, you can do so knowing it won't make any real difference to your overall efficiency!I'm always pleased to see the efficiency improve when I'm driving the MYP, but alas, between the MN winter and the fact that my car is a P, my lifetime efficiency over around 11k miles is at 295 Wh/Mi. I like seeing that number go down in the warmer months, and I usually try to drive in a way that's biased toward efficiency. But I also want to mash the accelerator once in a while, so sometimes I feel conflicted while driving this car.
Yes! Great subject. Mostly said yes yes yes as i read you list, awesome doing all those. I am taking notes as i read, and may insert a good suggestion if it hasn’t been covered. I’ve been driving 25,000 a year for 15 years of 85 mile daily commutes in my Prui (haha 2004 2005 2010 & 2015s) and just in my first month with Tesla. Couldn’t be more tickled, i love it. It was a necessity to learn mpg improvements over the years. Only have 2,000 on my MYLR, but getting 252Wh/mi 2000 mile lifetime average so far.
Ok, i have two ideas i’ve used over my 15 years of learning to conserve $, and now kW:
1. When starting a drive, avoid getting up to highway speeds for about first 2 miles. When leaving my work, I take the side road to the next onramp. I’ve done both, straight on the freeway and measured my wh/mi to a point beyond the next onramp. Results were freeway 348wh/mi in 3 miles; sideroad 232wh/mi same distance same point. Made a big improvement on the end result of that 42 mile commute. (239wh/mi vs 272wh/mi).
2. When approaching a bridge/overpass (higher than surrounding road), get out of cruise, and maintain throttle at same position as level road portion. Let inertia take you up and over, maintain throttle down the other side, re-engage cruise when you regain cruising speed. This is maybe 10-15% increased benefit. Gosh Elon, make us a hypermile button with all or some of these features. Cruise likes to punch throttle going up and over, and coasting or regen the other side, so not too efficient.
Anyway, i love this thread. Thanks to all who contributed.
Great information on helping to reduce wh/mi. Very consistent with the recommendations to improve mpg for hybrid vehicles, which I've driven for many years. I've put many miles on two Prius' which are now being used by other family members and still going strong. Without trying to focus on improving wh/mi my new Model Y LR has gotten 249 wh/mi over my first 2,000 miles and best rating of 236 wh/mi. I wonder if there's a sweet spot driving a Tesla at a certain speed to get the best wh/mi. My Prius' really liked a speed in the mid 40's to get the best mpg. I'm going to start actively using some of my hybrid techniques and recommendations in this conversation to see how I can improve my numbers. Granted, living in a warm climate is helping me considerably.
Here's some interesting information I pulled from ev-database.uk referring to Model Y LR:
Indication of real-world energy use in several situations. Cold weather: 'worst-case' based on -10°C and use of heating. Mild weather: 'best-case' based on 23°C and no use of A/C. For 'Highway' figures a constant speed of 70 mph is assumed. The energy use will depend on speed, style of driving, climate and route conditions.
Here's some interesting information I pulled from ev-database.uk referring to Model Y LR:
Real Energy Consumption Estimationbetween 200 - 405 Wh/mi
| City - Cold Weather * | 300 Wh/mi |
| Highway - Cold Weather * | 405 Wh/mi |
| Combined - Cold Weather * | 349 Wh/mi |
| City - Mild Weather * | 200 Wh/mi |
| Highway - Mild Weather * | 313 Wh/mi |
| Combined - Mild Weather * | 254 Wh/mi |
Indication of real-world energy use in several situations. Cold weather: 'worst-case' based on -10°C and use of heating. Mild weather: 'best-case' based on 23°C and no use of A/C. For 'Highway' figures a constant speed of 70 mph is assumed. The energy use will depend on speed, style of driving, climate and route conditions.
ZenRockGarden
Active Member
Another way to summarize this (nice) table is: The car uses 200 Wh/mi under ideal conditions. Add 100 for highway speeds and/or extreme weather.
Just returned home in my 2022 Model Y LR from a short mid-week trip to the beach, total mileage 115 miles with a reported 214 wh/mi. The outside temp was 80 with no rain. No A/C running during the trip. Traffic was light with maybe 20 percent being highway and only one person in the car. The wh/mi seemed to trend down slowly on long stretches of road doing between 45 and 55 mph. Also tire pressure was set to 43 psi cold, a little high but we are getting hit with a cold front tomorrow with temps maybe in the high sixty (I'll need to find my sweaters).
ZenRockGarden
Active Member
Yep, very close to optimal conditions, and pretty close to 200 wh/mi which is darn good.
Rshephorse
Member
If you are truly drafting behind a semi- there will be no room for objects to get kicked up. Someday all of our vehicles will be able to train-up on autopilot and just like a peloton of cyclists- get huge aerodynamic benefits.
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