Model 3 LR for LONG daily commute?

[SalisburySam]

This may not be important to you, but you’ll run out of bumper- to-bumper warranty in less than 9 months and that’s based on your commute only. Additional uses will eat up the warranty sooner. You’ll still have the traction battery warranty a bit longer but not the b-2-b.

 

[wws]

So I had a talk with our Plant Ops Director. Told him what I wanted and he has an electrician coming for a quote. He implied it wouldn't be a big deal.

So assuming I can charge at work, is it worth looking at a 2017-2018 Model S?

Any form of (208 or) 240V charging at work will get you enough extra miles during the day to do the round trip in any Tesla. Of course that also assumes you have charging at home so that you can fully charge overnight.

You can flip it around too. If they install a 60 amp circuit (48 amp continuous) and install a Wall Charger (or equivalent from Clipper Creek or others), you might consider charging to full while at work. Then, at home, replacing what you need to make the next mornings drive with some margin.

As for Model 3 vs Model S, coming from an Accord the Model 3 is probably fine. With charging at work, even a SR+ would work. Though I would still choose the LR. And get the aero 18" wheels. Better range and fewer issues with potholes and road debris than with the fancier, larger, wheels.

 

[9shots]

Which cars are these? If we're talking PHEV, most have the same fuel tank as original variant. The extra battery (typically 10-30kwh) are typically located in the trunk or below seat, and used to assist low-speed component of the drive, thereby extending total range in a mixed cycle. Either way, they would fully cover a 270mi daily drive. (ex Outlander, BMW and Mercedes "e" variants)

Audi (and most other VAG brands), BMW and Mercedes have smaller fuel tank.

 

[boiler81]

I find it interesting that none of the discussion of ICE vs Hybrid vs EV considers either impact to the environment, nor safety. I would think if I lived in Florida, ravaged by wildfire, hurricanes, and ultimately rising sea level, that I'd want to be part of the climate change solution. Also I don't think the OP could be any safer than driving a M3, especially since his odds of being involved in an accident, based on miles driven are much higher than the average milage driver.

 

[Sandor]

I have a 95 mile California commute each way (just like the OP, don’t ask why) and have been driving a Model 3 DM since Januar 2021. Overall, I can make it back and forth on one 80% charge but it does get below 50 left towards the end of return leg. I drive all freeway with AP set at 80mph.
We have chargers at work but they are not always available as there are many ppl driving EVs who show up earlier than I do.
Here is what I recommend: get comfortable charging to 100% every day. Maybe 97% if you want to leave some margin. If you can handle driving 70 mph, you should be fine. May also want to stick with the ugly aero wheels. I have the 18” ones and am sure I am losing a few % in range as a result.

Exactly same 95 mile California commute, but I've been doing it since 12/2019 in a M3 LR AWD, 18" aero wheels. 90% charging at home and if I don't use the 5-20 outlet at work, I have about 70 miles or ~23% left in the evening. And I drive on NoA with 85 mph as the limit. SoCal is better than FL as in I can live w/o AC while I doubt that the OP can. I get under 250W/mile efficiency.

Now to the OP's question, as long as he has a 5-20 available outside the building (very likely in any industrial park environment) he'd get something like 50 miles back of range in 8h so I'd say as long as 18" aero wheels and you don't drive it like you stole it (speeding and braking). AC usage may be limited which may be a deal breaker...

And because he's a CFO, money-wise it gets a lot lot better if you have solar; cheaper than anything that I can imagine for that kind of mileage. It's not only the cost of gas that would kill you but also the maintenance on a high usage, soon to be high mileage car. And filling the tank for an ICE car 2-3 times a week that's a minimum of 30 min of your life that you don't get to spend on the road.

Hope it helps,

 

[AhwatukeeDad]

You never mention your home charge solution. It likely needs to be equally robust to what you have a work. UMC maxes at 38 miles an hour I think for a model 3. Wall charger maxes at 44 miles an hour. If I were you I would have a wall charger on a 60A breaker at home and office. YMMV.

 

[Phlier]

The AC doesnt use much power at all. Just because it was 90 degrees outside doesnt mean your battery was warm (it almost assuredly wasnt, if you drove 25 local miles at 25-45 MPH).

There seems to be some confusion amongst BEV owners that running the AC (regardless of mode... heating or cooling) really gives you a range hit. But as JJ has pointed out, cooling the car down is *very* efficient, and uses very little energy; it takes a lot less energy to move heat from one place and put it in another (like when you're cooling off your car), than actually using energy to *create* heat (like using a resistive heater in your car in the winter).

I live in the desert. We hit 100 degrees for our first time in mid May, then from June 1st until the end of September it's over 100F every day. And I keep my car at a very comfy 65F during the hottest days of the summer, and take very little range hit from it. Honestly, I'm very impressed by the cooling capacity this car has. It's the first car I've had since R-12 (an older type of refrigerant) was banished that's actually been able to get the car *cold* during the hottest days of summer.

My previous car was a 2016 Honda Accord V6, and it really struggled during city driving to keep the car temperature down to where you wouldn't break a sweat while driving it. It would run the fan full blast and never really get comfortable. Not so with the Model 3. The hottest day I drove it was one day in August in Las Vegas. It was 124F outside. My car had been parked in the sun while my wife and I ate lunch. We were pretty new to the car, so I didn't even think of turning on the AC as we were finishing our meal. Even so, the internal temp hit the desired 65F within 20 minutes, at which point the fan actually started to slow down. The cooling capacity of this car is truly amazing.

You young guys missed out... The old R-12 air conditioning systems in older cars was truly amazing. It would freeze you to the bone on the hottest desert summer days. But losing out on the benefit of a nice cold air conditioning system is a small price to pay in exchange for keeping the ozone layer.

And as JJ also touched on, the preferred operating temperature of our car's battery for maximum efficiency is a lot warmer than most people would think. "Ludicrous" mode on the Model S heats the battery to 123F! I don't imagine that the "normal" operating temperature is *quite* that warm, but it's still pretty darn warm.

TL;DR: Use that awesome Tesla air conditioner to your heart's desire on those hot days, and don't even worry about taking a range hit for it.

Back on topic... I also drive 138 miles one way to work, but I don't do it on a daily basis. I drive to work, the car sits for three or four days, then I drive it home. I do have to stop at a supercharger for ten to fifteen minutes before the drive home, but I love our Tesla so much that I just don't even care about the minor annoyance of having to stop.

 

[garth_angst]

I briefly looked at chargepoint and while it’s be cool to charge people to use it, the initial investment looked to be $4k or more. That’d be a hard sell considering there’s only one employee and maybe me.

The best idea would be the 240v outlet. I could pay for it myself if needed and then split time with the EV owner (or pull rank lol).

Do consider that it looks like you will be plugging in and removing the mobile charging cable daily. That will put a lot of wear and tear on the outlet. That is something to take into account.

 

[Apprunner]

Do consider that it looks like you will be plugging in and removing the mobile charging cable daily. That will put a lot of wear and tear on the outlet. That is something to take into account.

This is a good point. If the company is willing to pay for a 240V charger, its just as cheap installation wise as a Tesla Wall Connector and you can foot the bill for the Wall connector at $500. With your driving, you'd save that in gas in about a month

 

[Jericho2414]

I was thinking of just going with the 240v outlet as opposed to the full wall connector for a couple reasons: 1) we can tap into a parking lot lightmaking it pretty discreet, 2) no one else has a Tesla, so going for a charger that no one else can use would be a bad look.

As for home usage, I would most certainly be installing a Tesla wall charger. Already sent out emails for quotes.

 

[dmurphy]

I was thinking of just going with the 240v outlet as opposed to the full wall connector for a couple reasons: 1) we can tap into a parking lot lightmaking it pretty discreet, 2) no one else has a Tesla, so going for a charger that no one else can use would be a bad look.

As for home usage, I would most certainly be installing a Tesla wall charger. Already sent out emails for quotes.

Point 2) is why I recommended something like a Clipper Creek. It's not quite as inconspicuous as the plug, but they do have a dual-charger version so both you and the Bolt can charge off the same station. A little more $$ of course though.

For home charging - I have a wall connector because I park outside. If I parked in the garage, I'd get a NEMA 14-50 plug and a 2nd Mobile Connector that I could leave plugged in. The wall connector is, for the most part, overkill in a home garage... sure looks cool though!! haha.

 

[afty]

I haven’t seen this mentioned yet, but abetterrouteplanner.com will give you a very accurate estimate of how much battery will be used on that commute.

 

[Jericho2414]

Quote: $500 for 4 240v outlets

 

[dmurphy]

Quote: $500 for 4 240v outlets

Winner, winner, chicken dinner!!!

Now all you need is to make up an "Employee of the Month Parking Only" sign and designate yourself a spot... LOL.

Tesla inbound!

 

[Jericho2414]

During the week I'd charge at home and work. During the weekend, we drive a SUV (wife and 2 kids). Really my car is strictly for work. That being said, is a home charger really necessary. Got a local quote for $600 to install the NEMA 14-50

 

[dmurphy]

During the week I'd charge at home and work. During the weekend, we drive a SUV (wife and 2 kids). Really my car is strictly for work. That being said, is a home charger really necessary. Got a local quote for $600 to install the NEMA 14-50

Simply ... no. I'd get the 14-50 installed and be done with it, in your shoes. My only suggestion might be to get a 2nd NEMA 14-50 plug for your Mobile Connector and just leave that attached at home. Most home-grade NEMA 14-50 receptacles aren't designed for constant plug/unplug. You'd need a commercial-grade plug for that - which I'm sure your work electrician is installing ...

But yeah, a 14-50 at home is more than plenty.

 

[Jericho2414]

Ugh never mind. Upon further review, the area I had in mind won't work. The only way it can work would require very long cabling, tunneling under sidewalk, etc... My building is a hospital so there aren't a ton of breakers, outlets that are near parking. The light I was hoping to tap into...it turns out the conduit used is only big enough for the current cabling. There's simply not room for additional cables.

 

[Gasaraki]

I’ve seen threads asking if a Model 3 LR can handle a long commute and the answer is typically yes, however I have something I haven’t seen discussed...

I have a long daily commute 136 miles each way (272 daily). Please no comments about that as I can answer them quickly: Yes, the commute is for a high paying job. No, my wife will not move. No, I cannot work from home. No, I cannot find a similar job that’s closer to home. No, I cannot charge at work (although that might be a possibility). No, I do not care about depreciation or resale value.

That out of the way, I live in Jacksonville, FL so it gets hot and the winters don’t get below 30-40*. My commute is 100% highway. I’m currently paying $600/m in gas so an EV seems like a no-brainer. My problem is I’m not sure a Model 3 LR can go 275 daily (I always read to charge to 80% and not below 20%, which would leave only 210 miles). Being on the road for 4 hours a day, I’m not real interested in stopping to charge.

So my question is, can a LR actually be used for 275 daily with no charging in between?

Thanks

Yeah probably not. Get the Model S LR.

 

[Austindude]

I’ve seen threads asking if a Model 3 LR can handle a long commute and the answer is typically yes, however I have something I haven’t seen discussed...

I have a long daily commute 136 miles each way (272 daily). Please no comments about that as I can answer them quickly: Yes, the commute is for a high paying job. No, my wife will not move. No, I cannot work from home. No, I cannot find a similar job that’s closer to home. No, I cannot charge at work (although that might be a possibility). No, I do not care about depreciation or resale value.

That out of the way, I live in Jacksonville, FL so it gets hot and the winters don’t get below 30-40*. My commute is 100% highway. I’m currently paying $600/m in gas so an EV seems like a no-brainer. My problem is I’m not sure a Model 3 LR can go 275 daily (I always read to charge to 80% and not below 20%, which would leave only 210 miles). Being on the road for 4 hours a day, I’m not real interested in stopping to charge.

So my question is, can a LR actually be used for 275 daily with no charging in between?

Thanks

Here's my $0.02. Well I often do long distance trips (about 325 miles) and I would say the answer for me anyway is no. My 2018 Model 3 LR RWD theoretically gets 310 miles of range but since during much of my drive I am travelling between 70 to 80 mph and often into a slight headwind I cannot get anywhere close to that range. At those speeds I consistently find that I use about 70% of my battery going about 155 miles (which happens to be the distance to the Supercharger where I want to stop). Yes, if I slowed down to 55 to 60 mph I could probably get my energy usage down to close to 250Wh/mile which would mean about 300 miles of range. At that energy consumption if you don't have hills and you are willing to drive slowly you might be able to get 275 miles of range without too much anxiety - but that would never work for me.

 

[bjrosen]

Sorry to hear that work charging won't happen for you. That leaves you with two alternatives, a Model S LR or Supercharging. If I were you this is what I'd do, on your commute tomorrow stop at the Superchargers on your route to see what amenities are at those locations. You will need a short Supercharger stop each day, if there is a Dunkin Donuts or a Starbucks at one of the stops then you can plug in, grab a cup of coffee, and be on your way. It's turns a bug into a feature. BTW a stop on the way home will take less time than a stop on the way to work. EVs charge faster with low batteries so it's best to stop when you have 20% in the battery vs 50 or 60%.

To summarize about range. You should only charge your battery to 90%, never to 100% because charging to 100% damages the battery. You also don't want to arrive home with less that 10% because you won't want to cut things too close and discharging to 0% is also bad for the battery. Finally you want to drive as fast as the you can without getting a ticket, driving fast with a Supercharger stop will be quicker than trying to hypermile. The faster you drive the more energy you use, it's just physics. The kinetic energy equation is K = 1/2 MV^2 where V is the velocity. The drag equation is based on the kinetic energy equation, so it's also a function of the square of the velocity. The other thing to take into account is that drag increases when it rains because the mass of water is greater than the mass of air and drag is just your car pushing the atmosphere out of the way. The bottom line is that even with a new Model S LR you can't count on being able to do your commute without stopping to charge.