Model S range options - would you pay for more than 160miles?

[NBB1]

try this one instead

Drivable radius map

it's not a "as the crow flies" radius. Rather it's based on actual drivable roads.
i registered this account just to say this. i spent 3 hours looking, and figured i'd save other people the effort of finding it all over again.
enjoy

Very cool site.

I knew this already, but I need at least the 230 mile option since the distance, after many drives, to my parents is about 210-220 miles (215 with the web site).

Which raises the question for me, will I be able to make it that far with the 230 option or would I need to move up to a higher tier?

 

[Kevin Harney]

If that is highway driving you will need to move up a tier definately. And come to think of it even if it is not you will need to move up. 230 mile pack gives you no room to spare and does not take into account some losses along the way. That is 230 IDEAL miles and is probably not achieveable in reality.

 

[Tdave]

"Mileage will vary" is more true of EVs. The range numbers given for the pack are "ideal range" as on the EPA course. That course includes a fair bit of medium speed driving at 30-40 mph. If your drive includes a fair bit of that, then you can indeed achieve the ideal range on your trip. Many Roadster owners report being able to achieve the ideal range numbers for certain trips. If your trip is all highway, and especially if you like to drive faster than the speed limit, you won't acheive the ideal range. But even given that, if you're comfortable drafting 50-100 ft behind a semi or other truck, your range will improve dramatically, even enough to be able to meet or exceed the ideal range with highway driving.

Again, mileage will vary.

 

[vfx]

"Mileage will vary" is more true of EVs.

I don't think this is true. If you accelerate quickly, drive 70mph, power up hills, and sit in stop and go traffic, I think that gasoline powered cars suffer equally. You are just not required to think of the consequences unless you have an empty wallet.

 

[Tdave]

I don't think this is true.

It is true. Or, we're both right.

EV range will vary more due to its high efficiency. There's less energy wasted, so all the things you can do to get more (or less) range based on driving style have a more pronounced effect.

Give me a super ineffecient ICE car and the difference between max and min range will be smaller than that of an efficient ICE car. That's even more true of the efficient EV car.

 

[WarpedOne]

Every ICE car has a min range of 0 miles.
Every electric car has a min range > 0 miles.

 

[Tdave]

Every ICE car has a min range of 0 miles.
Every electric car has a min range > 0 miles.

How do you figure? An EV car does use electricity or lose charge when it's just sitting there, whether it's on or off.

 

[doug]

I don't care to get into a debate about it, but Tdave is correct (in terms of percentage of range lost). Simply put, the EV isn't carrying that much energy around in it's batteries. For example, the Roadster battery pack holds the energy equivalence of about 1.5 gallons of gasoline. So losing a fixed amount of energy (say used pushing air out of the way) has a greater relative impact on range.

This guy from another thread sounds like he knows what he's talking about. He adds:

... remember on an ICE the motor gets more efficient under load, and you already have the "drag" of throwing away 80% of your energy as heat and needing to idle, so a little drag doesn't hurt your gas mileage much. In an electric, it gets less efficient under load, so a little extra drag can cost you alot of range.

 

[TEG]

In other words, to some degree, your driving behavior in an ICE car gets more "lost in the noise" of blatant inefficiency.

 

[vfx]

OK I get it. There is so much energy wasted in a gasoline engine that driving stupid is a small percentage more.


And in an Electrically powered car...





(having a hard time wording it so the EV does not sound like a wimp.)

 

[TEG]

Or to use an old cliche - "It's like throwing gasoline on the fire!"

(In this case it is actually a bit literal!)

 

[Brent]

In a sense, electric cars and bicycles share many of the same concerns: mountains, wind, and speed are all enemies of range. Maybe some of the intuitive lessons we learned as kids on bikes might come into play again as drivers of electrics.

 

[NBB1]

Thanks for the replies and the discussion on range. Most of the driving is highway with NYC traffic on one end.

I'm scared to think about the premium I'm going to have to pay just to visit my parents on one charge.

 

[Tdave]

I'm scared to think about the premium I'm going to have to pay just to visit my parents on one charge.

Don't forget the possibility of stopping somewhere along your route for an hour break to charge at 40A-240V, adding an additional 30-35 miles of range in that time. You can stop at an RV park today and walk through the woods or around a lake they might have there. And by the time the Model S is being delivered there should be other options at malls and turnpike service centers and other retail places wanting an hour of your attention.

 

[johnr]

Yet another way electric cars help boost the economy ... by encouraging people to do a little shopping while they charge up!

 

[AnOutsider]

It's all well and good for us, but tell the average consumer that in order to make long trips they'll have to find somewhere to recharge along the way and they'll scoff -- nevermind the fact that most people stop for a while on long trips anyways.

 

[domenick]

It's all well and good for us, but tell the average consumer that in order to make long trips they'll have to find somewhere to recharge along the way and they'll scoff -- nevermind the fact that most people stop for a while on long trips anyways.

Which is where the "battery swapping" might actually come in handy. For many people, the small pack is plenty but it would be nice if they can rent more on occasion for special trips or whatever. Drive down to the Tesla store and have them install it in a reasonably short period of time and , voila, you've got double your range for when you need it. Even if you could afford to go all out and get the big pack to begin with, if you rarely have to take advantage of it, it's pointless hauling around all that extra weight.

 

[AnOutsider]

I saw a video on the science channel of one of Better Place's swapping stations. cars drive in - car wash style - an automated machine lifts the car, swaps the battery and they're on their way in minutes

 

[Kevin Harney]

PBP now claims that the switch is less than 45 seconds - faster than the credit card transaction to pay for it.

 

[roblab]

Thanks for the replies and the discussion on range. Most of the driving is highway with NYC traffic on one end.

I'm scared to think about the premium I'm going to have to pay just to visit my parents on one charge.

Why can you not use an extension cord at your parents'??
Many times I have visited my brother (RAV4EV) and charged with a 220 volt extension cord to his dryer outlet. After lunch with the family, and a visit, I have 4 hours of charge. And the Tesla can do 110 volts, albeit less charge, but it's better than hanging around an RV park. Make a 220 cable (see EV nut web site) and charge from a standard 220 volt outlet.
Of course, there are those who live in apartments, etc. That would make it hard. But electricity is just about everywhere. Unlike Gasoline and Hydrogen.
Rob