Model Y as a commuter on I95 in VA?

[artw13]

New member to TMC. I am contemplating placing an order for a MY LR, which would be my daily driver. Currently, I have a 120 mile (roundtrip) commute via I-95, three or more days per week. So a mix of stop-and-go (70+ mph)

I have just about convinced myself that the MY LR has the range for the majority of my commute throughout the year. One area of concern is the reduction in range due colder temperatures. Any reason to be concerned, given that the battery will experience some degradation over time? Any recommendations on how to manage the battery life, and reduce this concern?

Any other things to be aware of when using a MY LR as a daily commuter?

 

[MY-Y]

120 miles no problem. On the really cold days, you may need to charge to 90%. If there is a winter storm, charge to 95%-100% that day just in case. Traffic and stop-and-go actually increases your range. The worst I've seen on a trip is 300 wh/mi (other than the first week on new tires). I believe the new batteries are 82 kWh. With a pessimistic degradation of 15%, that's 69.7 kWh. The car hides the bottom 4.5%, so that's 66.5 kWh before showing 0 miles. At a 90% charge, that's 60 kWh. 60000 wh / 300 wh/mi = 200 miles. 120? No problem.

One more tip. Assuming you have home charging, use the charge scheduling to automatically have a warmer battery (due to charging finishing right before you go) and a warm car before you leave.

 

[Jaimebond]

I concur and have a 130 mi rnd trip commute on a highway. Y has worked perfectly for this winter last yr and winter this year in northeast. No issues. Should be ok and youll save a ton on gas if this is first electric!

 

[LoudMusic]

A Model Y LR would be ideal for that commute. I'd say that is the textbook case for a current long range EVs.

I would definitely have at least a 240V50A circuit at home for charging and that will get you back to proper battery charge for the next day. At worst you might have to make an occasional quick stop at a Supercharger, but there are plenty of them on I-95 and the car handles all the navigation routing and required charge estimates for you. Just enter your destination and follow the on screen directions. If you start each day with 90% charge you should be able to make those round trip commutes without the need for anything but charging at home.

 

[Sludog]

If your commuting and don't need the cargo room then I would think a Model 3 would be a better value for you. The standard range Model 3 can be fully charged daily with an estimates range of 270 miles but these batteries are new in Tesla and rumored to lose range in cold weather. The long range Model 3 will get more range and has AWD but costs $6k more but still costs $8k less than the Model Y

 

[PacificPower]

Model Y:
Bigger, fits 5 comfortably if you take passengers
4x the cargo room of Model 3

Model 3:
More affordable (51k vs 59k)
Better handling and slightly better range than MY

In either case, I would suggest installing a NEMA 14-50 or a Wall Charger at home, considering this is something you'll rely on to get yourself back to 90% when you come home everyday within 3-5 hours. Charge to 100% if you're going on a roadtrip or you think you'll need the extra range.

 

[darein]

I live in Hampton Roads and drive to DC somewhat regularly. We drove back from up north the other week (before the snow storm, temps were right about freezing). We charged in Woodbridge, PA (up to ~80% charge), got down to Stafford (up to ~80% charge) for a charge, then down to Yorktown (~27% remaining) and not babying it (80mph on highways). I regularly drive from Yorktown to Richmond Executive Airport and home (80mi each way) and use about 60% charge, in a MYLR. I don't notice too much range loss in the "cold" weather around here (above freezing). In Northern Michigan though, 10F will really hurt the range.

 

[artw13]

120 miles no problem. On the really cold days, you may need to charge to 90%. If there is a winter storm, charge to 95%-100% that day just in case. Traffic and stop-and-go actually increases your range. The worst I've seen on a trip is 300 wh/mi (other than the first week on new tires). I believe the new batteries are 82 kWh. With a pessimistic degradation of 15%, that's 69.7 kWh. The car hides the bottom 4.5%, so that's 66.5 kWh before showing 0 miles. At a 90% charge, that's 60 kWh. 60000 wh / 300 wh/mi = 200 miles. 120? No problem.

One more tip. Assuming you have home charging, use the charge scheduling to automatically have a warmer battery (due to charging finishing right before you go) to and a warm car before you leave.

Thanks. I like the ability to set the departure time and have the car preconditioned, ready to go. Definitely will have home charging.

 

[artw13]

Model Y:
Bigger, fits 5 comfortably if you take passengers
4x the cargo room of Model 3

Model 3:
More affordable (51k vs 59k)
Better handling and slightly better range than MY

In either case, I would suggest installing a NEMA 14-50 or a Wall Charger at home, considering this is something you'll rely on to get yourself back to 90% when you come home everyday within 3-5 hours. Charge to 100% if you're going on a roadtrip or you think you'll need the extra range.

We are a family of 5, so comfortable seating is a plus. How is headroom in the second row?
How would you describe the difference in handling between the Y and 3?

Definitely installing home charging. Car would be parked in the driveway, and I'll need to run a circuit regardless if NEMA 14-50 or Wall Charger, so likely I'll get the Wall Charger.

 

[artw13]

I live in Hampton Roads and drive to DC somewhat regularly. We drove back from up north the other week (before the snow storm, temps were right about freezing). We charged in Woodbridge, PA (up to ~80% charge), got down to Stafford (up to ~80% charge) for a charge, then down to Yorktown (~27% remaining) and not babying it (80mph on highways). I regularly drive from Yorktown to Richmond Executive Airport and home (80mi each way) and use about 60% charge, in a MYLR. I don't notice too much range loss in the "cold" weather around here (above freezing). In Northern Michigan though, 10F will really hurt the range.

Thanks. I am familiar with those routes as well (family in Hampton and Williamsburg)., I appreciate knowing you sharing your range and SoC experiences with routes I have traveled.

 

[artw13]

I concur and have a 130 mi rnd trip commute on a highway. Y has worked perfectly for this winter last yr and winter this year in northeast. No issues. Should be ok and youll save a ton on gas if this is first electric!

Yep, the Tesla would be the first electric. Not sure about saving a ton on gas. My current car is a 2017 Prius 3, which has an average 63 mpg over 72k miles, so maybe a half ton .

 

[MY-Y]

We are a family of 5, so comfortable seating is a plus. How is headroom in the second row?
How would you describe the difference in handling between the Y and 3?

Definitely installing home charging. Car would be parked in the driveway, and I'll need to run a circuit regardless if NEMA 14-50 or Wall Charger, so likely I'll get the Wall Charger.

A model Y is not comfortable for five, unless some are young children. When all five in my family go out, the Model Y stays in the garage. A minivan is much better for five.

There is plenty of headroom in the back. Over 5'10" or so, and the seat shouldn't be reclined IMO. If it is reclined, the rear support can be hit with your head if you get rear ended.

When four of fewer go out, the MY wins every time.

 

[Daekwan]

New member to TMC. I am contemplating placing an order for a MY LR, which would be my daily driver. Currently, I have a 120 mile (roundtrip) commute via I-95, three or more days per week. So a mix of stop-and-go (70+ mph)

I have just about convinced myself that the MY LR has the range for the majority of my commute throughout the year. One area of concern is the reduction in range due colder temperatures. Any reason to be concerned, given that the battery will experience some degradation over time? Any recommendations on how to manage the battery life, and reduce this concern?

Any other things to be aware of when using a MY LR as a daily commuter?

I live in Bowie, work in Dulles. 100 miles roundtrip. I can do it in my MYSR (standard range 54kWh battery pack) with no sweat. Leave home with 90% battery.. get back with 30-40%. During the Spring & Fall... I can do the same trip and get back with almost 50% range. If it's 90-100 degrees during the summer, the car is going to spend ALOT of energy keeping the cabin cool.

As far as the cold, it isn't so much your enemy as speed is. Especially if you do schedule departure the car preconditions (pre-warms the battery) and you leave the house with a warm battery pack. I also generally cruise on highways at 65-70mph. Really no reason to go faster, especially in VA where 20mph over the limit is reckless. Granted I-95 has 65mph limits, but I believe anything over 80mph in VA is also considered reckless driving.

TL: DR.. you should be fine doing 120mph and cruising at speeds up to 75mph all year round in the MYLR.

 

[Daekwan]

We are a family of 5, so comfortable seating is a plus. How is headroom in the second row?
How would you describe the difference in handling between the Y and 3?

Definitely installing home charging. Car would be parked in the driveway, and I'll need to run a circuit regardless if NEMA 14-50 or Wall Charger, so likely I'll get the Wall Charger.

Good decision on the WC. It's a much more elegant & durable solution for outdoor charging and now comes with a 24ft cord that has no problem reaching several EV's parked at your home. Honestly, if you are going to run a new circuit, go ahead and pony up for the WC + 60A breaker. Both use the same wire.. but the wall charger can charge 50% faster than the 14-50 outlet + mobile connector + 14-50 adapter. Especially with a long commute you never know when you get home if you need to turn around in a few hours and have to run back out for something else.

Be sure to check with your power company to see if they offer any additional benefits, credits, and incentives for EV owners when installing a dedicated EVSE (Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment aka charger). I was able to get $300 back from Pepco and will get $700 back from MD and $1000 back from the IRS in the form of tax credits.. all from installing two wall chargers in my home's garage. We are a 100% EV family so figure the faster-charging wall units were worth the extra investment upfront. I was also invited into a special program for EV owners with L2 wall chargers where Pepco will give me a quarterly credit for any off-peak charging. They consider off-peak 8 pm to 12noon M-F and all day weekends & holidays. As you can imagine the wall chargers will basically pay for themselves after a few years of driving.

 

[PacificPower]

We are a family of 5, so comfortable seating is a plus. How is headroom in the second row?
How would you describe the difference in handling between the Y and 3?

Definitely installing home charging. Car would be parked in the driveway, and I'll need to run a circuit regardless if NEMA 14-50 or Wall Charger, so likely I'll get the Wall Charger.

Headroom is way better on the Model Y, for reference I'm 6'2", and my head almost touches the top of the Model 3 backseat roof, whereas I got atleast 3-4 inches on the top and a full glass roof on the Model Y backseats (no divider in the roof like the Model 3).

I wouldn't take 4 people the same size as me in a Model 3, but easily could be done in a Model Y.

The difference in handling is more noticeable if you drive sporty. A sedan like the 3 will always feel more agile in the corners compared to the SUV type feel of the Y. Both still feel the same in the straights, and the weight distribution is great on the Y compared to other SUVs because of the batteries being on the bottom. If you're just commuting or daily driving, you won't really notice a difference and actually might prefer the higher ground clearance of the Y.

 

[TomServo]

We love the higher seating position in the Y and getting IN/OUT of a Y is so much easier than the 3. Then there is the utility of the rear hatch. As an older person the Y was a better vehicle for our needs.

 

[Tha_Ape]

120 miles no problem. On the really cold days, you may need to charge to 90%. If there is a winter storm, charge to 95%-100% that day just in case. Traffic and stop-and-go actually increases your range. The worst I've seen on a trip is 300 wh/mi (other than the first week on new tires). I believe the new batteries are 82 kWh. With a pessimistic degradation of 15%, that's 69.7 kWh. The car hides the bottom 4.5%, so that's 66.5 kWh before showing 0 miles. At a 90% charge, that's 60 kWh. 60000 wh / 300 wh/mi = 200 miles. 120? No problem.

at 75-80mph in 28⁰F (69⁰F inside) I got 370Wh/mi. I still wouldnt worry about 120mi though.

That may have included pre- heading for supercharger since I was on a 800mi trip. But it's a worst case

 

[Plug Me In]

I commute Charlottesville to Farmville 125 miles round trip in my 9 year old Model S. It is 2 lane country roads so my efficiency is better but I've been doing it on my old 205 mile max range battery no problems. Left home Friday charged to 190, came home in mid 20's temps after battery soaked in the cold for 10 hrs and arrived home with around 25 mile range left. Over the years I've gotten pretty comfortable pushing the battery down into lower double digits on known routes. I wouldn't worry at all about your commute, especially if a Supercharger is available for bailout.