Model Y real range

[vijay_challa]

What do you all really get? I seem to get about 70% or lesser of what the car says. My battery almost ran out when I went on a trip to Oklahoma (155 miles) after a full-charge. I have the long-range model. At the end of the trip, car just had 55 miles on it. We were shocked. I am wondering if this is what you all see or I have a lemon. I opened a couple of tickets with Tesla and they don't see anything wrong with it - hard for me to believe.
I don't drive rashly. I am an average driver and try to stick around 75 most of the time.

 

[jcanoe]

All is well; here are some charts to help understand the impact of driving speed and temperature on the range of the Tesla vehicle (in these charts a Model S and Model X, 100kWh battery are used. The test results for the Tesla Model Y would follow similar curve(s).

Tesla Range Plotted Relative To Speed & Temperature (Graphs)

When planning a trip you can use A Better Route Planner (ABRP) on your computer or phone to plan the trip, charging stops. ABRP takes into account elevation changes along the route (as does the Tesla Navigation system.) With ABRP you can enter your Wh/mile consumption estimate, your speed plus temperature, wind, cargo load, road conditions and traffic.

Most of these variables are beyond your control. The only thing you can do to significantly improve your range is reduce your speed. Lowering your speed by 10 MPH would result in almost 20% reduction in energy used per mile. Limit use of the climate control system; use the heated seats and steering wheel instead of relying as much on the climate control cabin heating. Make sure your tires are inflated to at least the recommended 42 PSI cold tire pressure; a few pounds more can improve your efficiency.

A Better Routeplanner

 

[essaunders]

At the end of the trip, car just had 55 miles on it.

My EV (a 2012 LEAF) starts the day with less than 55 miles on it...

I also have a 2021 Y. Your observations are roughly in line with what I see. You certainly aren't going to get 326 miles on the highway. (or 316 or even 300). If you want longer range, drive slower, drive in warmer weather, (or both) ... or charge more often...

 

[jjrandorin]

75 most of the time.

The EPA range is based on EPA tests, and those are like 45MPH. "Try to stick to 75 most of the time" means that sometimes you drive faster than that, most likely. Increasing speed isnt "a little more" power use, its a LOT LOT LOT more. 200 ish miles on a charge driving 75-80MPH sounds absolutely normal.

TL ; DR -- there is nothing wrong with your car, tesla is correct, and you will never get close to EPA range driving anywhere near those speeds.

 

[Unclepaul]

Real World is that if you drive like the EPA testing protocol, you will get close to their estimated range.

Tesla does not promise or claim any mileage or range. They only can post what the EPA testing system allows.

Typically Tesla display shows miles remaining, but also considers the buffer the owner determines. If you chose a 10% buffer, then your remaining range will take that into consideration on your display.

Driving at 75-80 will get lower range than EPA estimates. Using heater, driving not smoothly, encountering elevation changes, tire pressure and additional people or cargo weight will always reduce your range.

When I raced Vipers, real world fuel economy for me was as low as 2.2 mpg. I took that as kind of a badge of honor

 

[OCJeff]

I did my first real "drive" (too short to call a road trip) and it was 120 miles. To be safe I charged up to 100% and hit the road. Averaged about 50 MPH on the longer stretch (hit a bit of traffic in the middle) but open road driving was 70-80 (which I know hurts the efficiency). I used about 47% of my charge (slight increase in elevation). So using that I would say my range is about 240miles, but that would be cutting it very close. Comfortably, 200 miles going 70-80. Driving slower will give better range.

 

[Sophias_dad]

car just had 55 miles on it

Almost ran out? Call us back when you plug in at 5 miles left, and THEN you can say you almost ran out.

 

[mark95476]

MY has been around for 1.5 years already. People have been talking about range and efficiency years before that. Probably thousands videos on YouTube on this same topic.

What do you all really get? I seem to get about 70% or lesser of what the car says. My battery almost ran out when I went on a trip to Oklahoma (155 miles) after a full-charge. I have the long-range model. At the end of the trip, car just had 55 miles on it. We were shocked. I am wondering if this is what you all see or I have a lemon. I opened a couple of tickets with Tesla and they don't see anything wrong with it - hard for me to believe.
I don't drive rashly. I am an average driver and try to stick around 75 most of the time.

 

[DanDi58]

What do you all really get? I seem to get about 70% or lesser of what the car says. My battery almost ran out when I went on a trip to Oklahoma (155 miles) after a full-charge. I have the long-range model. At the end of the trip, car just had 55 miles on it. We were shocked. I am wondering if this is what you all see or I have a lemon. I opened a couple of tickets with Tesla and they don't see anything wrong with it - hard for me to believe.
I don't drive rashly. I am an average driver and try to stick around 75 most of the time.

My advice is to not worry about it. There is nothing wrong with your car. The car will tell you when you need to stop (if you are navigating to a location) and for how long. There are so many things that affect range, as others have noted. Personally, here in the Northeast, I have found that setting the cruise control for 73 gives me the best combination of efficiency and not-getting-run-off-the-highway speed. ABRP is a great tool to use, since the only way to really see what the car wants you to do is to get in and use the Nav. With ABRP, you have more variables you can control and it will give you a good idea of your route and what you might need to do along it.

 

[vijay_challa]

Thank you all for this helpful advice!

 

[EmbersDC]

What do you all really get? I seem to get about 70% or lesser of what the car says. My battery almost ran out when I went on a trip to Oklahoma (155 miles) after a full-charge. I have the long-range model. At the end of the trip, car just had 55 miles on it. We were shocked. I am wondering if this is what you all see or I have a lemon. I opened a couple of tickets with Tesla and they don't see anything wrong with it - hard for me to believe.
I don't drive rashly. I am an average driver and try to stick around 75 most of the time.

If your battery almost ran out after 155 miles from a full charge (was it at full charge?) there's something wrong with your battery. I've driven 120 and 150 mile trips in one day several times and I'm back home with 140-150 remaining. I cap my charge at 85-90%.

 

[WindPower]

I seem to get about 70% or lesser of what the car says.

When I bought my long range Y a year ago, it’s range was sold as being 313 miles.

I commute 25 miles a day round trip, mostly local streets. The best I have been able to get was 270 miles on a 100% charge in the spring without heat and before AC. In the winter I’m getting about 225 miles on a 100% charge. I charge once a week at home and rarely use a super charger.

So I’m getting approximately 85% of the range which was advertised.

 

[Sophias_dad]

So I’m getting approximately 85% of the range which was advertised.

I think you might want to redo your math... 225 is more like 72% of 313.

 

[EmbersDC]

When I bought my long range Y a year ago, it’s range was sold as being 313 miles.

I commute 25 miles a day round trip, mostly local streets. The best I have been able to get was 270 miles on a 100% charge in the spring without heat and before AC. In the winter I’m getting about 225 miles on a 100% charge. I charge once a week at home and rarely use a super charger.

So I’m getting approximately 85% of the range which was advertised.

If you're only charging once a week at home (odd), then you're losing power as it sits overnight. If you charge your battery each night you won't have this issue. The Tesla loses power while in parked. You cannot compare it to a gas car which doesn't use gas while parked.

People need to realize a Tesla is still "on" when it's parked. It's not a TV or laptop. When you turn it off it's 100% off and not using any power. Teslas still use a little power while in park. Sentry alone uses 6% a day.

 

[boulder.dude]

Drive fast and charge often. 🏎️

 

[804son]

Drive fast and charge often. 🏎️

Best advice ever!

 

[WindPower]

If you're only charging once a week at home (odd), then you're losing power as it sits overnight

From what I can tell, my Y loses about 1% per day. I calculated this the last time I left my car at the airport.

As for charging once a week, lithium batteries are negatively affected by charge cycles. If you charge every night, that’s 365 charge cycles a year. I charge once a week. That’s 52 charge cycles a year. I charge to 80% and charge when I get below 10%.

 

[WindPower]

I think you might want to redo your math... 225 is more like 72% of 313

True, but in the spring without AC or heat, I was getting 270 miles, about 85% of my expected (told to me by Tesla before I bought the Y) 313 mile range.

 

[804son]

From what I can tell, my Y loses about 1% per day. I calculated this the last time I left my car at the airport.

As for charging once a week, lithium batteries are negatively affected by charge cycles. If you charge every night, that’s 365 charge cycles a year. I charge once a week. That’s 52 charge cycles a year. I charge to 80% and charge when I get below 10%.

I think you are misinterpreting the term charge cycle. A charge cycle is a full 0 to 100, whether that's in 1 charging or 10 charges. At least that's how I've seen it represented

 

[jjrandorin]

From what I can tell, my Y loses about 1% per day. I calculated this the last time I left my car at the airport.

As for charging once a week, lithium batteries are negatively affected by charge cycles. If you charge every night, that’s 365 charge cycles a year. I charge once a week. That’s 52 charge cycles a year. I charge to 80% and charge when I get below 10%.

nope, not on a model 3 / Y. A charge cycle in this car is 0-100. Charging 10 times for 10% is the same thing as charging once from 0-100, with the exception that its not a great idea to go down to zero. There is absolutely NO BENEFIT AT ALL on a Tesla to "run it down, then charge it back up".