New Owner / First Roadtrip

[Konicom04]

Hello,

New 2023 M3 Performance owner here. Purchased in mid December - of course right before the big discounts

Last week, my wife and I made a crazy decision to drive from Chicago to the Florida Keys to "visit our daughter", or really see how Tessy would handle my abuse.
Roughly 1,600 miles each way done all in one shot with me driving most of the time, and wife hopping in for few hours here or there so that I can rest stretched in the back seat ( quite comfortably I must add)

What a fantastic time. This thing is absolutely brilliant.
I followed the GPS and recommended stops to a tee, without interfering. 9 (free ) charging session and 27 hours later we arrived.

One question comes to mind - Tessy seemed to only refill anywhere from 80 to 150 miles depending on location. Is that everyone's else experience?

 

[Birdsfan]

I would assume based on the final destination there is logic built into the navigation to get you to the end point as efficiently as possible.

 

[MorrisonHiker]

Hello,

New 2023 M3 Performance owner here. Purchased in mid December - of course right before the big discounts

Last week, my wife and I made a crazy decision to drive from Chicago to the Florida Keys to "visit our daughter", or really see how Tessy would handle my abuse.
Roughly 1,600 miles each way done all in one shot with me driving most of the time, and wife hopping in for few hours here or there so that I can rest stretched in the back seat ( quite comfortably I must add)

What a fantastic time. This thing is absolutely brilliant.
I followed the GPS and recommended stops to a tee, without interfering. 9 (free ) charging session and 27 hours later we arrived.

One question comes to mind - Tessy seemed to only refill anywhere from 80 to 150 miles depending on location. Is that everyone's else experience?

If you use a site such as ABRP to plan your trip, you can set your preferences for fewer stops, quickest arrival, shorter charges, etc.

 

[Konicom04]

It seems that each time I "overstayed" my charge time ( got more energy than recommended) Tessy's gps didn't recalculate the stops. She would if i cancelled the trip and restarted. Is that other's experience also?

 

[Konicom04]

If you use a site such as ABRP to plan your trip, you can set your preferences for fewer stops, quickest arrival, shorter charges, etc.

Thanks! , I'll check that out

 

[DocHolliday]

Not much better than an impromptu road trip - sounds like a good time. Question: how much did you use AP/EAP/FSD, and what were your impressions?

 

[Flybyglass]

The calculated charge needed at each stop is to minimize total trip time. You can always add more or it there is a charging station short of the next stop just select in the software and it will recalculate. I did coast to coast it the percentage estimates remaining at each stop were accurate. What I found was the initial e energy consumption estimate is based on published speeds and changed in elevation (the latest softwares also consider temperature, load and wind). If I drove a couple miles below posted speed my reserve would increase and if above it would decrease. Use the percentage while on a trip as the miles are only EPA estimated miles and not accurate. The latest energy graph can be very useful as well.

 

[father_of_6]

One question comes to mind - Tessy seemed to only refill anywhere from 80 to 150 miles depending on location. Is that everyone's else experience?

This is by design. When fast DC charging like at a Supercharger, the charging speed is non-linear. That is to say that it might take 20 minutes to charge from 0-50%, but another 45 minutes to charge from 50-100%. It slows down as it "fills up", and that's intentional to protect the battery.

Since that's the case, it's faster to make a few more stops and charge less at each one than it is to make fewer stops and charge more at each one... with the added bonus that the driver gets to take more breaks.

I absolutely find long road trips in the Model 3 much less fatiguing than in any ICE vehicles I've owned... it sounds like you may have too.

"Driving all in one shot" as in 1600 miles straight? That's very impressive. Congrats on the new car!!

Oh, a strange bit you may not have learned yet - if you fold the back seats down, two adults can fully sleep in the trunk / rear cabin area... it's quite comfortable and spacious too. When I first got my M3, me and 2 kids would sneak out at night and lay in the back playing Nintendo Switch in Winter time... heat on, ambient lighting, and the Nintendo sits up on the rear "dash" nicely. It was a little clubhouse with a glass roof view of the stars. Maybe you and your wife can feel like kids again back there

 

[Konicom04]

Not much better than an impromptu road trip - sounds like a good time. Question: how much did you use AP/EAP/FSD, and what were your impressions?

I used FSD extensively throughout the trip. Purchased the monthly subs when we left.
I was highly impressed with it, but also very cautious. FSD isn't ready for general use. It is very spontaneous in randomly slowing down, slammed on brakes at least twice for no reason.
Im a huge gear head and have done some real car racing in my past so was always instantly quick to react when FSD was acting up - but discouraged my wife to use it when she was driving.

I did pay for the Advanced AP at purchase and feel its sufficient. FSD just isn't ready, or is due for serious upgrade

 

[Konicom04]

This is by design. When fast DC charging like at a Supercharger, the charging speed is non-linear. That is to say that it might take 20 minutes to charge from 0-50%, but another 45 minutes to charge from 50-100%. It slows down as it "fills up", and that's intentional to protect the battery.

Since that's the case, it's faster to make a few more stops and charge less at each one than it is to make fewer stops and charge more at each one... with the added bonus that the driver gets to take more breaks.

I absolutely find long road trips in the Model 3 much less fatiguing than in any ICE vehicles I've owned... it sounds like you may have too.

"Driving all in one shot" as in 1600 miles straight? That's very impressive. Congrats on the new car!!

Oh, a strange bit you may not have learned yet - if you fold the back seats down, two adults can fully sleep in the trunk / rear cabin area... it's quite comfortable and spacious too. When I first got my M3, me and 2 kids would sneak out at night and lay in the back playing Nintendo Switch in Winter time... heat on, ambient lighting, and the Nintendo sits up on the rear "dash" nicely. It was a little clubhouse with a glass roof view of the stars. Maybe you and your wife can feel like kids again back there

Oh ? - now I totally need to test that back seat sleeper

Yes - on the way there we stopped for two hours and took a nap only because we would've made it to my daughters place at 4 AM. Didn't want to wake her.

I agree with the fatigue factor, and think it's partially due to frequent stops, but more because of the autopilot. You just aren't forced to be at 100% every minute and so your body and eyes are able to remain relaxed more .

Just fantastic technology, and Im ready for a next trip - Nashville perhaps !

 

[father_of_6]

They sell mattresses just for this too. The photo below is a Model Y, but I find the Model 3 more than adequate... I'm about 5'11".

 

[Konicom04]

They sell mattresses just for this too. The photo below is a Model Y, but I find the Model 3 more than adequate... I'm about 5'11".

LOL - that's fantastic - thanks for the info.

Normally, we road trip in our RV - my favorite thing to do, all amenities there, kitchen, beer in the fridge, full size bed, and so on.
The only problem, it only gets about 4 miles to a gallon

.