Range efficiencies according to Tesla

[omniwolf]

Hey guys,

After discovering that Tesla has taken down their range calculator, which was really cool, I found that someone had dug up the backend data for this, which still exists!

70D
85
85D
P85D

It's not pretty, but the info is there. To distil the best way to drive (and this might be obvious, but I thought I'd write it down):

1. The slower you go, the better
2. Lights off is better
3. Windows up is better
4. Air con off is better
5. Windows down, air con off is better than windows up, air con on
6. Temperature (°C): 30 > 40 > 20 > 10 > 0 > -10
7. 19" wheels is better than 21" wheels

Nothing too ground breaking. One thing to note, windows down air con off is significantly better than the opposite - at 30°C going 70 km/h in the 70D the difference is 59 kms (67 kms in the 85D). This benefit erodes as you go faster - at 140km/h the difference is 5 km

 

[PJF000]

Hey guys,

After discovering that Tesla has taken down their range calculator, which was really cool, I found that someone had dug up the backend data for this, which still exists!

70D
85
85D
P85D

It's not pretty, but the info is there. To distil the best way to drive (and this might be obvious, but I thought I'd write it down):

1. The slower you go, the better
2. Lights off is better
3. Windows up is better
4. Air con off is better
5. Windows down, air con off is better than windows up, air con on
6. Temperature (°C): 30 > 40 > 20 > 10 > 0 > -10
7. 19" wheels is better than 21" wheels

Nothing too ground breaking. One thing to note, windows down air con off is significantly better than the opposite - at 30°C going 70 km/h in the 70D the difference is 59 kms (67 kms in the 85D). This benefit erodes as you go faster - at 140km/h the difference is 5 km

You forgot the most important: bare feet is better than lead feet.

 

[jerry33]

Windows on one side open just a bit are very close to windows closed.

 

[kort677]

no, no no! the lights use almost no energy, it is not better to have the AC off and windows open, the AC uses a tiny amount of energy and having the windows open hurts the aerodynamics of the car causing drag that does increase energy usage.
one thing that you left off you list is the use of the heater, which is a big drain on power, if you can just use your seat heaters you will limit the draw of energy to keep warm.

 

[paulp]

Hopefully no-one feels encouraged to drive at night with lights off to save energy, as no energy is needed at all once you are dead.

 

[PJF000]

Hopefully no-one feels encouraged to drive at night with lights off to save energy, as no energy is needed at all once you are dead.

If it's on AP (future advanced mode) , dead or alive will be irrelevant.

 

[omniwolf]

no, no no! the lights use almost no energy, it is not better to have the AC off and windows open, the AC uses a tiny amount of energy and having the windows open hurts the aerodynamics of the car causing drag that does increase energy usage.

It's nice that you have your opinion, but my data is coming straight from Tesla, and I'd guess they know their cars pretty well

one thing that you left off you list is the use of the heater, which is a big drain on power, if you can just use your seat heaters you will limit the draw of energy to keep warm.

again; it's not my list. But from what I've read you're correct here.

 

[Mark E]

Not sure where you read that windows open is more efficient than AC. It's not correct at anything over about 50km/h.
Let's also look at lights - they'd use less than 500W. At 100km/h you are therefore using 0.5kWh/100km extra with lights on. Considering the car uses 200Wh/km it'd use 20kWh for the 100km, so with lights on 20.5 or 2.5%.. maybe.

 

[paulp]

Wonder what impact lights have on the range of an ice car?

 

[svp6]

It's nice that you have your opinion, but my data is coming straight from Tesla, and I'd guess they know their cars pretty well

My data also comes from Tesla - that is my own Tesla . My P85D has the lowest energy use at ~ 80F ~26.6C, with air-conditioning on and windows up. On cruise control at 70-75 mph (115-120 km/h) it goes slightly below rated range.

 

[omniwolf]

Not sure where you read that windows open is more efficient than AC. It's not correct at anything over about 50km/h.

Not sure where I read it? Did you read my post? I linked to all the sources. It's from Teslamotors.com - it's their range calculator data.

Windows up, aircon on:
On the 85D, 19" wheels, 30°C, at 70km/h you'll get 621 kms
On the 85D, 19" wheels, 30°C, at 110km/h you'll get 415 kms

Windows down, aircon off:
On the 85D, 19" wheels, 30°C, at 70km/h you'll get 688 kms
On the 85D, 19" wheels, 30°C, at 110km/h you'll get 421 kms

So, sure you'll erode the extra range you had quicker with the windows down, but you're still better off at 110km/h with aircon off and windows down.

Let's also look at lights - they'd use less than 500W. At 100km/h you are therefore using 0.5kWh/100km extra with lights on. Considering the car uses 200Wh/km it'd use 20kWh for the 100km, so with lights on 20.5 or 2.5%.. maybe.

OK, let's look at the data. Assuming 85D, 30°C, windows up, aircon off, 100km/h, 19" wheels
Lights on: 488 kms
Lights off: 494kms

not much, but it does affect it slightly. I never said it was a huge difference, and I considered not even mentioning it as it's pretty obvious (lights use power > power require battery).

Wonder what impact lights have on the range of an ice car?

It's a good question. I had assumed negligible, until I read that modern ICE cars will sometimes have regenerative breaking - they use the breaking to charge the 12V battery instead of the alternator where they can. Why? Because the 12V battery is having to run so much electronics in the car, it was actually reducing the engine power as it had to keep spinning the alternator to power the battery. crazy!

My data also comes from Tesla - that is my own Tesla . My P85D has the lowest energy use at ~ 80F ~26.6C, with air-conditioning on and windows up. On cruise control at 70-75 mph (115-120 km/h) it goes slightly below rated range.

P85D, 30°C, aircon on, windows up, 120km/h: 349 kms
P85D, 30°C, aircon off, windows down, 120km/h: 351 kms.

*shrug*

 

[FlatSix911]

Range calculator is still available here ... Model S | Tesla Motors

 

[Mark E]

Not sure where I read it? Did you read my post? I linked to all the sources. It's from Teslamotors.com - it's their range calculator data.

Windows up, aircon on:
On the 85D, 19" wheels, 30°C, at 70km/h you'll get 621 kms
On the 85D, 19" wheels, 30°C, at 110km/h you'll get 415 kms

Windows down, aircon off:
On the 85D, 19" wheels, 30°C, at 70km/h you'll get 688 kms
On the 85D, 19" wheels, 30°C, at 110km/h you'll get 421 kms

So, sure you'll erode the extra range you had quicker with the windows down, but you're still better off at 110km/h with aircon off and windows down.



OK, let's look at the data. Assuming 85D, 30°C, windows up, aircon off, 100km/h, 19" wheels
Lights on: 488 kms
Lights off: 494kms

not much, but it does affect it slightly. I never said it was a huge difference, and I considered not even mentioning it as it's pretty obvious (lights use power > power require battery).



It's a good question. I had assumed negligible, until I read that modern ICE cars will sometimes have regenerative breaking - they use the breaking to charge the 12V battery instead of the alternator where they can. Why? Because the 12V battery is having to run so much electronics in the car, it was actually reducing the engine power as it had to keep spinning the alternator to power the battery. crazy!


P85D, 30°C, aircon on, windows up, 120km/h: 349 kms
P85D, 30°C, aircon off, windows down, 120km/h: 351 kms.

*shrug*

That calculator does not have options for Windows up or down, nor lights on or off...

Do you own a Model S?

 

[WhiteStar]

Maybe dubious accuracy was the reason for Tesla removing the Windows down option in the Range calculator?

 

[David99]

I remember a journalist who pushed it and the car shut down on him. He drove uphill at high speed and to save energy he turned own the brightness on the main display LOL

 

[omniwolf]

Range calculator is still available here ... Model S | Tesla Motors

ah they put it back! it wasn't there when I posted this. The raw data I posted has more info..

That calculator does not have options for Windows up or down, nor lights on or off...

Do you own a Model S?

The website calculator doesn't have windows or lights data, but the JSON file that it pulls the data from does. I wonder if it was just too messy/confusing to include this data on the web front end?

Yes I own a Tesla Model S.

Maybe dubious accuracy was the reason for Tesla removing the Windows down option in the Range calculator?

Could be! I'd be surprised if it'd get all the way to the website if there were accuracy concerns, though. who knows.

I remember a journalist who pushed it and the car shut down on him. He drove uphill at high speed and to save energy he turned own the brightness on the main display LOL

yes i remember that. he turned off the radio too haha