Range inquiry [miles traveled vs. miles left]

[steph746]

We've had our Tesla Model Y long range for about two weeks. We love it but are a bit disappointed with range, more specifically, miles traveled vs. miles left.

For example, Thursday night we charged to 222mi. We traveled 91 miles, however we lost 140 miles (at 82miles now). I understand that there are many factors involved, but about 49 miles of range loss is a bit high I think. We live in Maryland. We were playing the radio and sometimes spotify and roughly half the time had the climate set to 68F. Fan at level 2 I believe.

My question is, is this normal? Actually, just having it parked, it lost 1mi (down to 81mi). Perhaps there is some setting we have set that we don't really have to that would be using up the battery?

Thanks and I can provide more detail if needed.

 

[jjrandorin]

My question is, is this normal?

Yes

 

[jcanoe]

There are many threads you can read on this topic.

BLUF: Normal; In winter expect at least 15 to 20 % less range than in summer.

Your Model Y will not achieve a 1:1 with the distance you travel for many reasons. Chief among these is the Tesla Model Y EPA estimated combined City/Highway range is calculated using data from a dynamometer test, not actual road use and assumes a maximum of 45 MPH and no climate control. Tesla does this because the EPA allows it, the Tesla range estimates are only useful when comparing different Tesla vehicles and configurations.

Best practices - Tap the estimated range estimate value on the screen. This flips the displayed value to % state of charge. Plug in each evening whenever possible and set a charging limit between 50% and 90% for daily use (whatever meets your needs.) Keep the tires inflated to the recommended 42 PSI (measured when the tires are cold, not after driving.) With the Tesla Model Y plugged in, start each morning by turning on the climate control using the Tesla app about 10 minutes before you plan to leave. This will warm the passenger compartment and partially warm the battery if needed. Enjoy!

The power used by the screen and audio system is minimal so blast the sound system as loud as you dare. The seat heaters and the steering wheel heater use a few hundred watts of power but this is a small faction of the power used by the climate control heat pump. 68F is OK as long as your passengers are comfortable. Set the Climate Control to Auto, 68F (or a bit warmer). In Auto setting the fan speed control functions as a speed limiter, the settings are Low/Medium/High. Turn on Recirculate Cabin Air so the heat pump does not have to work as hard to maintain the cabin temperature.

You did not state your highway speed but try and limit your speed to under 70 MPH will improve your efficiency and range. (Driving 5 MPH slower on the highway, so 65 instead of 70, equates to almost 10% improved efficiency and range.)

 

[steph746]

Thank you very much. I wasn't expecting a 1:1, but thought the loss was a little high. I will change to percentage.

 

[steph746]

Not complaining, but noticed the battery lost about 2% overnight. Could there be some setting(s) I should check?

 

[jcanoe]

Not complaining, but noticed the battery lost about 2% overnight. Could there be some setting(s) I should check?

If you have Sentry Mode turned on that would use ~6% to 7% over 24 hours. If you park in garage or other relatively safe location then set Sentry Mode to be OFF at your Home Location. (The Home Location is set in the Navigation System.) Also, if you purchased Full Self Driving (FSD), turn off Summon Standby.

In colder temperatures the Tesla Model Y's battery management system (BMS) now lowers the estimated range and battery SOC by up to 3% so it could be that is why you see 2% lower SOC.

With a new vehicle the BMS does not have enough data collected about the battery cells in the battery to accurately determine the state of charge. If you keep the Tesla Model Y charged to ~80% +- 10% then the Tesla BMS never captures the state of the cells in the battery at 60%, 50%, 40%, 30%, etc. Periodically charge to above 95% and the drive (over days if needed) without recharging until the SOC is below ~30%. You many want to repeat this several times and periodically as needed.

The Tesla Model Y BMS will periodically measure the open cell voltage (OCV) of the cells in the battery pack. To do this the Tesla vehicle must be in sleep or deep sleep, not standby mode. The sleep modes disconnects the high voltage battery from the vehicle, this is how the BMS measures the OCV (the process takes several hours.) This is another reason why, in addition to reducing battery drain, it is a good idea to turn off Sentry Mode at your home location.

 

[240vPlug]

its normal to lose some range in winter. Thankfully the Model Y has a heat pump instead of resistance heating like many other EV. Those with resistance heating can lose 40% of their range in the cold winter months. I had a 2017 Bolt EV from brand new...the range was about 220 charged to 90% in the summer and in the winter 160. You would never get 160 miles with that car if you drove on the highway. Cold temps and high speed highway driving will decimate range. Just the temps alone though I have found the MY doesn't suffer too much of a hit compared to other EV. I only see about 10% difference so far.

The tesla carries the equivalent energy of only about 2.5 gallons of gasolline. Small variations in driving can have a large impact on range in an EV because they carry so much less energy and are highly efficient.

 

[CaseyL]

We've had our Tesla Model Y long range for about two weeks. We love it but are a bit disappointed with range, more specifically, miles traveled vs. miles left.

It's still new to you. Think more in percentages as time goes on. Change the displayed range to percent and treat it like a fuel gauge.

For example, Thursday night we charged to 222mi. We traveled 91 miles, however we lost 140 miles (at 82miles now). I understand that there are many factors involved, but about 49 miles of range loss is a bit high I think. We live in Maryland. We were playing the radio and sometimes spotify and roughly half the time had the climate set to 68F. Fan at level 2 I believe.

Play the radio and crank up the heat to be comfortable. Those things make very little difference in the overall consumption. You can verify that on the energy screen.

My question is, is this normal? Actually, just having it parked, it lost 1mi (down to 81mi). Perhaps there is some setting we have set that we don't really have to that would be using up the battery?

One mile is in the noise level. The car continually re-estimates the battery level.

The only setting that makes a difference is Sentry mode. It will consume about 6% a day while parked.

Don't overthink this. Charge when you need too ... and relax and enjoy your awesome car.

 

[Prodock]

We’ve had our MYP for almost a year now and went through the same thoughts and experiences as you when we first got it. 28,000 miles later and a few 1,000 plus mile trips, I don’t give it a second thought. Switch it to percent, don’t worry about the miles left, just think of it the same as a gas tank on an ICE vehicle and charge where the car suggests when traveling. Cold temps do make a significant hit on range, but nothing that is a show stopper. Precondition while plugged in and enjoy the ride.

 

[SkyDog]

... Set the Climate Control to Auto, 68F (or a bit warmer). In Auto setting the fan speed control functions as a speed limiter, the settings are Low/Medium/High. Turn on Recirculate Cabin Air so the heat pump does not have to work as hard to maintain the cabin temperature.
...

Can you turn on Recirculate while it's in Auto? I thought it did that automatically as needed, and that turning on Recirculate would take it out of Auto? (I've had my car for almost a year, but am still learning the nuances).

 

[steph746]

This probably is a beginner question, but I've been supercharging because we don't have our wall connector installed yet (waiting for electrician appt.).

I feel bad supercharging to about 80% solely so far. Should I try to use the mobile connector when I can until we get the wall connector installed? Should I take the car to a local level 2 charger?

The problem with doing the mobile connector at home is that we get our model y outside and I fear the theft of the connector. Also, is it ok to charge daily for the battery...short charges of getting 20 miles of range or so?

Thanks again...

 

[CaseyL]

This probably is a beginner question, but I've been supercharging because we don't have our wall connector installed yet (waiting for electrician appt.).

I feel bad supercharging to about 80% solely so far. Should I try to use the mobile connector when I can until we get the wall connector installed? Should I take the car to a local level 2 charger?

Yes, Supercharging to 80% in just fine. Just do it and don't worry. So far, we have racked up 128 Supercharging sessions on road trips. Typically I charge to 80 or 90%.

The problem with doing the mobile connector at home is that we get our model y outside and I fear the theft of the connector. Also, is it ok to charge daily for the battery...short charges of getting 20 miles of range or so?

Short charges are harmless and not a problem at all.

 

[CaseyL]

Can you turn on Recirculate while it's in Auto? I thought it did that automatically as needed, and that turning on Recirculate would take it out of Auto? (I've had my car for almost a year, but am still learning the nuances).

I believe you are correct about recirculate and auto mode.

 

[jcanoe]

Can you turn on Recirculate while it's in Auto? I thought it did that automatically as needed, and that turning on Recirculate would take it out of Auto? (I've had my car for almost a year, but am still learning the nuances).

Yes. You may have to press Recirculate button twice until it illuminates in blue. The Recirculate Cabin Air setting will remain (for a time) even after you park, drive again. In my recent experience where the outside temperature warmed a bit after a cold spell Recirculate Cabin Air turned off without any input from me.

 

[steph746]

Thanks for confirming. I’m just worried bout doing all supercharging to start off.

What do you think about mobile connector slow charging? It might be a while until we get an electrician to install the wall connector

 

[jcanoe]

Thanks for confirming. I’m just worried bout doing all supercharging to start off.

What do you think about mobile connector slow charging? It might be a while until we get an electrician to install the wall connector

It is fine to charge using a 120V/15A circuit at the 12A maximum charging rate (adds up to ~4 miles per hour while charging. Keep the Tesla Model Y plugged in; 10 to 11 hours of charging will provide more than 30 miles of driving.)
Make sure the 120V/15A, 5-15 receptacle. Charging will be quicker if you have a 120V/20A circuit and a 5-20 receptacle used with the Tesla 5-20 power plug adapter (sold separately). Makes sure the receptacle is in good condition, not old and worn; replace if needed. Support the Mobile Connector chassis so the weight of the Mobile Connector is not pulling down on the power plug and receptacle.

 

[steph746]

Thanks. Supercharging only for a while is ok?

 

[jcanoe]

Thanks. Supercharging only for a while is ok?

Yes it is OK; If you are concerned about frequent Supercharging seek out an Urban Supercharger (UC) (the UC have a maximum 72kW charging rate that is well within 1C (the battery capacity in kWh/1hr).

 

[agordon117]

I've been keeping track of my range lately. I've been running the winter tire option. Had them replaced because they were worn past the winter compound. My range dropped at that point worse than it had been. I'll try to give you some helpful data though.

Model Y LR. Highest charge I've ever seen is "316 miles" at 100%. When I got it the claim was "326". In the summer I don't even honestly pay much attention to range, because everything I need to do is doable. But I took a trip from ~CLE to NYC and back, so I started logging my longer, highway trips in the cold to see what the worst case scenario would be for charging.

At 37F, 79mph (limit is 70 on the turnpike), I set my range to % instead of "miles" and safely assume 1% takes me 2 miles, for a 100% range of 200 miles. That's with worn tires though. It got worse as the temperature dropped and with fresh tires.

With fresh winter tires, 25F, 115 mile trip cost 78% range. 3/4 of the trip was on the turnpike. I went 79 for half of it, and 75 for the return trip.

TLDR, I'm getting ~386Wh/mi average with 75% highway driving, for a total 90% charge of 133 real world miles of range in the winter.

 

[steph746]

Thanks everyone for your replies. How do I know if I have a 120V/15A or 120V/20A outlet? The plug that comes with the most recent mobile charger is a 5-15? It is ok to use a 5-15 receptacle with a 120V/20A outlet or the other way around?