Range Loss Over Time, What Can Be Expected, Efficiency, How to Maintain Battery Health

[gecko10x]

I'm fairly certain this this has nothing to do with the physical health of the battery, I think something changed (maybe the charge state algorithm?) in one of the recent updates. I've got 23k miles on my car and it had indicated range of 309 miles at 100% [279 at 90%} until one of the recent updates when it dropped to 272 @ 90%. Maybe it's more accurate, maybe it's a bug that will be fixed later, either way, I think our batteries are the same (physical health wise) that they were a couple months ago.

I agree. With so many reports lining up with recent updates, I think they've changed something.

I was previously charging to 80% (used about 20% capacity daily, on average) and seeing a large decline. Decided to try 90% for a few days with no effect (or worse). Last couple of days I decided to try 70%, and incidentally I seem to have gained a few miles back so far. I'm starting to wonder if rarely taking the pack below 50% was a problem for the BMS.

 

[Ol'Blue]

I’m suddenly at about 7% degradation in less the. 11 months and close to 12,000 miles.

Keeping a close eye. It was a bigger drop recently, it I’ve also been wondering if the cooler weather is messing with the calculation a bit.

Will be watching this thread and updating as I get a 100% charge in again sometime soon. (Probably in a few weeks)

 

[Stanwood Steve]

I was showing about 294 miles on my Performance Model 3 at 100% charge and contacted tech support to ask about whether this was normal (mileage was about 22,000 at that point). They recommended holding off charging until at 20% or less and charging to 100% to exercise the battery. This would take several cycles, they said. I was leaving for a trip to the Grand Canyon anyway, so this was easy to do. I was able to get the capacity back up to about 308 miles (see attached graph). This data comes from the Stats Tesla app. Since I've returned from the road trip, I only charge to the usual 80% - 85%.

 

[mswlogo]

My Model 3 AWD (Performance Stealth) gradually went from 310 to 306 after 1 year and 9300+ miles.

I do not charge daily, I let it drop to 50-60% over several days and then charge up to 80% or 90%. I'll use 90% if I know I'm gonna use it soon-ish. But if say it's a Friday and don't plan to use the car for the weekend I might choose 80%.

 

[Ol'Blue]

I was showing about 294 miles on my Performance Model 3 at 100% charge and contacted tech support to ask about whether this was normal (mileage was about 22,000 at that point). They recommended holding off charging until at 20% or less and charging to 100% to exercise the battery. This would take several cycles, they said. I was leaving for a trip to the Grand Canyon anyway, so this was easy to do. I was able to get the capacity back up to about 308 miles (see attached graph). This data comes from the Stats Tesla app. Since I've returned from the road trip, I only charge to the usual 80% - 85%.

Are you mostly city driving?

Nice amount of recovery.

 

[Zaxxon]

I was showing about 294 miles on my Performance Model 3 at 100% charge and contacted tech support to ask about whether this was normal (mileage was about 22,000 at that point). They recommended holding off charging until at 20% or less and charging to 100% to exercise the battery. This would take several cycles, they said. I was leaving for a trip to the Grand Canyon anyway, so this was easy to do. I was able to get the capacity back up to about 308 miles (see attached graph). This data comes from the Stats Tesla app. Since I've returned from the road trip, I only charge to the usual 80% - 85%.

I think this is the winning answer. My own graph has declined lately, but I routinely charge to 80%, only to 90% once per week or so, and the battery is rarely below 50%. I'm not worried about my graph currently. I have a road trip scheduled for next month where the battery should get several ~10%-90% charges, so we'll see what happens after that. Also, I'm closing in on 25k miles, so a bit of loss is expected. I'm hopeful that next month's battery workout will restore me to ~300 miles.

 

[DirtyT3sla]

I'm at 20k miles and I experienced the same sudden drop others are seeing (was 307 forever, now suddenly 299-300). I'd assume this is due to the current software, and nothing more. I calibrated my battery and it did nothing. Video will be live at 12pm EST.

 

[Funkmobile]

After I installed 2019.32, I saw an instant 4% drop in battery health and it has maintained that level through 2019.32.2.2

I too also think that something has changed with the BMS.

 

[T3M3T]

Lost <10 miles on mine at 80% and 90%. AWD Long Range. 11k miles on it.

 

[leisurelee]

OP what do you percentage do you NORMALLY charge your car to? less than 90%

I do not usually charge daily. I typically charge when the battery gets to about 50%, up to 85%.

 

[ewoodrick]

No, you are not having battery degradation.
Charge to 100% on a sloe charger to allow the battery to better equalize and the computers to reset. It may take a few hours as it gets near 100% to finish.

 

[leisurelee]

So it appears that either A) charge capacity loss is typical within the first 10k/1 year... and/or B) something has been changed recently in the software to cause the charging capacity to be reported differently.

Thanks for posting your stats/graphs. A lot of them show dramatic changes recently, as mine did. My biggest concern was that I had somehow blown the fuses of a bunch of cells or something, which resulted in the loss of mileage.

 

[jjrandorin]

I do not usually charge daily. I typically charge when the battery gets to about 50%, up to 85%.

So... try plugging in every day, and charging to 90 percent for a week and see if that helps you. I have read like 95% of these battery degradation threads, and one constant in almost all of them is that if someone charges less than daily, and charges to less than 90%, the car normally reports a loss in rated range at some point. They then freak out about "lost miles".

I have 13k miles on my model 3P. I plug it in every single time it hits my garage. Not "daily" but every single time it enters my garage. I charge to 90% every single day. I have an 80 ish mile round trip to work and back. I have lost 0 (zero) rated miles. My car still charges 90% to 279 and 100% to 309 (and it charged 100% to 306 when it was new with less than 300 miles on it).

Its my belief that what gets "off" is the bms, not actual rated range. If you care about the number on the screen, try charging to 90% every day, and plugging in every day... because the manual tells us specifically that there is zero benefit to "running the car down before charging up".

Try that for a week and report back.

 

[leisurelee]

No, you are not having battery degradation.
Charge to 100% on a sloe charger to allow the battery to better equalize and the computers to reset. It may take a few hours as it gets near 100% to finish.

I have a destination charger installed at home, and I rarely use superchargers (only during road trips). I have logged about 400 charges at home, and only maybe a dozen supercharges.

I suppose I could limit the amperage of the charge and see if trickle charging makes any difference...

 

[Kappelan]

In one month of driving our SR+ I first charged at 100% a few days ago (charging at 90% every day). I've got a 377 km instead of 385 on a full charge. For our Volt, this number is constantly changing depending on how efficient you drive. But it is not the case with Tesla as I understand? The guessometer doesn't work for Tesla, right?

Should I worry?

 

[leisurelee]

because the manual tells us specifically that there is zero benefit to "running the car down before charging up".

HA. I'm on EV-5 plan with SDG&E, which gives me a dramatically lower rate (.09 / kwh) during super-off peak hours. However, during super-off peak hours, I am at work. I work 4 x 10's, so I keep it plugged in on my days off, but not during my work week (.54 / kwh). So the only benefit is to me.

 

[brkaus]

I wouldn't worry about it. 10 mile drop on 310 mile range is a pretty small percentage and there is lots of variation in the calculation.

 

[ybbor]

my P3d (9k miles. plunged in every night, charged to 83%. Charged to 100% about 5 times in the past year. Supercharged about 5 times the past year). When I charge to 100%, I get between 286 and 279 miles, and drops 2-4 miles within 5 minutes of unplugging.

the 100% estimate on my car has been pretty consistent for the past 6 months... does not appear to be affected by any recent software update.

 

[ngogas]

I'm on software .32 as well and noticed by drop. I normally charge at 90 percent and get around 272~274. Then all of a sudden when i got this software update, it dropped down o 262 at 90 percent. My car is 1 year old and 11k miles. Consistent with what most folks are seeing here. Must be the algorithm has changed. Oh well, still enjoying the car and not worrying about this too much.

 

[sperkin]

Same here. I'm at 293 now.