Range on road trip much lower than expected (<200 miles on full charge)

[chriswood]

My car is a 2121 Model Y, with 20" Induction tires, just upgraded to the Holiday release. Taking a road trip from Seattle to Eugene OR. Taking the trip on I-5, I've noticed that depending on my speed, I'm getting as little as half of the nominal range. Once I got to measuring, I noted the following data on the leg between the Vancouver, WA supercharger and the Springfield, OR SC:

Outside temperature: 37-40 F. Light rain during roughly half the trip.
Autopilot driving speed: 65 mph (all highway - southbound on I-5 - except for less than a mile of entry and exit road). Clear roads, maintained speed through most of the trip with only a few dips down to 50-55 mph.
Driving distance: 118 miles
Travel time: 1 hour, 55 min nonstop
Range at start: 260 miles (80%)
Range at end: 65 miles (20% - yes, the battery went from almost exactly 80% to 20%. Go figure)
Wh per mile: 359 (!)

So, the trip used 195 miles of range over a 118 mile actual distance, which gives me 60.5% efficiency. This would bring the car's total range to 196 miles.

Is this low efficiency expected under these conditions?

 

[garyone]

I have a 2020 Model Y, worst case, my car does 2 miles for each % of charger, so I consider my cars range as 200 and not 315 as Tesla rates it’s battery at. I think Mode Y is rated at about 270 wh per mile for it to get the estimated range. Yours is higher, and my car too average about 350 wh per mile. I think it’s my driving and the cold weather which is the culprit here.

 

[Bogd]

This is the big lie about EV.
The estimated range is very optimistic and the sweet spot is 40mph.
Winter does not help, also.

Tesla Range Plotted Relative To Speed & Temperature (Graphs) - CleanTechnica

A Better Routeplanner, a blog that discusses EV trip planning and ways to maximize range, has amassed an impressive database of driving data from Tesla owners (you can donate data too, by logging in to MyTesla in ABRP and checking “Share Data with ABRP”).

cleantechnica.com

Tesla Model X Consumption vs Speed

Similar to the post about Model S Consumption vs Speed, there is a lot of data from Model X owners driving around with ABRP active in their browsers and logged in with MyTesla. This is data from 1.2 million driving points from 279 Model X vehicles covering 160 000 km (100 000 miles), and almost a...

forum.abetterrouteplanner.com

 

[drtimhill]

My car is a 2121 Model Y, with 20" Induction tires, just upgraded to the Holiday release. Taking a road trip from Seattle to Eugene OR. Taking the trip on I-5, I've noticed that depending on my speed, I'm getting as little as half of the nominal range. Once I got to measuring, I noted the following data on the leg between the Vancouver, WA supercharger and the Springfield, OR SC:

Outside temperature: 37-40 F. Light rain during roughly half the trip.
Autopilot driving speed: 65 mph (all highway - southbound on I-5 - except for less than a mile of entry and exit road). Clear roads, maintained speed through most of the trip with only a few dips down to 50-55 mph.
Driving distance: 118 miles
Travel time: 1 hour, 55 min nonstop
Range at start: 260 miles (80%)
Range at end: 65 miles (20% - yes, the battery went from almost exactly 80% to 20%. Go figure)
Wh per mile: 359 (!)

So, the trip used 195 miles of range over a 118 mile actual distance, which gives me 60.5% efficiency. This would bring the car's total range to 196 miles.

Is this low efficiency expected under these conditions?

LOTS of discussion threads here on why this happens, what it means, and why it is to be expected for all EVs.

 

[jcanoe]

I suspect that there was a headwind that impacted your driving efficiency. Also, wet roads and rain will hurt your efficiency as the tires need to literally push the water away from the tire tread as you drive.

If you enter Eugene, OR as the destination in the Tesla Navigation system the Tesla software will factor in any elevation changes along the route (not the temperature, winds or road surface conditions.)

A Better Route Planner (ABRP) would enable you to include temperature, wind, road conditions when planning stops along a route.

 

[MrJeep997]

Like hybrids, electric cars get max range in city driving, not highway. The reverse of what you are used to.

 

[boulder.dude]

Yeah, 200 miles is a good “real world range” for the Model Y. Sorry to break it to you… blame the EPA for enabling the lies about EV range.

 

[MrJeep997]

Yeah, 200 miles is a good “real world range” for the Model Y. Sorry to break it to you… blame the EPA for enabling the lies about EV range.

That's not really fair. If you drive 60%/40% city/hwy you can get pretty close:

TESTED: 2021 Tesla Model Y Long Range Falls Just Short of EPA Range | Edmunds

Edmunds hits the road with the 2021 Tesla Model Y Long Range to see how far it goes on a full battery charge. The EPA says 326 miles, but real-world EV range can vary significantly. Here's how the Model Y Long Range fared in our testing.

www.edmunds.com

Most people still have a "gas mentality" and can't make the mental switch.

 

[GOVA]

The 100% MY battery is roughly equivalent to 2-2.5 gallons of poison.
People need to realize the following:

Speed vs drag - this is not linear folks, so 55 MPH (EPA test speed?) is vastly different from even 65MPH.
Temperature is a factor.
Wind is a factor.
Preconditioning or not - big factor. Any new heat MY makes costs a lot of energy.
Rain - big deal actually for longer drives.
Wheels/Tires - make difference.
Car weight, what was yours OP?

You get the picture.

@chriswood - what was your load in terms of people / luggage?

All actually seems fine for what you described.

 

[sjg98]

What were the cabin climate control settings?
Wh per mile: 359 is pretty high..
I was hitting about 325 or so in similar cold/wet winter driving conditions recently in an M3 on 18" aeros... and 300 on the way back once it dried up more.
Winter highway driving can be pretty bad for efficiency.

 

[dogmodes]

Yeah, 200 miles is a good “real world range” for the Model Y. Sorry to break it to you… blame the EPA for enabling the lies about EV range.

That has been my experience too. I always considered it to be a 200 mile car, with 250 max in perfect conditions, 100% charge going downhill. Winter is proving to be a little less for me, but for my daily commute comfort > range.

Reference
March-November 20” induction w/ stock tires - 15,500 miles 284 wh/mi

Nov-Dec - 20” induction with CC2 tires - 650 miles - 338 wh/mi


* OP if your car is very new, it does seem to usually spike high when you first start driving an EV but after 1-2k miles you tend to get lower numbers as you become accustomed to one pedal driving.

 

[Terpslax]

Did you precondition? I drove to Boston (230 miles), 30 degrees, light snow/ rain, uphill, windy as hell, going 70-85 and I did 330ish. I made it to a charger close to me destination with 5% left. I covered 200 miles in those conditions. On the way home, no preconditioning, rain/ snow, 20 degrees, downhill a tad at 375. I had to stop in Southern Ct to charge. I covered far less ground and felt like I needed to charge. Once I got underway again, it had stopped raining, battery was warm/ charged to 80%, totally flat for the last 75 miles; I did that at 270. Arrived home with 53% left.

I’ve learned this little factors matter but preconditioning seems to be the biggest factor. Highway driving at 70ish you can get close to the range provided the other conditions are favorable. Driving around town is a different story for me.

 

[sodaboy581]

I’m also not getting good range, but it’s whatever. Lol!

Went from 90% to 17% and only drove 138 miles. Super gangsta.

Average Wh/mi is 425. 2022 MYLR.

To be fair, though, I have been using my climate control every morning ‘cuz I commute to work at 6am and it’s cold and rainy.

Without at least the front defroster on, the windshield becomes nearly impossible to see due to fogging up.

I also drive on the freeway to and from work about 40 miles every day. (20 each way.)

Awesome pics attached!

 

[Terpslax]

Well, you just got the car! The energy graph shows that you literally floored it multiple times. That’s 400+ number is artificially high. Once you have the car a bit you will slow down on the acceleration. Mine looked similar the first month I had it.

Use the seat heaters and turn down the heat/ defrost to low. Precondition for departure. I bet if you do that your efficiency will be closer to 300.

On the highway I’m usually at 310ish with preconditioning. It’s also in the 30’s here and I’m on 21” tires. I also accelerate like an idiot. Your efficiency will improve…a lot.

For whatever reason I’m a little obsessed w getting those numbers down and when I focus on it, precondition and drive 65-70 I can get under 300.

 

[drtimhill]

I’m also not getting good range, but it’s whatever. Lol!

Went from 90% to 17% and only drove 138 miles. Super gangsta.

Average Wh/mi is 425. 2022 MYLR.

To be fair, though, I have been using my climate control every morning ‘cuz I commute to work at 6am and it’s cold and rainy.

Without at least the front defroster on, the windshield becomes nearly impossible to see due to fogging up.

I also drive on the freeway to and from work about 40 miles every day. (20 each way.)

Awesome pics attached!
View attachment 749786
View attachment 749787

As others have noted, you are at the high end in terms of power use: (a) the car is new and you are having fun (go for it!), (b) its winter, and that alters battery chemistry (less efficient at low temps), (c) its winter, and you need heating/defog etc, (d) you're driving pattern leans to more (faster) freeway drives. Expect that to change dramatically when spring/summer arrives (and, btw, all EVs have the same summer/winter cycle .. its basic chemistry/physics).

The reason these things make such a difference in an EV isnt the fault of the EV .. its because they are so efficient. ICE cars are terribly inefficient, 70% or more of the energy in gas is wasted as heat. As a result, stuff like heating or the extra power needed to go faster in an ICE care is simply swamped by the vast amount of wasted energy going (basically) out the tailpipe. EVs dont suffer from this, so the swing in power needed to (say) drive at 65mph vs 55mph is much more noticeable.

 

[boulder.dude]

That's not really fair. If you drive 60%/40% city/hwy you can get pretty close:

The title of this thread is “range on road trip,” which implies much less than 40% city driving. Plus, when most people focus on range they are thinking about longer trips, again mostly highway driving. The EPA/EV makers could be at least a bit more honest by stating separate range numbers for city/highway.

 

[MrJeep997]

The title of this thread is “range on road trip,” which implies much less than 40% city driving. Plus, when most people focus on range they are thinking about longer trips, again mostly highway driving. The EPA/EV makers could be at least a bit more honest by stating separate range numbers for city/highway.

My comment wasn't about the thread title, it was all the people in this thread saying the EV makers are "liars" or not "honest." How is that unique to EV's? How is that any different than my Gladiator that allegedly gets 22 highway and has never see the other side of 18? It's in the fine print for all auto manufactures what the conditions are to get those crazy numbers. Also, anyone who thinks any EV should be better on the highway or get max range at 70 really just didn't do any research at all before purchase.

 

[GOVA]

People in general are ignorant. It is easier to bitch that apply any effort to understand things.

Give me ANY poison car and show me its MPG. I'll drive it as OP did and some. It will not match stated numbers as those were obtained in very controlled environment. Don't see any'cheating' comments about the ICE cars anywhere.

 

[AZ Tim]

OP didn't mention the wind in listing conditions on his drive. The only times we get consumption of 350+ in our LR Model Y is when we are fighting the wind. We have had legs of 400 wh/m westbound across Kansas and New Mexico, because of strong winds. On two road trips this fall that totalled 14,000 miles, we averaged 284 wh/m.

 

[mangrove79]

The title of this thread is “range on road trip,” which implies much less than 40% city driving. Plus, when most people focus on range they are thinking about longer trips, again mostly highway driving. The EPA/EV makers could be at least a bit more honest by stating separate range numbers for city/highway.

I can see both sides of the argument. Personally, I prefer the one-number EPA estimate as long as it states the many assumptions openly, albeit in small print. You may feel like two numbers - city/highway - would be good enough for you to constitute "not lying", but others would argue what about seasons. Summer and Winter numbers vary wildly. What about your geographic latitude - MN numbers would be very different from HI's; and what about your driving behavior - always 0-60 in 4 sec vs 20 sec; and what about cities with 5 days of annual rainfall vs 250 days since rain and wet conditions significantly reduce range, etc. etc. I doubt 20 range numbers to account for different conditions would be helpful to any prospective EV buyers. One number may not be accurate, but it's a good apple-to-apple comparison when shopping, as long as the underlying metric is the same.