Sacramento Raceway, Wednesday 28 October, Let's TEST the newest software update

[George Parrott]

Fellow Teslans,


I have arranged for a SPECIAL DISCOUNTED ENTRY for any plug-in cars at this Wednesday's "Timing Day" at Sacramento Raceway near Mather Field.


Sacramento Raceway
5305 Excelsior Rd, Sacramento, CA 95827


Gates open at 4 pm and timing runs start at 5 pm. ALL Tesla drivers must have a helmet (available for rent there, but best to bring/borrow one to use). Drivers MUST also have long pants, NOT SHORTS.


Cost is $10 (discounted from regular $15 for car and driver). Ride alongs/spectators pay $7/person


Let's see what the latest software REALLY does to our performance numbers. The track print outs at the end of each run give


reaction time
60 ft time
330 ft time
660 ft time and speed at that point
1000 ft time
quarter mile time and speed, OF COURSE


Since everything with a Tesla is totally computer controlled there is really nothing that "testing in this setting" can do to damage our cars (any more than similar demonstration launches we do frequently anyway), and virtually every Tesla will see over 100 mph trap speed. ONE SUGGESTION is to slightly LOWER tire pressure by about 7-10 pounds to get better grip off the line.


I will be there with my P85D, but it would be GREAT to see other variations 70, 70D, 85D, 90D, P90D LUDICROUS


Generally we get bored after 4-5 runs and by 7 pm or so will leave and convene at Roma's II Pizza at 8491 Folsom Blvd. for "debriefing."


Email me for more information or RSVP would be helpful ........gparrott at csus dot edu

 

[e-FTW]

Doh! I am currently out of the country!

 

[AMPd]

This sounds awesome!
Count me in!

Although i only have a standard 85

 

[jak]

Oh man, I would love to bring in my car, but that day is when I get my car wrapped.

Edit: See ya there Wednesday. Might be a little late.

 

[George Parrott]

Remember to try to borrow a "good" helmet and wear long pants !

The MORE the more fun...BUT keep an eye on the weather reports. RAIN will likely keep the gates LOCKED.

8 - (

 

[George Parrott]

IF the rains pass, at least a couple of us WILL be there, but we NEED some of the other newer "D" series cars, especially I want a head to head with a P90DL.

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE....ad nausem

 

[Discoducky]

Can't wait to see the stats! Have a great time! And remember to push that throttle down hard and fast!

 

[George Parrott]

10 PM weather news was VERY good for the late afternoon into evening time. Light, if any, showers here BEFORE noon and clearing into the afternoon with sun and clear evening PREDICTED, by our TOP WEATHER GURU on KCRA Channel 3.

I will be topping off my charge at the Folsom Outlet Mall from 3 pm to ? before I head to Excelsior Rd.

 

[George Parrott]

"Pushing the throttle down" is not as good, IMHO, as just having my foot above it and ....stomping it with a full mash!

 

[jak]

Well, it was a good day to head out to the raceway for a little bit of fun. This was my first time drag racing and it was fun.

Anyways, a few tidbits:
- The first run was my best time and I was probably around 80-85% battery at the time.
- The first run was when Max Battery was in the Preparing state and the subsequent runs were in Ready state.
- The first time I ran, they flagged me for going below 11.5 secs. This apparently required me to have a "fire jacket", which I had no idea and also did not have! AFAIK, EVs don't spontaneously combust, but I'll remember to bring a "fire jacket" next time.
- The second run, I was stupidly backing up because I went over their indicators a little bit too far. And while I was backing up, the countdown lights started. doh! Still had a pretty good time, though.
- I am getting consistently between 11.4 and 11.5 secs for the 1/4 mile. I thought Ludicrous was supposed to get 10.9s for the 1/4 mile? Not sure if it's worth upgrading a P85D to Ludicrous for a mere 0.3 sec improvement on the 1/4 mile. Hopefully this will improve in a firmware update?
- It was me vs George's P85D.... or me vs. CLS 63 AMG. The first-timer's lane moved atrociously slow.

It was great meeting George and his P85D out there. He's a serious EV'er and we had a good time. Sorry we were late for the pizza!


Here are my time slips:

And a video of my 3rd run with George taken by my friend Danilo with his gopro:

Hope this is useful data!

- - - Updated - - -

It was also mentioned to me that I might get better times if I:
- deflate my tires down 10 PSI to get a better grip. Would that be bad for my tires?
- keep my suspension set to 'low' to keep the drag down?

I'm using stock 19" rims and tires.

 

[P85DEE]

Very useful data. Thanks.

 

[tstafford]

What's kind of interesting about these stats is they line up to what Tesla is currently saying about the Ludicrous Upgrade. About a 0.2 sec improvement in both 0-60 and quarter mile. . .

 

[fiksegts]

great data and comparison..... same data a lot of us are getting with vbox testing..... not sure how motor trend just got significantly better times for their test, even with a 100% SOC I was getting the same numbers as your drag strip runs....

doesn't look like you were spinning at all, so lowering tire pressures would not help.....

 

[3mp_kwh]

Has Slip Start been ruled out? I thought it allowed possibly enough additional wheel spin in, say, one wheel, but otherwise lets the others keep pulling. Launch Control (without all the RPM hoop jumping of an ICE) amounts to something closer to just traction settings. We already know (or should) that Tesla uses aggressive TC settings. Aggressive, as in millisecond power cuts when any wheel is seen spinning. They may have tweaked V7 'Slip Start' to effectively bring back some of the old 'Traction Control Off' setting, that the RWD cars have. This is all theory, but easily tested.

 

[jak]

great data and comparison..... same data a lot of us are getting with vbox testing..... not sure how motor trend just got significantly better times for their test, even with a 100% SOC I was getting the same numbers as your drag strip runs....

doesn't look like you were spinning at all, so lowering tire pressures would not help.....

I don't recall any spinning. Just a quick chirp and I was off.. Amazing traction capability. Only about 1K miles on the tires.

 

[kwhftw]

i wish i would have seen this thread! i'm game to take my p85+ and one of my amg's out there to run with you guys.

 

[George Parrott]

This was the THIRD semi-organized gathering for EVs at Sacramento Raceway put together my moi for Sacramento Electric Vehicle Association (SacEV.org) and anybody else wanting to actually KNOW what their "golf cart" could do in terms of pure acceleration. It won't be the last, so PLEASE anyone in the Greater Sacramento region, sign up for SacEV and you will get notices of all our great gatherings. I am SURE to do another speed assembly when Tesla actually gives all "owner P90DL" cars the same software they clearly had in the "Motor Trend Press Car" which DID produce 10.9 second quarter mile times. I am "on the wait list" to get the Ludicrous Upgrade to my P85D, but that is NOT going to actually happen unless the now $5000 total price gets me MUCH, MUCH closer to 11.0 seconds in the quarter than just ".2 seconds improvement for that kind of $$$.

Our next "General Meeting" will be at Sullivan Chevrolet, Roseville on 11 Nov. gathering a 5:30 pm for show and tell in the parking lot and then 6 pm for the meeting inside which will feature a full introduction to the new 2016 Chevrolet VOLT! Sullivan will also provide pizza and sodas for the gathering "throng." I will NOT be able to make this meeting, but encourage anybody with an interest in "cars with plugs" to come join us. Check out: sacev.org Index

 

[Andyw2100]

I am "on the wait list" to get the Ludicrous Upgrade to my P85D, but that is NOT going to actually happen unless the now $5000 total price gets me MUCH, MUCH closer to 11.0 seconds in the quarter than just ".2 seconds improvement for that kind of $$$.

Ummm...I think you mean $7500 total price, right?

 

[ERP]

Ummm...I think you mean $7500 total price, right?

Tesla actually dropped the price to $5,000 a few days ago. Its being discussed here: http://www.teslamotorsclub.com/show...esla-Change-this-Again-(P85D-Ludicrous-Offer)

 

[Andyw2100]

Tesla actually dropped the price to $5,000 a few days ago. Its being discussed here: http://www.teslamotorsclub.com/show...esla-Change-this-Again-(P85D-Ludicrous-Offer)

Thanks for letting me know. I was not aware of that change.