Take the MS or ICE???

[CinRedMan]

This is my first winter with the MS
Preparing to head down to Red River Gorge in KY today!
Yes, today as the winter storm is tracking toward Ohio.
Distance is just under 200 miles

I can either drive the MS100D or Lexus RX350 and I really want to drive the MS, but also don't want to be a fool! Especially when I think about which car would be more reasonable to repair after an accident!!!

Opinions?

 

[Xenius]

Are you comfortable with driving in wintry conditions? If yes, take the S. Just keep in mind your consumption (wh/mile) will be much higher. I've gotten somewhat comfortable with driving our S in wintry conditions. If I"m questionable I take our older subaru (worth much less should things go wrong).

 

[tranzndance]

If there were an accident, the best car to be in its a Tesla. There's an upper limit to the cost of repairing or replacing a car, as painfully expensive as it is. You can't replace people and sometimes repairs don't make them back to how they used to be.

 

[CinRedMan]

I'm still trying to properly calculate reduced range. Plan on leaving at 100% which equates to just over 300 miles! Could I actually experience more than a 30% hit in range...because of the weather?

 

[Xenius]

I'm still trying to properly calculate reduced range. Plan on leaving at 100% which equates to just over 300 miles! Could I actually experience more than a 30% hit in range...because of the weather?

If I were you I'd calculate with 150% energy usage, as in 450 wh/mi. You'll likely be under that, but that will give you breathing room. Last trip during crap weather I was running ~400wh/mi. I also don't use a lot of climate control when it's cold.

 

[thefortunes]

I'm still trying to properly calculate reduced range. Plan on leaving at 100% which equates to just over 300 miles! Could I actually experience more than a 30% hit in range...because of the weather?

So many factors to figure this (not the least of which is your driving style), but here's our last 16 months of data for drives over 25 miles:

 

[McRat]

If there are mountains or other possibilities of road closures, take whichever vehicle has the better winter range and refueling infrastructure.

Plan for the worst, hope for the best is always a good route.

 

[outdoors]

If an Ford Excursion decided to T Bone you, which would you rather be in?

Someone once wrote about the cost savings of a safe car over a number of years. As in not being injured in a major or even minor accident.

The number one reason I bought my Subaru was safety.

For my S it was also number one.

I cannot put a price on safety. So stay safe and take the Model S, or don't go.

If you are climbing up a mountain face and rocks keep coming down do you continue or call it a day? Sometimes the best decision is not to push on ahead.

 

[CinRedMan]

I just hit Tesla's site where they allow you to input variables and see estimated range per charge

70 MPH, 32F, heat on, 19" wheels...276 mi. Turn heat off and it jumps to 303.

I am very comfortable driving in winter conditions, but don't most guys make that statement

Just now, I realized TeslaFI has all my data and would give me some real-world data. And, oh how I do love the data...

66 mi
avg speed 56 MPH
outside temp 11.6F
inside cabin 69F
Data logger indicates I achieved 364 Wh/Mile and used 26% or 24.05 kWh

 

[CinRedMan]

Appreciate all the replies, opinions, information, etc. With respect to safety, the ICE is a 2014 Lexus RX350 (all wheel drive). And, while the Tesla is probably stronger, the Lexus is no Pinto (let's see how many get that reference).

 

[Tiger]

I wonder when Tesla is going to offer large enough battery option to put topics like these to rest ...

 

[appleguru]

I always take the Tesla. After all, I bought one to drive it!

It does great in the snow, the 4 wheel drive and extra weight reallu help. With that said, I have seen as much as a 100% reduction of range when it is *really* cold (cabin and battery heating play a significant role), so plan accordingly (but don’t let that scare you off!)

 

[Darmie]

If you were to start out with a cold battery and cold car, expect to use close to 450Wh/mile as shown on the picture below. With superchargers availability, just plan accordingly. For me, road tripping in a Tesla is such a joy.

 

[thefortunes]

I always take the Tesla. After all, I bought one to drive it!

It does great in the snow, the 4 wheel drive and extra weight reallu help. With that said, I have seen as much as a 100% reduction of range when it is *really* cold (cabin and battery heating play a significant role), so plan accordingly (but don’t let that scare you off!)

So you had 0 miles of range? (That is what 100% reduction of range would mean)

 

[sauce]

I wonder when Tesla is going to offer large enough battery option to put topics like these to rest ...

Not gonna happen. Even if Tesla offered a 500 mile battery you'd find someone wondering if he could really take it on a road trip during winter. It's just that we as humans tend to think irrationally when we let worries take over.

The truth to it is that someone rarely has to fill up a gas tank twice in the same day with an ICE unless they're on a long-distance trip, which indicates in most cases you have more than enough of what a single battery charge offers you in the morning in terms of range. We all know that.

But one will REALLY know this once he/she actually goes out on a road trip and actually experiences range capability and learns how to manage it. Then range anxiety should disappear for the most part because you know exactly what your car is capable of, and what you as a driver are capable of to maximize range.

And, as OP has discovered, TeslaFI is interesting data to confirm it all.

 

[AMPd]

Take the model s if charging is available on your route, just in case.

 

[appleguru]

So you had 0 miles of range? (That is what 100% reduction of range would mean)

Almost got down to 0 (cut it really close, on purpose, going to a supercharger the other day):

And sorry. Meant 50% reduction in range. If I could go 200mi before, I could only go ~100 miles in the very cold (though... actually, I guess I'm seeing more like a 20-30% hit from the cold... still only about 50% of the 'displayed' range on my dash though). Here is my teslafi data for drives over 25mi (note: I don't usually drive very efficiently, and have ski racks on my car):

And drives over 10mi (the really short drives have terrible efficiency, especially in the cold):

And finally, some shots of my car in/after snow

 

[THXULTRA]

I would take the lexus just because I would be worried about someone else hitting my Tesla. I haven't driven my Tesla in two weeks because of the weather. I know the car is great in the snow but still have my other car for the winter so figure put the wear and tear on that car. Going to kill me next winter to get salt all over my Tesla.

 

[CinRedMan]

This group is awesome!

Took the MS because, I luv me my MS; oh wait, was that insensitive?

Trip metrics attached. And, a tesla 72amp charger at the cabin to boot!

 

[appleguru]

This group is awesome!

Took the MS because, I luv me my MS; oh wait, was that insensitive?

Trip metrics attached. And, a tesla 72amp charger at the cabin to boot!

Glad you made it! With a Tesla destination charger there, it's a no brainer!