-
Want to remove ads? Register an account and login to see fewer ads, and become a Supporting Member to remove almost all ads.
Tesla Model 3 Is The Most Efficient Electric Car On Highways
- Thread starter chronopc
- Start date
SageBrush
REJECT Fascism
Me too, but you should keep somewhere in the back of your mind that most of those cars live in N. Europe
The title of this thread is a bit misleading (really incorrect as stated). The M3 may be the most efficient EV currently in production. But, the Spark EV is the most efficient EV on the highways. It is a clown car with 100 mile range, but it’s hard to beat 6mi/kWh.
SageBrush
REJECT Fascism
Spokane to Kelowna, starting out at 100%, I arrived with about 40 miles (IIRC) more remaining range than expected, based on a nominal range of 310 miles. Driving at or very slightly above the posted speed limits the whole way. Some A/C use as the day warmed up.
Kelowna to Spokane, also starting out at almost 100%, I arrived with the predicted amount of remaining range. Again driving at or slightly above the posted limit except for the first hour or so when I drove slightly slower. Some use of the heater in the first part of the day as it was chilly. Used the heated seat on low or the first time ever, and just enough cabin heat to avoid feeling chilled.
Very happy with the range.
Kelowna to Spokane, also starting out at almost 100%, I arrived with the predicted amount of remaining range. Again driving at or slightly above the posted limit except for the first hour or so when I drove slightly slower. Some use of the heater in the first part of the day as it was chilly. Used the heated seat on low or the first time ever, and just enough cabin heat to avoid feeling chilled.
Very happy with the range.
I own one. The EPA range and efficiency numbers were wildly wrong (understated). At 65mph in decent weather, 6mi/kWh is easy. Off the highway, 7 is easy.
I wish the Model 3 could do 5, but it seems like 4 is the average. Oh well, can’t drive a clown car forever, no matter how efficient it is.
SageBrush
REJECT Fascism
I am because I’ve owned the car a couple years and I’ve independently done the math. A car that was rated at 82 miles range easily does 110 miles at 65mph in decent weather. In my case, the battery has about 17.5kwh usable (it’s degraded a bit from the original 18.5). The math comes out to about 6.2mi/kWh.
We’re talking about a subcompact car (I think it’s actually classified smaller than subcompact but forget the exact term). It would be pretty hard for a car the size of the M3 to compete with its efficiency.
My point was that the M3 is more efficient than previous Tesla’s but it’s not the most efficient EV on the road. Some of the other small compliance EVs also likely beat it’s efficiency in real world use. Though the Spark EV was one of the only ones with a real TMS, so maybe not.
gavine
Petrol Head turned EV Enthusiast
In fairness to Tesla, the i3 app does not get real time info from the car, unless it is charging. I’m pretty sure the i3 has very little connectivity when it is idle. I think Tesla vampire drain is worth having decent app features available.
Dr. J
Active Member
I appreciate the sentiment, but if you read the basis for this analysis, you'll find the data sample is limited:
"We have data points from 57 Model 3s, but most vehicles have only provided a couple of seconds of data. Most of the data actually comes from a Swedish American cross-east-cost driver who left ABRP running often enough in the phone – great thanks Pontus!"
source: Model 3 Consumption and Charging – About A Better Routeplanner
I want to believe!
I usually plug in my car at night, but I tested vampire drain on my car one night during the first week after I got it and I woke up to it having 1 mile more range than the night before. I guess I have nicer vampires.
However, this weekend I did a day trip Seattle -> Bellingham and back and found it very difficult to hit 240 Wh/mi in my M3P- with aero covers off. I drove parts of the time with HVAC off, music off, at 65-70 MPH. There was also bad traffic on the way back so a good chunk was at 20-40 MPH as well. Are other people getting similar numbers with the M3P?
However, this weekend I did a day trip Seattle -> Bellingham and back and found it very difficult to hit 240 Wh/mi in my M3P- with aero covers off. I drove parts of the time with HVAC off, music off, at 65-70 MPH. There was also bad traffic on the way back so a good chunk was at 20-40 MPH as well. Are other people getting similar numbers with the M3P?
xpitxbullx
Member
Today I did a 50 mile test. City roads for 20% and highway 80% and with a passenger.
205 Wh/mi average driving between 60-75 mph on the freeway. A/C on 5 and temp on low. Radio on. Headlights on the last 25 miles.
If the numbers are right, I should have got 365.85 miles of range from full to empty.
Good enough for me!
205 Wh/mi average driving between 60-75 mph on the freeway. A/C on 5 and temp on low. Radio on. Headlights on the last 25 miles.
If the numbers are right, I should have got 365.85 miles of range from full to empty.
Good enough for me!
Music shouldn't make any difference at all, even streaming. In another thread people told me that A/C makes very little difference. I will never drive on the highway with headlights off. The LEDs should not use much power at all and it's a safety feature: You want other drivers to be able to see you. The heater will make a difference, though I'd think the seat heaters should make much less.
Driving 75 will use a lot more energy than driving at 65, and 65 will use more than 55. Wind resistance rises with the square of the speed. On my trip referenced above and elsewhere the speed limits were generally 55 or 60 mph on the open highways and I never exceeded 64 (105 kph briefly when the limit was 100 kph). Personally I found driving with AP was so relaxing that I was simply not in a hurry. In past years in the Prius I was so stressed that I wanted to get there as fast as I could and always pushed my speed as high as I thought I could get away with when conditions allowed it.
(Yes, I am aware that in some places drivers are such maniacs that you have to go 75 to avoid becoming a traffic hazard yourself. I have avoided living in places like that, and if I visit such places I take a cab or a ride-share.)
It would not surprise me at all if the 3 is the most efficient EV. Being the latest, it has the newest batteries, and is smaller and lighter than either the X or the S. And being a Tesla, it probably has more sophisticated drivetrain technology than other brands. But this may only last until a newer and smaller EV comes out, with a better battery chemistry.
Driving 75 will use a lot more energy than driving at 65, and 65 will use more than 55. Wind resistance rises with the square of the speed. On my trip referenced above and elsewhere the speed limits were generally 55 or 60 mph on the open highways and I never exceeded 64 (105 kph briefly when the limit was 100 kph). Personally I found driving with AP was so relaxing that I was simply not in a hurry. In past years in the Prius I was so stressed that I wanted to get there as fast as I could and always pushed my speed as high as I thought I could get away with when conditions allowed it.
(Yes, I am aware that in some places drivers are such maniacs that you have to go 75 to avoid becoming a traffic hazard yourself. I have avoided living in places like that, and if I visit such places I take a cab or a ride-share.)
It would not surprise me at all if the 3 is the most efficient EV. Being the latest, it has the newest batteries, and is smaller and lighter than either the X or the S. And being a Tesla, it probably has more sophisticated drivetrain technology than other brands. But this may only last until a newer and smaller EV comes out, with a better battery chemistry.
The article's conclusion is pretty consistent with the EPA test results. The Model 3 LR gets 123 MPGe highway compared to 110 with the Bolt and 108 with the Kona.
Compare Side-by-Side
seattlite2004
Active Member
Dr. J
Active Member
240 wh/mile is about the midpoint, which is good. I would have to do math to compare to EPA, so....
I'm calculating 312.5 miles of range at 240 wh/mile. My currently lifetime to date is 230 wh/mile. So based on my personal experience and the data from that thread, the EPA rating is pretty accurate.240 wh/mile is about the midpoint, which is good. I would have to do math to compare to EPA, so....
SageBrush
REJECT Fascism
The most important trick will be beating Tesla at the CdA game in a mid-sized car. Good luck with that.
It's possible that a better battery chemistry will come out eventually, but who is taking battery technology seriously besides Tesla?
MPGe sucks and needs to be forgotten. There is no G(allon) in EV and MPGe needs to go the way of the last ICEage. EV's need to be rated in miles per kWh (or Kilometers per kWh for the rest of the world, we are so backwards for not adopting metric). The Model 3 is SUPER efficient at 122 MPGe and is equivalent to over 4.2 miles per kWh. Of course Tesla famously does it the Apple way (their way) and uses Wh per mile but the calculation is the same and is 238 Wh per mile.
My ELR "sucks" (electrons) and is only rated at 3 miles per kWh/333 Wh per mile.
My ELR "sucks" (electrons) and is only rated at 3 miles per kWh/333 Wh per mile.
Last edited:
Similar threads
