Tesla Model 3 Is The Most Efficient Electric Car On Highways

[SageBrush]

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.

Nit police here: The unit is Wh

I prefer energy/distance instead of distance/energy. Calculations are straightforward, including averages.
If the USA wanted to jump to the head of the class (hah!) instead of being the village idiot they would adopt MJ/Km. Why ? To help Americans learn the difference between an amount and a rate.

Joule: amount
Watt: rate

 

[JulienW]

No doubt people often confuse Watts (rate) and Watt hours (amount) but would adding Joule be more or less confusing? I agree it would be more correct.

 

[gavine]

My ELR "sucks" (electrons) and is only rated at 3 miles per kWh/333 Wh per mile.

That’s probably because you’re lugging around a heavy ICE engine and transmission. The BMW i3 BEV gets 12 more all-electric miles of range than the REX and the REX scooter engine only weighs 300lbs.

 

[Zythryn]

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.

I highly disagree.
How many miles per kWh does a Camry get??

MPGe is designed to allow a comparison of the efficiency between gas cars and electric ones.
For that purpose, and that purpose only, it works wonderfully.

 

[JulienW]

That’s probably because you’re lugging around a heavy ICE engine and transmission...

Tesla Model 3LR 4072lbs
Cadillac ELR 4070lbs

Looks like a wash on your weight theory.

 

[JulienW]

I highly disagree.
How many miles per kWh does a Camry get??

MPGe is designed to allow a comparison of the efficiency between gas cars and electric ones.
For that purpose, and that purpose only, it works wonderfully.

Camry is combined 30MPG and a gallon of gas is 34 kWh. So it's MPGe is about 14 MPGe. This shows part of the fallacy of MPGe since in an ICE about 75% of the energy is wasted as heat and in an EV it is only about 15%.

 

[chronopc]

Camry is combined 30MPG and a gallon of gas is 34 kWh. So it's MPGe is about 14 MPGe. This shows part of the fallacy of MPGe since in an ICE about 75% of the energy is wasted as heat and in an EV it is only about 15%.

Regardless of the metric, EV>ICE.

 

[lklundin]

This only applies to RWD Tesla Model 3 LR. AWD will be some 10% less? if comparing 130 vs 116. also on hightway likely even less. Tesla Model 3 Long Range All-Wheel Drive & Performance Editions Get Official EPA Ratings | CleanTechnica

Still very impressive and versitile. Want efficiency - drive normally. Want to decimate some ICE sports car, get P3M and have fun.

While I have been driving AWD (Quattro) for the last 12 years, this lower efficiency of the Model 3 AWD may cause me to go for RWD. Paying more for less range will be hard for me to justify.

 

[JulienW]

Regardless of the metric, EV>ICE.

And there lies the LONG term problem because of a short sighted 'fix'. In 20 years when most new cars are EV (please let it come to pass) the MPGe rating will be irrelevant but forever STUCK with us.

 

[daniel]

... but who is taking battery technology seriously besides Tesla?

I would imagine the traditional battery makers like Panasonic are taking it seriously.

While I have been driving AWD (Quattro) for the last 12 years, this lower efficiency of the Model 3 AWD may cause me to go for RWD. Paying more for less range will be hard for me to justify.

I guess the 3AWD came out while I was away. Is it getting fewer miles per charge than the RWD? I thought the Dual-Motor Model S got slightly more range than the RWD version??? What's going on there?

 

[chronopc]

I would imagine the traditional battery makers like Panasonic are taking it seriously.

You talking about the same Panasonic that makes batteries for Tesla?

 

[Yuri_G]

Tesla Model 3LR 4072lbs
Cadillac ELR 4070lbs

Looks like a wash on your weight theory.

Think you're confusing your Model 3s.

Tesla Model 3 - Wikipedia

 

[GregRF]

Camry is combined 30MPG and a gallon of gas is 34 kWh. So it's MPGe is about 14 MPGe. This shows part of the fallacy of MPGe since in an ICE about 75% of the energy is wasted as heat and in an EV it is only about 15%.

???

(30 miles/gallon) / (34 kWh/gallon) = 0.88 miles per kW

It's MPGe is still 30. (Not that that makes sense)

 

[JulienW]

Think you're confusing your Model 3s.

Tesla Model 3 - Wikipedia

True that I quoted the AWD weight, BUT efficiency is the same and my point still stands. It not more efficient than my ELR because it weighs less. It is more efficient because Tesla is MILES ahead in EV controls, motors, systems and batteries.

 

[Pollux]

I think you mean 0.88 miles per kiloWatt*hour*; kWh, not kW.

Alan

 

[daniel]

You talking about the same Panasonic that makes batteries for Tesla?

Do they still? The Gigafactory isn't making all Tesla's batteries yet? But yes, I meant that Panasonic. The one that made significantly better batteries for the Model S than for the Roadster, because they'd improved them in the intervening years. And they make batteries for other customers also. And I presume they take R&D seriously to improve their batteries.

 

[JulienW]

Do they still? The Gigafactory isn't making all Tesla's batteries yet? But yes, I meant that Panasonic. The one that made significantly better batteries for the Model S than for the Roadster, because they'd improved them in the intervening years. And they make batteries for other customers also. And I presume they take R&D seriously to improve their batteries.

Panasonic manufactures Tesla's 2170's (Model 3) at the Giga-factory and the 18650's (S&X) in Japan (I believe).

 

[slipnslider]

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.

I find it hard to believe that a day's worth of internet connectivity takes as much energy as it requires to move a 4000lb car several miles.

 

[gavine]

Tesla Model 3LR 4072lbs
Cadillac ELR 4070lbs

Looks like a wash on your weight theory.

3LR is 3814lbs which makes a difference in efficiency vs. 4072lbs.

 

[chronopc]

Do they still? The Gigafactory isn't making all Tesla's batteries yet? But yes, I meant that Panasonic. The one that made significantly better batteries for the Model S than for the Roadster, because they'd improved them in the intervening years. And they make batteries for other customers also. And I presume they take R&D seriously to improve their batteries.

Tesla has a partnership with Panasonic to produce batteries for Tesla at the Gigafactory. Tesla is mainly responsible for the design and Panasonic is mainly responsible for manufacturing. Tesla is the one who owns the rights to the patents. So when you say the batteries have been improved you are correct. But that is mostly due to Tesla's investment and design.

Currently Panasonic is not producing batteries for any of the competition. Most of the competing cars get their batteries from LG.