Track Report: Model 3 Performance @ ORP, day 1

[brianman]

We recently (08/18/2018) took delivery of a Model 3 Performance. One of my burning questions was how it would do at the track (with me as driver) without any modifications.

I've driven at Oregon Raceway Park (ORP) a number of times (8?) in Model S P85, P85D, P85D, and P100D. All of them run into the power limiter within a minutes (4-6 minutes, 6-8, 6-8, 8-10) when setting Regen to Low. There are at least 3 levels of limiter in the P*D flavors of S -- 1/2, 1/4, 1/8 power. I tend to run short sessions with P*D flavors, and grid as early as I can to have space to run those few minutes and then pull off; with at-track charging @ 30-40A* on a 14-50 the vehicle tends to last the whole day. With the P85, I just lived with the limiter which meant the vehicle wouldn't last a whole day.

* The output was ~232V @ 32A today.

So Beatrice's first track day was @ ORP with HOD (Hooked On Driving) on 08/15/2018. Weather was pretty much perfect -- started in the high 40s, peaked in the mid 70s (F), no precipitation.

The relevant portions of the schedule are for me were:

• 7:00 AM - Gate opens
• 8:00:15-8:30 AM - Driver's meeting
  
• 9:00-9:15 AM - C/B (combined) groups warmup session 0
• 10:15-10:40 AM - B session 1
• 11:30-11:55 AM - B session 2
• 11:30-1:00 PM - Lunch
• 1:40-2:00 PM - B session 3
• 2:40-3:00 PM - B session 4
• 3:40-4:00 PM - B session 5
• 4:40-5:00 PM - B session 6

I charged to 90% the night before. Woke up at 5 AM, plugged in try to top to 100% @ 5:04 AM.

The distance to the track is roughly 50 miles from the Dalles supercharger and the gate opens a 7, so my aim was to leave a bit over an hour ahead of time so that I had some buffer to allow slow driving (avoid excessive wind resistance tax). I ended up leaving the Dalles with about 305 rated miles, and generally kept cruise between 5 and 0 below the speed limit. Upon arrival, I immediately plugged in.

When the warmup session started at 9 AM, the charge was less than 100% (somewhere above 90% though I think). I did the warmup session a little hotter than I planned, though I don't remember the SOC after. For session 1, I ran a bit hotter -- though we were interrupted early on by a mechanical (black flag all around) -- so shorter session. I believe the SOC was somewhere around 160 rated miles after session 1. After session 2, the SOC was 50 miles -- so session 3 consumed 110 rated miles.

Doing some quick math (like I've done before), I recognized track charging would pretty much be useless for the rest of the day, so I opted to skip track lunch and sessions 3 & 4. I headed back to the Dalles (slowly...because I only had 55 rated miles) to fill up. I arrived at the Dalles at 1:12 PM, and had lunch. I left the Dalles with 299 rated miles, driving slightly more aggressively than the first trip of the day but still conservatively. I arrived with ~225 rated miles at 3:20 PM, with a little breathing room to grab a passenger that had wanted a ride and was on track for session 5 (3:40 PM).

Session 5, I went about 8/10 most of the session and did the full session with 160 rated miles. Session 6 I cut short (exited with 102 rated miels) because I didn't want to drive slow back to the hotel again tonite.

^ I didn't realize I was going to write so much detailed, but I kinda just started babbling.

The car feels significantly better than any Model S I've driven on the track. Despite being completely dry, I felt the back end get light on a few occasions -- something I've never felt in a Model S.

Yes, there is a limiter. Yes, it's not paralyzing like the S limiter. You can feel the difference, but it still feels faster than an S P85 at full power even with the 3 limiter.

Here's what the limiter UI looks like, BTW:

Power consumption info after session 6:

I have another day scheduled for tomorrow @ ORP so if anybody has any requests or suggestions for, um, "research areas" for tomorrow please speak up quickly. I don't plan to be up very late tonite.

 

[TexasTeslaRacing]

Very nice post. My questions would be:

Is your car a P3D with performance brakes?
How much faster in lap times is your P3D compared to P100D?
What tire and wheel setup are you running?

Thanks again for the post and send some pics and videos our way!

 

[brianman]

My questions would be:
1. Is your car a P3D with performance brakes?
2. How much faster in lap times is your P3D compared to P100D?
3. What tire and wheel setup are you running?
4. Thanks again for the post and send some pics and videos our way!

1. Yes, my vehicles has the "Performance Upgrade" Option.
2. Haven't measure lap times on either vehicle. In this past, the limiter of the S was so depressing that I never really made it a priority. That will likely change with the 3. As a data point, one of the few "full power, no cars in my way" laps at the Ridge recently was 2:08 (I borrowed a friend's iPhone) with the P100D. I hear that sub 2 is "decent". Shrug.
3. OEM from #1 - 20” Performance Wheels, Michelin Pilot Sport 4S. For tire age / break-in, you can get a ballpark from my second image in the OP -- after session 6 the Odometer read 711 miles.
4. Didn't take any pics or video. I used to have a dashcam on my S P85 (before the camera battery died); maybe Elon will unlock some dashcam-like footage for us (in V9? V10?).

 

[JeffK]

I'd love if you could go head to head with a BMW M3

 

[brianman]

I'd love if you could go head to head with a BMW M3

To be clear: This is a lapping event (cooperative let-by passing), not a competitive event.

That said, there wasn't much need for me to do let-bys today. I think I only needed to offer like 3 today (and I'm very generous with let-bys). My run group included 2 or 3 BMW M3s.

 

[Zippy_EV]

I've been waiting to hear about track time in a Performance 3 with brake upgrades (as I am receiving the same model in a few weeks!) Thanks for sharing. Any thoughts on the vehicle balance? I'm curious about how much understeer you see with the square factory 20's and any speculative thoughts about a staggered tire setup with wider rears.

If you could also please share your approximate level of experience: # of events, typical run groups, etc.?

 

[invalid]

Were you able to last the full session?

How do you find the brakes late into session, any pedal fade? Would be curious to know how much of the pads were worn off with a day or two on them.

How is the traction control/nannies? They sensitive or easy enough to avoid?

 

[woof]

Is "Track mode" a thing yet? Or is that a future feature.
How did the brakes hold up?

 

[brianman]

1. Is "Track mode" a thing yet? Or is that a future feature.
2. How did the brakes hold up?

1. I don't have firmware with Track Mode (yet?).
2. Fine so far.

 

[brianman]

1. Were you able to last the full session?
2. How do you find the brakes late into session, any pedal fade?
3. Would be curious to know how much of the pads were worn off with a day or two on them.
4. How is the traction control/nannies?
5. They sensitive or easy enough to avoid?

1. Perhaps I should have been more explicit in my phrasing. Sessions 1, 2, and 5 I stayed on track the full session (went out with the initial grid launch and stayed through checkered flag). Session 3, 4 were skipped (travelling to/from supercharger). Session 6 was partial to save range for end-of-day; not an overheating issue. The limiter (and UI shown in the OP image) were definitely active part way through sessions 2, 5, and 6 -- but they weren't game changers that spoiled the entire experience; I kept on trucking.
2. No pedal fade observed.
3. I'll try to take some pictures tomorrow.
4. I'm very much not used to this car yet. As such, there were many times when I glanced over went something felt "off" and sure enough the TC was lit up. But it was completely different from the S; it did not feel intrusive / parental. I felt like better driving skill / attuned-ness would have kept the nannies quiet entirely. At no point did it feel like the 3 was pulling power to "punish" me; in contrast, I have that experience often with the S.
5. No and, generally, yes. If you drive "a bit crazy" (i.e. test the limits) there is definitely room for Track Mode settings to let us play more.

 

[Zippy_EV]

One request: switch the battery display to energy rather than rated miles... It avoids a level of approximation. (Especially as your car has few miles so the average lifetime wh/mi will be relatively high.). I had other questions above in case they were missed.

 

[MP3Mike]

with at-track charging @ 30-40A* on a 14-50 the vehicle tends to last the whole day. With the P85, I just lived with the limiter which meant the vehicle wouldn't last a whole day.

* The output was ~232V @ 32A today.

Just as a note the UMC that comes with the Model 3 is limited to 32A. You could get a GEN1 UMC for a Model S or X and you would be able to charge at 40A on the 14-50. (25% faster.)

I believe the SOC was somewhere around 160 rated miles after session 1. After session 2, the SOC was 50 miles -- so session 3 consumed 110 rated miles.

So session 2 used 110 rated miles, how many actual miles did you drive in a session? (Or how many laps in a session.)

 

[MP3Mike]

One request: switch the battery display to energy rather than rated miles... It avoids a level of approximation. (Especially as your car has few miles so the average lifetime wh/mi will be relatively high.). I had other questions above in case they were missed.

There is no level of approximation that that would prevent. Teslas don't use a GOM, Guess-O-Meter, that calculates range remaining based on your driving. The range remaining estimate is based on a fixed Wh per mile, and you can convert back and forth between them directly. (It should be ~3.1 miles per percent.)

 

[brianman]

1. Any thoughts on the vehicle balance?
2. I'm curious about how much understeer you see with the square factory 20's and
3. any speculative thoughts about a staggered tire setup with wider rears.
4. If you could also please share your approximate level of experience: # of events, typical run groups, etc.?

1. Like the S, it feels planted / grippy and even front-to-back weight distribution. Unlike the S, it never felt heavy at any point -- even when the limiter kicked in. Not sure if that's a useful answer.
2. Hard for me to give a good answer on that one. I've always been comfortable with the feel of the S (both RWD and AWD). The 3 just feels better, lighter.
3. I've never been a big fan on staggered (I like being able to rotate for more even tire wear), though my P100D has them. Haven't thought much about that option with 3 yet.
4. Let's see, I started in '13 roughly 4-10 lapping events per year (varies based on other scheduled activities) with Audi Club NW and HOD. Been doing autocross with BSCC for 6 years now; haven't done autocross with the 3 yet.

Additional note since I just remembered: I notice at last two levels in the limiter (based on # of dashes) but I didn't get multiple pictures unfortunately.

 

[brianman]

Just as a note the UMC that comes with the Model 3 is limited to 32A. You could get a GEN1 UMC for a Model S or X and you would be able to charge at 40A on the 14-50. (25% faster.)

Very good point! I should bring one of my S cables next outing.

 

[brianman]

So session 2 used 110 rated miles, how many actual miles did you drive in a session?

Judging by the partial session 6 @ 11.7 miles... ~20 miles / 20min session? 2.3 mile course (Track Info & Map | Oregon Raceway Park) .. ~8 laps? Sure seems like more than 8 laps for the better sessions. I'll try to capture the distance for a full session tomorrow, and maybe count how many times I pass turn 2.

 

[brianman]

There is no level of approximation that they would prevent. Teslas don't use a GOM, Guess-O-Meter, that calculates range remaining based on your driving. The range remaining estimate is based on a fixed Wh per mile, and you can convert back and forth between them directly. (It should be ~3.1 miles per percent.)

Correspondingly, it's more granular to use rated miles -- 3% difference could be anywhere between 7 miles and 13 depending on rounding and such.

 

[MP3Mike]

Two more questions:

1. What do you think your top speed was on the track?
2. Have you checked the brake pads to see how worn they are? (They must be way better than the pads on a RWD Model 3 since people were using them up in just a few laps.)

 

[brianman]

Two more questions:

1. What do you think your top speed was on the track?
2. Have you checked the brake pads to see how worn they are? (They must be way better than the pads on a RWD Model 3 since people were using them up in just a few laps.)

1. Good question; at least 115 mph on the front and at least 90 mph going up Valkyrie. I tend to pull back when I near triple digits (habit from S overheating) on the front straight. Also, the new location for the speedo begs for a HUD for track rats. I'll try to pay attention tomorrow. Bummer that ORP doesn't have any AT&T coverage (so no Tesla telemetry available).
2. Nope. Probably should before I go out tomorrow, huh?

 

[invalid]

If you could also please share your approximate level of experience: # of events, typical run groups, etc.?

This was something I was getting annoyed with when watching reviews and other things. People commenting on the performance and handling without qualifying what they’re using for context.

I’ve really been kicking myself for not bugging the guys I saw at Laguna Seca 2 weeks ago who had Model 3s. They looked busy so I left them alone.