CR report on EV range tests

[awp0]

I probably won’t ever do a 100% to 0% range test but I was pretty impressed in my longest road trip to date yesterday, going from Boston to Burlington,VT and getting 3.4 miles/kWh over 230 miles at 65-75mph for most of the whole way (with hands-free Bluecruise). I think that translates to over 300 miles of range in this Premium AWD ER.

And, wow, I knew Tesla’s EPA numbers were known to be a bit on the optimistic side, but those MY ranges….crazy

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[awp0]

Don’t all of these models have heat pumps except the MME? The range drop from warm to cold on the MY and ID.4 is really surprising. In fact, it looks like the MME actually does slightly better (percentage wise).

 

[Billyk24]

Owners at the Tesla forum repot on 30 to 40 percent range losses with single digit f temperatures and below. Charging is also slower.

 

[daemonic3]

your mileage may vary

This may be the first time this phrase is both literal and a colloquialism.

 

[Nklem]

Awesome report. Exactly the same as my observations.

 

[Nklem]

Don’t all of these models have heat pumps except the MME? The range drop from warm to cold on the MY and ID.4 is really surprising. In fact, it looks like the MME actually does slightly better (percentage wise).

I do not think the ID.4 has a heat pump In the US.

 

[RickMachE]

I probably won’t ever do a 100% to 0% range test but I was pretty impressed in my longest road trip to date yesterday, going from Boston to Burlington,VT and getting 3.4 miles/kWh over 230 miles at 65-75mph for most of the whole way (with hands-free Bluecruise). I think that translates to over 300 miles of range in this Premium AWD ER.

And, wow, I knew Tesla’s EPA numbers were known to be a bit on the optimistic side, but those MY ranges….crazy

I've never achieved 3.4 going 73+ mph. Never more than 3.1. You must have had some downhills, or been doing 65 more than you thought.

 

[Nklem]

In fairness, the Mach E has a usable 88/91Kwh battery, the hyundai 74kwh (heat pump) the ID4 a 77kwh and the Y a 75kwh (Heat pump). So the Mach E is still the electricity “ hog“ but it does it in such a good fun way….lol. What’s 13 kWh among friends…… That’s where the heat pumps show their benefit in the cold weather ranges for sure.

To put it another way, if the model y had an 88 kw battery it would have gone 218 miles winter/321 Summer, the ID.4 194 W/293 S and the Hyundai 300 S.

 

[awp0]

I've never achieved 3.4 going 73+ mph. Never more than 3.1. You must have had some downhills, or been doing 65 more than you thought.

Starting and ending elevation were pretty much identical. But you’re right that I was mostly closer to 65. I was also trying to see if “drafting” a truck made any difference, so some of that was behind trucks.

 

[RickMachE]

Starting and ending elevation were pretty much identical. But you’re right that I was mostly closer to 65. I was also trying to see if “drafting” a truck made any difference, so some of that was behind trucks.

Like with an ICE vehicle, the faster you go, the worse it gets. I tend to set the cruise on 73 - 75 (in 70mph zones), and end up averaging in the high 60s. That's 2.9 - 3.1 at best. Drafting should help, but watch for kicked up stones.

 

[voxel]

They should have tested my Mach E, because after a lot of slow driving I barely touched 248/270
My usual was 220-230.

That's because you have a GT. My Model Y Long Range and Mach-E Premium AWD ER were both getting 270-280 miles in hot Florida which is exactly what CR saw... my GTPE is a giant power suck and I'd be lucky to get 230 miles. I took a 300 mile round trip last weekend and was forced to stop at two EA locations because I was burning 25% over 50-ish miles (2.6 mi/kWh)

NOTE: The Mach-E has a 99 kWh battery (91 kWh usable) whereas the Model Y has a 82 kWh (rumored with 75-77 kWh usable)

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"In terms of individual models, the Ford Mustang Mach-E traveled 188 miles on a charge in cold weather, 250 miles in mild weather, and 275 miles in warm temperatures, the latter of which is actually higher than the car’s 270-mile EPA rating. That’s also right on par with the Tesla Model Y, which has an EPA rating of 326 miles but only traveled 186 miles in cold temps, 252 miles in mild ones, and 274 in warmer weather. "

 

[voxel]

Okay, how is Tesla's "Official EPA" mileage 20% higher than what you get in the best of circumstances? Does EPA simply trust manufacturers to tell the truth?

Yes. That's the problem with EPA. Tesla padded the numbers but it all falls under the rules because I l believe there are two testing cycles allowed and Tesla chose the more optimistic number.

The Model Y has a 18 kWh smaller battery than the Mach-E and yet the EPA numbers are 50 miles more. You know physics spit on that EPA projection.

 

[awp0]

Like with an ICE vehicle, the faster you go, the worse it gets. I tend to set the cruise on 73 - 75 (in 70mph zones), and end up averaging in the high 60s. That's 2.9 - 3.1 at best. Drafting should help, but watch for kicked up stones.

Makes a lot of sense. Btw, would you expect the same efficiency in the upper half of the battery state of charge compared to the lower? Meaning, would you expect the same miles per kWh from 95% to 50% as you would between 50% and 5%?

 

[jkovacs]

So much for that vaunted heat pump.

My understanding is that heat pumps work well up to a point, then their efficiency plummets. As it was described to me, “A heat pump works best when there is heat to…you know…pump.”

 

[RickMachE]

Makes a lot of sense. Btw, would you expect the same efficiency in the upper half of the battery state of charge compared to the lower? Meaning, would you expect the same miles per kWh from 95% to 50% as you would between 50% and 5%?

Yes, but no.

When the battery gets low, it starts turning things off the conserve power. Between 50% and 10%? Yes. Unsure below 10%.

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