Range for AWD Cybertruck 200-250 miles after many real world tests

[fritter63]

If that "178 miles range" is coming from the trip computer (ie, they are navigating along the route and between superchargers), let me tell you a story about our first road trip in the Model 3.

Left home with 100% charge headed for LA down I-5. Wanted to get all the way Santa Clarita SC.... that's the OTHER side of the grapevine.

For those who've never been on the grapevine (and apparently I'd forgotten this, it's a HUGE pass with a steep climb).

So we drove past the Tejon superchargers (they are huge in number these days!) and the range calc looks OK for getting to Santa Clarita. Then we started up the hill to the grapevine.... and the range just sank. Halfway up the hill, it showed us with 10 tiles of range left and 40 till Santa Clarita. I almost turned around and went back to Tejon. Then I remembered my physics, gravitational potential energy, and regeneration braking.... and I continued on.

Sure enough, once we topped the pass, we headed down, regent kicked in, we gained a lot back ,and pulled into the Santa Clarita chargers showing .... wait for it.... "600 miles of range" remaining, based on current driving conditions......

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[Jhodgesatmb]

Can we stop this nonsense please. I could start my own range experiment at the top of a mountain and drive to the bottom. It would then show that Tesla's actually gain energy when driving and have unlimited range. These posts are nothing but FUD with people that have no experience driving EV's and don't understand the difference between a kW and kWh.

Why would you think these are FUD? It is adhoc data and to be taken as such...and is most welcome.

 

[TexasRaider]

This has not been the case for years. They were conservative with battery capacity in the beginning and then unlocked it. If you buy a new Tesla now, you won't have this experience.

Oh wow. I didn’t know. Thank you for correcting me.

 

[dandor]

Why would you think these are FUD? It is adhoc data and to be taken as such...and is most welcome.

FUD may have been a bad use there. It is someone that is taking data they don't understand to form a hypothesis.

 

[Gigahorse]

FUD may have been a bad use there. It is someone that is taking data they don't understand to form a hypothesis.

The first (from what I can tell) three real world use cases with real world range Wh/mile
Not saying it is the best, not saying I have spent 3 months in a wind tunnel and doing cross country trips with the CT.
But it is real world data, on the range..................after 4 years of waiting, and 3 separate road trip samples. Wish it was more/better but thought people might be interested in a couple real world use cases.

 

[Jhodgesatmb]

Have been trying to convince myself that 340 miles of range as opposed to 500+ would be ok. Really hoping the numbers coming in from these real world tests are people driving up a mountain pass with a 30mph headwind in -30 degree weather.
Just posting this as it hadn't been covered yet and is fairly new, was on a snap so is no longer up but there are a couple other videos on YT with people saying 440-810 Wh/m so this is in that range unfortunately.

That would be great, if true. One way to evaluate Cybertruck battery performance is by comparing rated to real range with other Tesla vehicles. Then at least we have an adhoc comparison that might extend to the real world. As an example, my Model Y was EPA rated at about 320 miles. The most I have ever seen on a full charge (also noting that range estimates are not accurate) was about 315. Since I have never driven to 0 miles I really have no idea how close to that I got, but I would want the Cybertruck to get the same percentage of the rated range that my Model Y gets. So if the Model Y gets 80% of the rated value (total guess) I would want the Cybertruck to get at least that (given the newer battery technology).

 

[BayouCityBob]

I am thinking we have a few too many threads on this "range-gate" issue. We need some consolidation.

 

[Jhodgesatmb]

Yea but if you are towing with the truck that will get cut in half, or worse.
So with 500 miles 250 is doable
With 190 miles of range 90 miles of trailering range won't get you from one super charger to another in a lot of the country.

That is right. We drove from the bay area to Denver and back last year along northern route 80. Temperatures into the teens with added wind chill. Sometimes we got to an SC with less than 20% remaining SOC and that was my cutoff given the weather conditions. We were not towing anything and the SCs were generally about 120 miles apart on the scariest portion of the trip. I would agree that my baseline would be towing in those conditions needing to get 120 miles...but I do not expect it to be so unless we have the range extender.

 

[Jhodgesatmb]

If you are planning on towing long distances, the Cybertruck is not for you. It is a truck that is perfect for commuting, the occasional long trip without towing, or towing within a 75 mile range. Maybe one day the Cybertruck will fit your needs, but not now.

Edit: I will add this. They have done studies and less than 10% of people who have a truck like a F150 actually tow with it. If you are part of that 10% who actually use a truck as a truck, buy a F150 ICE. I live in a truck town and 90% of the people here would be perfectly suited for a Cybertruck. My neighbor has a F150 and I asked him if he could help my pick up lumber at the Home Depot. He said he didn't want to scratch up his truck.

These arguments for or against range and towing are beside the point. If a company advertises that a vehicle will be great for towing and then produces a truck that isn't, it should expect that population that wanted/needed the capability to be upset. That population on this forum is vocal. Nothing more or less. No one is arguing what percentage of the population needs to tow, or what range, or in what conditions, or whatever. They are simply lamenting that the Cybertruck isn't what they hoped it would be. I think that that is fair.

 

[dandor]

The first (from what I can tell) three real world use cases with real world range Wh/mile
Not saying it is the best, not saying I have spent 3 months in a wind tunnel and doing cross country trips with the CT.
But it is real world data, on the range..................after 4 years of waiting, and 3 separate road trip samples. Wish it was more/better but thought people might be interested in a couple real world use cases.

A 21 mile trip should never be used for any type of analysis. Just be patient and let more data be available from people. Also note that we are in winter right now, which is the absolute worse time for an EV. Someone could spend 15 minutes sitting in their car blasting the heater before driving and make these numbers seem ridiculous.

 

[MilliVanilli]

"Don't believe everything you see on the Internet, for Photoshop is easy."
—Abraham Lincoln, 1852

 

[Gurule92]

All three that have given range numbers were AWD
318vs320 no problem.
318vs270 ehhh ok
318vs179 uh oh

Like I said though, I can go outside right now and get you a wh/mile on a quarter mile run in my model Y. It'll look like it has 0 range if you base it on that.

 

[dandor]

These arguments for or against range and towing are beside the point. If a company advertises that a vehicle will be great for towing and then produces a truck that isn't, it should expect that population that wanted/needed the capability to be upset. That population on this forum is vocal. Nothing more or less. No one is arguing what percentage of the population needs to tow, or what range, or in what conditions, or whatever. They are simply lamenting that the Cybertruck isn't what they hoped it would be. I think that that is fair.

The Cybertruck would be a horrible long distance tower and a great short distance tower. All EV trucks have this issue right now. Until EV technology matures and we can get higher density batteries to get at least double the current range, this trucks need to be avoided by a certain segment of the population. Heck, I wouldn't recommend this truck for anyone living is a cold climate. Maybe sodium-ion batteries will help in the future, but EV's right now are suited towards warmer climates unfortunately.

In addition, not having pull through chargers are a huge negative. I can only imaging trying to tow something 600 miles. You will have to unhitch 4/5 times and spend 3 hours charging. I am all for the electrifying of transportation, but there are many issues that people aren't aware of.

 

[Gigahorse]

"Don't believe everything you see on the Internet, for Photoshop is easy."
—Abraham Lincoln, 1852

Screenshots are from videos, little harder to spoof, and the fact they they are coming from 3 different owners, 3 different parts of the country lends some legitimacy.

 

[Bkb13]

Those hoping for 500 mi range some day are going to be pretty disappointed. For me it’s not an issue. Even when I take long trips it’s not an issue that I have to stop a few times to charge.

I was hoping for 500, which is the reason I pre-ordered a tri motor. I’m happy enough with the range extender.

I can’t imagine driving 500 miles, or even 340 without a break. Food, bathroom, stretch legs, or anything else…

I’ll drive 300-400 miles in between meetings in a day. So I do stop driving to attend the meetings and use the restrooms, but I don’t want to be forced to stop in order to charge…. Or be forced to stop in a non-efficient location since there are only a handful of superchargers located in between the major cities in Texas.

With 190 miles of range 90 miles of trailering range won't get you from one super charger to another in a lot of the country.

There’s an answer to improving this considerably in my opinion. Range extender. Don’t drive over 70. Then you are looking at 150-180 miles of range.

Edit: I will add this. They have done studies and less than 10% of people who have a truck like a F150 actually tow with it. If you are part of that 10% who actually use a truck as a truck, buy a F150 ICE.

I found one of these studies and it’s more nuanced than 10%.

7% frequently tow
29% occasionally tow

That’s 36% or people who tow at least occasionally….

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