3000 Mile Range Test Completed & EPA Estimate Confirmed in my real world driving

[Cirrus SR22]

After over 3000 miles of driving since I took delivery on 2/14, I can confirm the Range estimate is accurate.

FS AWD
TONNEAU CLOSED
1-5 passengers
CA temps 40-75
65% hwy posted speed limit up to 70 mph
35% city streets
No wheel covers

IF you drive 100% on city streets you can easily get 350 miles from full pack.
IF you drive 100% on hwy you will get less than advertised.
Includes a 700 mile round trip road trip.. Trip “A” does not include road trip and therefore Beats EPA estimate due to less highway driving.

I guess my driving has been about what the EPA criteria is confirming this might be the most accurate range estimate of any Tesla. Not overly optimistic at all as seen in Edmunds revised review. See photo

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[JBee]

Nice! I'm glad we are seeing better numbers and more in line with expectations and calculations.

I also agree with your driving strategy using coasting instead of regen as per your other thread, and have been doing so for decades myself in hybrids etc.

In fact we use the same technique for flying to increase eVTOL UAV range, because prop/motor efficiency is less at cruise than when at climb power, so using a altitude oscillations, to climb and glide, makes the best use out of the limited batteries we can carry onboard to achieve 5-10% more range. Gravity is 100% efficient propulsion. This is despite the fact that our rear pusher prop pitch and disc area are completely optimised for motor rpm and torque for best efficiencyat high cruise, seeing we can completely neglect takeoff power requirements because it takes off vertically using separate motors, effectively giving us an unlimited runway in the sky to get up to forward flight speed on the wings.

I'm surprised civil and GA don't use the technique to save fuel and rather they lock you into a fix altitude. Obviously, turbofans and non-folding props need to be kept on, but with our rear pusher prop setup we use folding ones so they don’t freewheel and cause drag in the glide phase.

Do you have a SR22 or just like them? Have you seen the Darkaero build?

 

[Cirrus SR22]

Nice! I'm glad we are seeing better numbers and more in line with expectations and calculations.

I also agree with your driving strategy using coasting instead of regen as per your other thread, and have been doing so for decades myself in hybrids etc.

In fact we use the same technique for flying to increase eVTOL UAV range, because prop/motor efficiency is less at cruise than when at climb power, so using a altitude oscillations, to climb and glide, makes the best use out of the limited batteries we can carry onboard to achieve 5-10% more range. Gravity is 100% efficient propulsion. This is despite the fact that our rear pusher prop pitch and disc area are completely optimised for motor rpm and torque for best efficiencyat high cruise, seeing we can completely neglect takeoff power requirements because it takes off vertically using separate motors, effectively giving us an unlimited runway in the sky to get up to forward flight speed on the wings.

I'm surprised civil and GA don't use the technique to save fuel and rather they lock you into a fix altitude. Obviously, turbofans and non-folding props need to be kept on, but with our rear pusher prop setup we use folding ones so they don’t freewheel and cause drag in the glide phase.

Do you have a SR22 or just like them? Have you seen the Darkaero build?

Had a 2008 SR22 GTS turbo for 4 years and just sold it.
As a commercial pilot and commercial glider and helicopter pilot, energy management is key. I owned a Diamond motor glider for many years, it was a self launch glider with Turbo Rotax 914, I would shut down the power plant and soar for hundreds of miles and stay up for hours for FREE! You leaned energy management because your life depended on it.

 

[CyberTruckeeTheOne]

Thanks! Yup, the bigger the sample, the more representative -- and varied driving conditions too.

My use case is an RV puller and am encouraged of the 154 range pulling a heavier albeit more aerodynamic trailer.

I'm still expecting trials and results on the brutal 6%to 9% grades in dead of winter while pulling an average RV, lol.

 

[JBee]

Had a 2008 SR22 GTS turbo for 4 years and just sold it.
As a commercial pilot and commercial glider and helicopter pilot, energy management is key. I owned a Diamond motor glider for many years, it was a self launch glider with Turbo Rotax 914, I would shut down the power plant and soar for hundreds of miles and stay up for hours for FREE! You leaned energy management because your life depended on it.

Yep energy management is key in many facets of engineering.

Darkaero looks pretty sweet for a conventional aircraft with decent cruise and range. Celera 500L was promising until they went with turbines and Piaggio Avanti has been my favourite since I first saw it on regular TV decades ago.

But as you would know, they all operate in different configurations depending on aircraft state and what part of flight they are in, being takeoff, landing and cruise.

This balancing act is fraught with compromises to adress each configuration, that a eVTOL can more simply overcome by using two seperate flight systems, one being a electric powered quad copter like setup with variable pitch for takeoff and landing, and the other a highly optimised and reduced forward flight fix wing setup with high stall speed, even up to aerodynamicly unstable (but efficient) flight regimes, with it's own idealised propulsion for cruise only.

Now with some limited availability of 500Wh/kg batteries, this leads to some pretty interesting short range options, especially for tandem two seater type 300mile personal eVTOL.

Would be interested to hear any ideas you have in regard to optimising flight profiles and aircraft designs and where you think GA is heading in the transition to EV's.

 

[Cirrus SR22]

Yep energy management is key in many facets of engineering.

Darkaero looks pretty sweet for a conventional aircraft with decent cruise and range. Celera 500L was promising until they went with turbines and Piaggio Avanti has been my favourite since I first saw it on regular TV decades ago.

But as you would know, they all operate in different configurations depending on aircraft state and what part of flight they are in, being takeoff, landing and cruise.

This balancing act is fraught with compromises to adress each configuration, that a eVTOL can more simply overcome by using two seperate flight systems, one being a electric powered quad copter like setup with variable pitch for takeoff and landing, and the other a highly optimised and reduced forward flight fix wing setup with high stall speed, even up to aerodynamicly unstable (but efficient) flight regimes, with it's own idealised propulsion for cruise only.

Now with some limited availability of 500Wh/kg batteries, this leads to some pretty interesting short range options, especially for tandem two seater type 300mile personal eVTOL.

Would be interested to hear any ideas you have in regard to optimising flight profiles and aircraft designs and where you think GA is heading in the transition to EV's.

PIPISTREL AIRCRAFT has perhaps the most experience in building efficient aircraft and all electric aircraft such as the Alpha trainer. ARCHER seems promising with their EVTOL. Energy density needs to improve exponentially before we can see long range air transport. I think it will take a couple of decades.

 

[SentinelOne]

Energy density needs to improve exponentially before we can see long range air transport. I think it will take a couple of decades.

for long range air transport or my 500mi CT?

 

[BannedByTMC]

Energy density needs to improve exponentially before we can see long range air transport. I think it will take a couple of decades.

Amprius is shipping batteries to the military now with 350-500Wh/kg for use in drones and "pseudo satellites". I'm sure cost is high and cycle life is limited but it may not be as far away as you think.

https://amprius.com/products/

 

[Aldc]

After nearly 3000 miles of driving since I took delivery on 2/14, I can confirm the Range estimate is accurate.

FS AWD
TONNEAU CLOSED
1-5 passengers
CA temps 40-75
65% hwy posted speed limit up to 70 mph
35% city streets

IF you drive 100% on city streets you can easily get 350 miles from full pack.
IF you drive 100% on hwy you will get less than advertised.
Includes a 700 mile round trip road trip.. Trip “A” does not include road trip and therefore Beats EPA estimate due to less highway driving.

I guess my driving has been about what the EPA criteria is confirming this might be the most accurate range estimate of any Tesla. Not overly optimistic at all as seen in Edmunds revised review. See photo

View attachment 39906

That is so encouraging. Regenerative braking seems optimal in your stop and go trip.

 

[Stuck4ger]

….

In fact we use the same technique for flying to increase eVTOL UAV range, because prop/motor efficiency is less at cruise than when at climb power, so using a altitude oscillations, to climb and glide, makes the best use out of the limited batteries we can carry onboard to achieve 5-10% more range. Gravity is 100% efficient propulsion. …

I’d like to see real flight test data to support that. My understanding of physics is even if the average altitude change is zero, that any roller coaster motion is less efficient than just staying level. There’s a reason hilly run/bike/XC ski/etc. circuit courses have slower race times and are physically harder than flat ones.

 

[Tony stank]

Also took delivery on the Valentine’s Day. At 995 miles, waiting for the right moment to cross in to the 4 figures and lose 15-20k in value (that’s according to a dealership that want to buy my truck.

 

[JPRIVER]

I can confirm the Range estimate is accurate.

Thank you for this. Sorry your post was hijacked by glider pilots, they are always looking for an opportunity to sneak up on you

 

[Gigahorse]

Also took delivery on the Valentine’s Day. At 995 miles, waiting for the right moment to cross in to the 4 figures and lose 15-20k in value (that’s according to a dealership that want to buy my truck.

Yea if you were looking to sell it the time for that was a couple of weeks ago, a CT sold last week for $121,000 and it was a cyberbeast so the aftermarket prices on them are coming down.

As you are getting close to the 1k mile mark would you be so kind as to share a picture of your lifetime wh/mile?

 

[SlegMD]

I’d like to see real flight test data to support that. My understanding of physics is even if the average altitude change is zero, that any roller coaster motion is less efficient than just staying level. There’s a reason hilly run/bike/XC ski/etc. circuit courses have slower race times and are physically harder than flat ones.

Friction

 

[JPRIVER]

Minute 330 high low track

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