My real range on this winter trip was 378km. My range varies 340 -550 km in my Tesla 3LR according to weather, elevation and speed.
Driving a EV in winter during 0oC to 8oC on long trips at 110km/hr uses about 20-30% more electricity than the same trip in summer, but is still a really comfortable drive.
Tesla recommends switching acceleration from Standard to Chill mode in cold weather, as it extends range, but I left it on Standard. Consumption may have been less if I’d switched to Chill.
From Yea I made 3 stops on my 808km trip to Sydney, travelling in 0 to 8oC at 110km/h average 37.8km per 10% of battery, or 378km full range.
Departed Yea, 172m elevation, in 0 oC, 95% battery travelled 232km to Wodonga, 152m elevation, arriving in 6oC and 30% battery left, (started pre-conditioning about 57km out of Wodonga). That is 232km for 65% of battery, or 35.7km per 10% of battery.
In Summer, the same leg used only 50% battery, so in freezing winter temperatures my EV used about 30% more than my Summer drive.
Left Wodonga with 94%, travelled at 110km/hr and arrived Gundagai in 8oC, travelled 191 kms arriving with 42% battery, (started pre-conditioning about 60km out of Wodonga). That’s 191km for 52%, or 36.7km per 10% of battery.
Left Gundagai elevation 232m, with 80% and travelled 174km uphill at 110km/hr to Goulburn, elevation 642m arriving in 6oC with 29%. (Preconditioning started about 80km out). 174km used 51% battery, or 34km per 10%. Topped up at Goulburn Supercharger, for final leg to Sydney.
After 3 hours work in Goulburn I left Goulburn in 2oC with 83%. The temp soon dropped to 1 then 0oC until close to Sydney. I arrived in Sydney, 5oC, with 37% battery after travelling 211km downhill from Goulburn at 110km/hr. 211km used 46% battery which is 45.9 km per 10% of battery.
In Summer, Feb this year, the same leg in my EV used 38% of my battery, so my EV trip in freezing temperatures used about 20% more than my Summer EV drive.
My EV is a Tesla 3LR, 2021 model, 1yr 9mths old, having travelled 46,594Kms. In today’s cold winter EV freeway trip from Yea to Sydney, I travelled in my EV in Standard Acceleration Mode, (0-100km/hr in 4.4s) at 110km/hr, with cabin heated to 19oC over 808km using 214% of battery, which is an average 37.8km per 10% of battery.
In summer driving in my EV, in Standard Acceleration Mode, I tend to average 40 to 55 km per 10% of battery, depending on speed and elevation.
Summary
My real range on this winter trip was 378km. My range varies 350 -550 km in my Tesla 3LR according to weather, elevation and speed.
Notes:
Tesla recommends switching acceleration from Standard to Chill mode in cold weather, as it extends range, but I left it on Standard. Quote: “You can improve efficiency of the cabin heating by reducing your selected acceleration mode, allowing the heat pump to take more heat from the battery to efficiently heat the cabin instead of maintaining the battery’s ability to provide peak acceleration performance. ‘Chill’ is the most energy efficient mode, especially in cold weather. To adjust your acceleration mode, tap ‘Controls’ > ‘Pedals & Steering’ > ‘Acceleration’ from the vehicle touchscreen to adjust the amount of acceleration you experience when driving. Select from one of the following modes:
- ‘Chill’ limits acceleration for a gentle ride and optimizing cabin heating in cold weather.
Note: When Chill is selected, Chill displays on the touchscreen above the driving speed. - ‘Standard’ provides the normal level of acceleration on non-Performance vehicles.
- ‘Sport’ provides the normal level of acceleration on Performance vehicles.”