Planning a Trip
previous: Discharging
With many EVs accommodating at least a standard 200 mile driving range (SR) there are few concerns or needs for urban use. You will always be able to do the commute and run errands. Tesla wants to convey that operating an EV is a simple and carefree routine so there is minimal instruction necessary. 250 miles of available range (SR+) per charge is sufficient for road trips that have fast DC charging (Supercharger) along the route. These fast chargers are typically available along the interstate highway system so if you wanted to venture off the beaten path then you would want at least a 300 mile range capable model aka long range (LR).
Model 3 is reasonably good at estimating range available based on your driving. It is good standard operating practice (SOP) to plan your energy consumption before hand by evaluating expected travel conditions.and allow for any contingency (e.g. road closure detour). Carry a comfortable reserve.
It is a rare event to to click off indicated range miles one for one with actual miles traveled. If your journey is 120 actual road miles the range mile requirement will certainly be the greater of the two. The disparity comes from carrying excessive speed usually but as already mentioned there are a host of influences. The EPA test cycle loop that predicts ideal range may not gibe with your situation. In other words, your mileage may vary.
*mostly — It looks at battery SoC but assumes that you will be driving the EPAs test cycle.
For a 120 mile roadtrip I might add 10% for driving slightly over the posted speed limit (in order to flow with traffic 😉 and another 15% for contingency for a combined 25%. Grand total: 150 range miles required to do the 120 actual. Include a 35 mile range reserve to bring the planned departure charge to 185 miles*. 185 miles is the number that you will want to see displayed on your range indicator after charging.
*(120 x 1.25) + 35 = 185
Until you get the hang of it — a route planner. Route planning tools at a minimum take topography (elevation change) and typical travel speeds into account. However, for strong headwind or cold ambient temperatures and you’d best be sure that a correction was made.
Tesla’s (on-screen) Trip Planner does account for posted speed limits and elevation changes along the navigational route that is depicted however its energy use/range prediction does not account for your driving style or even current weather. There is no way to tell it at what speed you intend to drive. i.e. under the speed limit or over. The Tesla Trip Planner assumes a standard day (clear, 68°F) and posted speed limits. The in-car navigation is fairly conservative. When you enter a destination, it will plan your trip route including recommended supercharger stops if necessary.
There are handy online route simulators for trip planning that match the in-car feature but also allow you to input anticipated conditions and your intended driving speed as a personal preference.
- ABRP A Better Route Planner
- evCalc evCalc
- My Constant Speed Range Planner by this author
Additional settings might include road surface condition, type of tire and pressure (roll resistance) and aero wheel covers, head winds for (drag resistance). Finally consider air temperature and HVAC usage. This type of data input to the calculator will give an accurate picture of consumption for planning. These trip planners will let you know to charge to “X” number of range indicator miles need to cover the actual trip distance miles.
When anticipating a maximum range leg for a trip use all available tools.