Bad Efficiency? Read this first before creating another of the same topic.

[hydbob]

From our wonderfully handsome and lovely moderator @joec

1) Speed - The number one factor on your efficiency is how fast you are going. Drag increases exponentially with speed, not linearly. So the difference between 70 mph and 80 mph is huge. Keep it under 70 or 75 if you can.
2) Outside temperature - You will not get as good mileage in the cold as you do in the warmer months. Even if you aren't running heat or AC, the battery has to be kept at an optimal temperature, which costs energy.
3) Inclement weather - Rain or snow will definitely cut your range, because it adds friction
4) Wind speed - Driving into a headwind, of course, will effect your range
5) Elevation - Climbing up can cost quite a bit. But assuming you are coming back down on the way back, it should almost even out. You can usually gain energy on the way down a mountain, thanks to regen.

Having said all this, my Touring can still get between 250-280 miles in the dead of winter. If I keep my speed down. If I drive without regard for my speed, my numbers would be in line with what you are reporting.

Also, pro tip: Pay no attention to the "miles" on your car. Switch to percentage. Percentage is based on your actual battery percentage. Miles is an estimate based on ideal EPA conditions, which you are clearly not driving in.

Lean to calculate your remaining miles based on your current percentage and your recent efficiency. It'll be far more accurate.

 

[ISOI]

From our wonderfully handsome and lovely moderator @joec

1) Speed - The number one factor on your efficiency is how fast you are going. Drag increases exponentially with speed, not linearly. So the difference between 70 mph and 80 mph is huge. Keep it under 70 or 75 if you can.
2) Outside temperature - You will not get as good mileage in the cold as you do in the warmer months. Even if you aren't running heat or AC, the battery has to be kept at an optimal temperature, which costs energy.
3) Inclement weather - Rain or snow will definitely cut your range, because it adds friction
4) Wind speed - Driving into a headwind, of course, will effect your range
5) Elevation - Climbing up can cost quite a bit. But assuming you are coming back down on the way back, it should almost even out. You can usually gain energy on the way down a mountain, thanks to regen.

Having said all this, my Touring can still get between 250-280 miles in the dead of winter. If I keep my speed down. If I drive without regard for my speed, my numbers would be in line with what you are reporting.

Also, pro tip: Pay no attention to the "miles" on your car. Switch to percentage. Percentage is based on your actual battery percentage. Miles is an estimate based on ideal EPA conditions, which you are clearly not driving in.

Lean to calculate your remaining miles based on your current percentage and your recent efficiency. It'll be far more accurate.

Hi just read this old but very informative post. Just to check is this a touring or grand trouring ? Also, where do you live ? I live in Boston and wonder if our winters are comparable? And finally how do you learn to convert percentage to range - just out of experience with the car or do you have a formula of some sort ?
Thanks !

 

[Cosmo Cruz]

@hydbob , @joec

Looks like it didn't work ...

 

[Buffalo Bob]

A question for you about point number two, as I enter my first EV summer in sunny Arizona. We hear a lot about the effect of cold weather, as the batteries need to be heated to operate at an optimal level. How does that compare with operating our EVs on those incredibly hot summer days? I imagine that cooling the batteries would also be required, and I wondered what the range effect of that would be.

 

[Bobby]

Hi just read this old but very informative post. Just to check is this a touring or grand trouring ? Also, where do you live ? I live in Boston and wonder if our winters are comparable? And finally how do you learn to convert percentage to range - just out of experience with the car or do you have a formula of some sort ?
Thanks !

Joe is in Boulder, Colorado and has a touring.
To convert percentage to range, simply multiply your battery size by efficiency and then buy the % remaining. Much info about this can be found at www.lucidupdates.com.

 

[Steveinarizona]

A question for you about point number two, as I enter my first EV summer in sunny Arizona. We hear a lot about the effect of cold weather, as the batteries need to be heated to operate at an optimal level. How does that compare with operating our EVs on those incredibly hot summer days? I imagine that cooling the batteries would also be required, and I wondered what the range effect of that would be.

Our hot summer weather definitely impacts range. Our roads out here are wider and faster and people drive faster. For example, driving 75 on the 101 in Scottsdale would have many drivers passing you. Driving with the HVAC on all the time will impact range but is necessary out here for at least six months. In a year and a half driving an EV, I have never turned off my HVAC (of course I don't care about range). I live by Kierland and drive to the Scottsdale Fashion Square (where inter alia the Lucid Design Studio is located) and back. It is downhill to the mall and uphill back to my house. My range drops significantly on the uphill segment. So all of the points made by the OP apply.

My suggestion to you is to charge every night to 80% and if you are not going intercity driving, just enjoy driving the car and don't worry about range. Sometimes I pass someone not because I have to but because it is so much fun. For driving around the valley, you have plenty of range and can replenish it overnight. You have one of the best driving cars out there; drive it and enjoy it.

BTW...if you have occasion to be in Flagstaff, instead of simply taking the I-17 home, take the 89A to Sedona before reconnecting to I-17. The drive down Oak Creek Canyon is spectacular.

 

[ISOI]

Our hot summer weather definitely impacts range. Our roads out here are wider and faster and people drive faster. For example, driving 75 on the 101 in Scottsdale would have many drivers passing you. Driving with the HVAC on all the time will impact range but is necessary out here for at least six months. In a year and a half driving an EV, I have never turned off my HVAC (of course I don't care about range). I live by Kierland and drive to the Scottsdale Fashion Square (where inter alia the Lucid Design Studio is located) and back. It is downhill to the mall and uphill back to my house. My range drops significantly on the uphill segment. So all of the points made by the OP apply.

My suggestion to you is to charge every night to 80% and if you are not going intercity driving, just enjoy driving the car and don't worry about range. Sometimes I pass someone not because I have to but because it is so much fun. For driving around the valley, you have plenty of range and can replenish it overnight. You have one of the best driving cars out there; drive it and enjoy it.

BTW...if you have occasion to be in Flagstaff, instead of simply taking the I-17 home, take the 89A to Sedona before reconnecting to I-17. The drive down Oak Creek Canyon is spectacular.

 

[ISOI]

So what type of efficiency do you get with the AC on and driving at that speed?

Thanks !

 

[Neurio]

So what type of efficiency do you get with the AC on and driving at that speed?

Thanks !

He has a Genesis GV60, so it won't matter to your considerations for Air efficiency...

 

[Genghis]

The efficiency discussions are tiring unless you're going on a road trip and/or if you don't have a home charger. I don't think I've ever thought about MPG with my ICE cars when I drove locally and for work for my daily. I just filled my gas when I had a quarter tank or less without a thought.

 

[kort6776]

Our hot summer weather definitely impacts range. Our roads out here are wider and faster and people drive faster. For example, driving 75 on the 101 in Scottsdale would have many drivers passing you. Driving with the HVAC on all the time will impact range but is necessary out here for at least six months. In a year and a half driving an EV, I have never turned off my HVAC (of course I don't care about range). I live by Kierland and drive to the Scottsdale Fashion Square (where inter alia the Lucid Design Studio is located) and back. It is downhill to the mall and uphill back to my house. My range drops significantly on the uphill segment. So all of the points made by the OP apply.

My suggestion to you is to charge every night to 80% and if you are not going intercity driving, just enjoy driving the car and don't worry about range. Sometimes I pass someone not because I have to but because it is so much fun. For driving around the valley, you have plenty of range and can replenish it overnight. You have one of the best driving cars out there; drive it and enjoy it.

BTW...if you have occasion to be in Flagstaff, instead of simply taking the I-17 home, take the 89A to Sedona before reconnecting to I-17. The drive down Oak Creek Canyon is spectacular.

I think the drive home with the uphill segment impacts your range more than using the AC

 

[Clyde2575]

So what type of efficiency do you get with the AC on and driving at that speed?

Thanks !

I’m also in AZ, in phoenix, and mine has about 40k miles. My average efficiency since I bought the car is 3.9. I will say that I am fairly conservative when driving but always use the a/c and do a descent amount of uphill driving. I have the GT. We have also driven to Moab and San Diego in it.

 

[northernstar]

1) Speed - The number one factor on your efficiency is how fast you are going. Drag increases exponentially with speed, not linearly. So the difference between 70 mph and 80 mph is huge. Keep it under 70 or 75 if you can.

I salute anyone who has the patience and perseverance to stay under 70 mph with Lucid Air on the Freeway... lol

2) Outside temperature - You will not get as good mileage in the cold as you do in the warmer months. Even if you aren't running heat or AC, the battery has to be kept at an optimal temperature, which costs energy.

What would be the (range of) "optimal" temperature for the battery to operate efficiently?

I'm actually curious to take the GT to Joshua Tree National Park and see how it does at 100+ degrees during the daytime.
If this damages the battery... then probably not.

 

[Adnillien]

'm actually curious to take the GT to Joshua Tree National Park and see how it does at 100+ degrees during the daytime.
If this damages the battery... then probably not.

Take the car to Joshua Tree and enjoy. 100 degrees is pretty cool. My battery in Phoenix is doing fine.

 

[RockSports]

I wonder what the efficiency of the Gravity will be. You guys talking about 3.9 mi/kWh blows my mind as an R1T owner. If I get above 2 I'm having a good day.

 

[hydbob]

I wonder what the efficiency of the Gravity will be. You guys talking about 3.9 mi/kWh blows my mind as an R1T owner. If I get above 2 I'm having a good day.

Rumor is 3.4? Mi/kwh EPA I think.

 

[xponents]

Rumor is 3.4? Mi/kwh EPA I think.

Wasn't it quoted as being 3.6 during the presentation? With the 120 kwh battery size and the "440+" range of the DE (I'll assume 450), it should have 3.75 mi/kwh! Or was that range figure for another trim (GT, etc)?

 

[hydbob]

Wasn't it quoted as being 3.6 during the presentation? With the 120 kwh battery size and the "440+" range of the DE (I'll assume 450), it should have 3.75 mi/kwh! Or was that range figure for another trim (GT, etc)?

Yea okay 3.6 I stand corrected!

 

[Steveinarizona]

Rumor is 3.4? Mi/kwh EPA I think.

These numbers bother me. No one number can reasonably reflect reality. Are you driving in Phoenix or Fairbanks Alaska? Do you do mostly urban driving or mostly highway driving? Do you drive to save range or to get away from the cops after you stole it? And many more.

 

[RockSports]

These numbers bother me. No one number can reasonably reflect reality. Are you driving in Phoenix or Fairbanks Alaska? Do you do mostly urban driving or mostly highway driving? Do you drive to save range or to get away from the cops after you stole it? And many more.

Of course, efficiency will vary, but standardized testing is an essential benchmark for comparison. So the Gravity pulling a trailer up a mountain in the dead of winter will get worse mileage than one on a flat road driven by grandma, but it helps to have some guidelines. My issue with range numbers is there is no real standardization, and depending on where the car comes from determines what method is used. China uses one that is exceptionally optimistic compared to most EPA-published numbers, and Tesla uses a different process for their numbers, resulting in overly generous numbers. I would be happy if the industry picked one method and published numbers based on that. You buy an ICE car and can be reasonably confident in getting close to the published figures.

If you buy a Tesla you can expect worse range as Elon miles aren't going to happen, my Rivian gives me about the stated miles for given tire size and BMW seems to sandbag their numbers and I get better than stated range out of my i4 M50.