"Practical" range on road trips is about 50% of EPA estimate for most EVs

[Knucklehead]

What part of NJ do you live in?

And various people go different speeds.. just that my family goes at 65 although I beg for 95. What speed do you go at?

I live in VA. The last time I drove on the Turnpike was 2 years ago when I picked up my Mach-e from a dealer in NJ. I set the cruise for 80 and on the Turnpike I was far from the fastest vehicle. On most east coast interstates 80 mph is slower than probably 10% of the traffic. Sometimes less, sometimes more.

 

[Tesla2.0]

Why only 2.5 hours? Is that to stay in the 20-80% range?

Thank you - this is really helpful for us EV newbies who will be trying eventually to do things like DFW to Durango, CO and such lol

I like it to get close to as much as possible to 10% SOC for very fast DCFC charging. At 90+ mph on 21”, it is about 2.6~2.8 mi/kWh. 2.5 hrs is good bc that’s what my biological clock for bladder relief.

 

[Knucklehead]

I like it to get close to as much as possible to 10% SOC for very fast DCFC charging. At 90+ mph on 21”, it is about 2.6~2.8 mi/kWh. 2.5 hrs is good bc that’s what my biological clock for bladder relief.

That efficiency at 90+ mph is awesome. Can you consistently repeat it?

 

[Tesla2.0]

I’

That efficiency at 90+ mph is awesome. Can you consistently repeat it?

Don’t quote me for it. I have seen 1.8~2.4 as well when I go 100+ mph. There are just many empty rural highway out there in Texas.

 

[tjhappel]

Fortunately, I "have a degree in science".
Aero drag force increases with the square of speed.
Power to propel an object at a given speed increases with the cube of speed. (~ increased force with speed* increased speed)
Energy to move an object a given distance increases with the square of speed (~ increased power with speed * decreased time)

The result is that at high enough speeds range decreases roughly with the square of speed. This simplistic square-law answer is modified in practice somewhat by motor efficiency charges with speed, tire losses, etc.

so as a scientist what do you recommend the best speed to drive on open California freeways that’s safe and also good for fuel economy? I like 81-85 mph but it’s horrible on consumption. Thanks man

 

[tjhappel]

I am a new jersey resident, and it is alien to me how high the speed limits are in much of the west US. For us, going 65 is already above the speed limit, and would likely net an Air about 4.4-4.6 mi/kwh(about 490-515 miles of range on a 19 GT). Then I read how people go in the 90s and sometimes 100s and I get confused, as that does not exist here.

It is no fun getting gapped by a Toyota Sienna with 6 kids and a rabid BMW driver honking and flashing the highs 1 foot behind your bumper though, I agree.

Legit it’s nothing to be on cruise control at 85-90 and just doing the flow of traffic. It’s very very safe, worst part is the state limiting truckers to 55 mph…. I love lucid at those speeds so much but damnit it just drains the battery so freaking quick.

 

[Neurio]

so as a scientist what do you recommend the best speed to drive on open California freeways that’s safe and also good for fuel economy? I like 81-85 mph but it’s horrible on consumption. Thanks man

70-75 will get you significantly better efficiency. Drop it to 65 and you'll be much closer to EPA (but bored off your ass and getting passed by 90 year olds).

 

[tjhappel]

Ty! I’ll shoot for 75-77 tomorrow. I have a 200 mile round trip so we shall see…. Typically I’m getting 3.3-3.4 in my stealth with caps and driving basically 80-85 but no hard accelerations.

thank you for the reply

 

[Steveinarizona]

The OP is correct. Speed is a killer on efficiency. That god I don't care!

 

[Cosmo Cruz]

That god I don't care!

Do not anger the god of speed.

 

[xponents]

Ty! I’ll shoot for 75-77 tomorrow. I have a 200 mile round trip so we shall see…. Typically I’m getting 3.3-3.4 in my stealth with caps and driving basically 80-85 but no hard accelerations.

thank you for the reply

That’s pretty good efficiency for 80, actually! I suggest 65-70 mph, although it is very boring. Don’t forget that it only costs 6 dollars a month + more charging stops to go faster, though!

 

[Cosmo Cruz]

I used to be the guy in the left lane going 80 or 90.
Now I'm the guy in the right lane going speed limit plus 5.
I use Adaptive Cruse (when I can get it, which is not certain) and listen to Tidal or podcasts.

The adjustment is difficult, because nobody seems to have learned how to merge, or exit.
The "I don't do physics" mergers enter the acceleration ramp at 45 mph and slow down the entire time ...
I accept that the standard procedure for the right late driver is to:
1. Speed up
2. Slow down
3. Ignore them and stay in Adaptive Cruse.

I've decided to use option 3. I've seen people keep pace with me and run themselves off the road. FU I will not yield.

Then there are the exiters. You know who they are. As you approach an exit lane they suddenly need to pass you before they take the exit.

I love these folk. I watch for them. They do not understand how quickly the Lucid goes from 65 to 100. Good luck. (sorry you missed your exit)

All kinds of fun things you can do with EV torque.

 

[Steveinarizona]

The adjustment is difficult, because nobody seems to have learned how to merge, or exit.

Try driving in Arizona where almost all drivers are from somewhere else. Drivers do what you do but do it in the left lane; some in the middle, others in the right. Traffic would flow so much better if drivers did what the driving manuals say: move to the right until you are either all the way over or going with the pace of the traffic. Then there are the drivers who wait until they are turning to turn on their turn signal. Lot of good that does everyone.

We have started to have some roundabouts here. It is hilarious to watch some drivers approach a roundabout. Some stop, stare and stay there for a while frozen in fear. God only knows what they will do when they finally enter the roundabout.

 

[borski]

Then there are the exiters. You know who they are. As you approach an exit lane they suddenly need to pass you before they take the exit.

I love these folk. I watch for them. They do not understand how quickly the Lucid goes from 65 to 100. Good luck. (sorry you missed your exit)

All kinds of fun things you can do with EV torque.

I hear you, but the Air also makes it really easy to be the “exiter” lol

 

[EXOTIC2]

70-75 will get you significantly better efficiency. Drop it to 65 and you'll be much closer to EPA (but bored off your ass and getting passed by 90 year olds).

Quoted for correct info

 

[DeaneG]

EPA range/efficiency testing is actually done at an average speed in the neighborhood of 40-45mph.

 

[xponents]

EPA range/efficiency testing is actually done at an average speed in the neighborhood of 40-45mph.

Yes, but 65 does go remarkably close!

 

[Haggy]

so as a scientist what do you recommend the best speed to drive on open California freeways that’s safe and also good for fuel economy? I like 81-85 mph but it’s horrible on consumption. Thanks man

As a retired managing scientist, I have no clue. It would be a matter of considering the Lucid Air specifically and anecdotal evidence from the forum might be the best we have for now.

Each car model is different. I gave my daughter a Model 3. She took a road trip from LA to the Bay Area. She had enough range that all she needed was a single charge where she stopped for lunch. Her boyfriend drove the rest of the trip with a lead foot and I'd estimate that the extra charging stop needed due to the extra speed used more of his time than was saved by driving faster. In his case I'd estimate that 75mph might have been the most efficient for that particular trip, beyond which charging time offset gains.

But it also comes down to the percentage remaining when charging starts since a low enough charge at the beginning could allow the charge to be fast enough to make a higher speed optimal on a given trip.

In terms of efficiency, you have to factor in that charging at the destination was free since they plugged in in my garage and didn't have to pay. I don't think that the sun is going to burn out any faster even though my solar energy was used.

As another point of reference, I finally took my first road trip in the Lucid. When I got to the hotel, the valet asked me if I wanted him to charge. It felt good telling him not to bother, just because I could, since I had plenty of range. Of course it wouldn't have hurt getting a free charge, but knowing that I have a car with that much range gave me a certain smug satisfaction.

So it really comes down to what you mean by efficiency. It really should be taken in context with total cost of ownership if you care about the cost of energy, in which case a Lucid is probably a bad choice for optimizing finances. If it's a matter of time management, I would expect that most Lucid owners will value their time more than coming up with the lowest charging cost, or else it might be best to drive slowly enough to aggravate all other drivers on the road.

 

[Sandvinsd]

I would say that it is much less than 50% on a long trip. Generally one is using only about 60% of the battery - driving to 20%, charging to 80. So if you got the EPA range, you really can only travel for 60% of that. Add all the other factors such as speed, hills, temperature, wind, etc, and one is way below 50% of the EPA. Everyone argued with me here when I said I needed a 500 mile Lucid, saying that it was overkill. Do the math. I would hate taking a car with only a 250-300 mile EPA range on a long trip.

 

[victoryroad]

I live in VA. The last time I drove on the Turnpike was 2 years ago when I picked up my Mach-e from a dealer in NJ. I set the cruise for 80 and on the Turnpike I was far from the fastest vehicle. On most east coast interstates 80 mph is slower than probably 10% of the traffic. Sometimes less, sometimes more.

Interesting observation. My limited experience on the NJ Turnpike is that there are some very aggressive who drivers weave in and out of lanes. I just zen out and stay in the right lane at about the speed limit. In MA, where I lived for many years anything over 80 gets the LEO's attention right now and most traffic on the Pike moves at around 70-75, except near Boston. I will move to VA in the spring and interstate driving that I have done in VA is around 65. I have no interest in much over 5 mph over Interstate limits. Do not go much over that on the NY Thruway or you will get stopped. Same in PA and CT. The time, speed, and distance calculation is easy and if it is important to arrive a few minutes earlier then drive faster over a long distance, but my safety is worth more than a few minutes. All of the above accrues to better efficiency anyway.