The Tesla Model S Controversy: Understanding the Effects of Temperature on Electric Vehicle Efficiency and Range
by Vivek Gowri on February 18, 2013 4:22 PM EST- Posted in
- Auto
- Electric Vehicles
- Tesla Model S
- Nissan Leaf
The Impact on the Model S
So, how does this all relate back to the Tesla Model S? The basic technologies involved in the Leaf and the Model S are the same - you have an electric motor, a lithium-ion battery, and an electric heater. The Model S is a bigger car with a more powerful electric motor (310 kW), a larger battery (85 kWh), and a more robust electric heater, but they’re all the same elements. So our findings with the Leaf, particularly in the HWFET side of things, are definitely applicable here (which isn’t to say that the numbers will match exactly, for a number of reasons.) The 85 kWh edition of the Model S is claimed to have a 300 mile range by Tesla and is rated at 265 miles by the EPA based on their 5-cycle fuel economy testing. In cold or near-freezing weather, with the heater running, I would not be that surprised to see range fall to something in the 180 mile region.
The world of electric vehicles is still very new to the automotive industry, the tech industry, and the mainstream consumer. This breed of cars is completely different than ones that have come before, and there’s a lot that people are learning and still need to learn about EV technology. Incidents like NYT vs. Tesla (and the previous Top Gear vs. Tesla, which was an outright sham) are just steps along that path. I feel like I am in agreement with Anand here in that the way cars are tested, as we move into the EV age, needs to change radically.
Thanks to Argonne National Laboratory, the Advanced Powertrain Research Facility, and Dr. Henning Lohse-Busch for testing and analysis of the AVTA Nissan Leaf, as well as Kevin Stutenberg for maintaining the Downloadable Dynamometer Database. All graphs and data used in this post are available publically and are courtesy of Argonne National Laboratories.
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jonup - Tuesday, February 19, 2013 - link
Fan-boy? How did you come up with that? I have had a limited interaction with both vehicles (which I would assume is more than both of you have had combined). I do not own either one and I do seek to acquire neither. My opinion about looks and refinement are result of my personal experience and not from reading the targeted manufacturers response to the NYT test.And as far as looks go, Compare the front end of 10+ year old Maserati 3200GT and Model S and try to find the differences. Photohunt at its best!
Spunjji - Tuesday, February 19, 2013 - link
It's not about Pr. It's about how the reporter made claims that were not factually substantiated and then failed to explain the discrepancies. Note that I am not including bits like the "he drove around in circles" claim by Tesla which he more than adequately explained. I'm talking about why he didn't charge his damn car properly.steven75 - Tuesday, February 19, 2013 - link
You know what they say...Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.I just saw the Fisker at the Chicago Auto Show on Sunday and thought it was one of the ugliest cars there.
Heathmoor - Monday, June 10, 2013 - link
The Fisker Karma and the Tesla Model S aren't of the same category. The Karma has only 4 seats and a small boot whereas the Model S has 5(+2) roomy seats and a very large trunk. The only clear advantage of the Karma is that can recharge its batteries with an IC engine while moving.Aikouka - Monday, February 18, 2013 - link
A sham on whose side?shokunin - Monday, February 18, 2013 - link
Sham by Top Gear, they had scripted all the events before they got the car. Jeremy running out of juice, pushing the car into the garage because it was dead, were all scripted.The result of the lawsuit was Top Gear isn't a car review show, it's entertainment and not journalism.
jonup - Monday, February 18, 2013 - link
This:http://transmission.blogs.topgear.com/2011/04/02/t...
ricardoduarte - Monday, February 18, 2013 - link
I think Elon Musk is a bit of tantrum queen, he likes to blow things out of proportions a bit, Even with the whole thing scripted, top gear had a point and the whole would actually happen, and thats a reality of the electrical cars, specially when throwing them around a track, what interests me is if the financial advantages and if the car performance can be as exciting as a petrol ones, are good enough to live with range anxiety (at the beginning at least).Azethoth - Monday, February 18, 2013 - link
No, perceptions matter. If I had an electric car company I would take my lumps on extreme weather performance and charging times. These are the facts of life for current battery tech.However, I would not sit still for hatchet jobs. Neither by Top Gear nor the NYT.
Failing to charge your EV is not a limitation of the EV. Its a limitation of common sense. The NYT failed at that.
As for top gear, ok, if I run a vehicle out of gas / charge then it will need a tow. Omg! Wow this is ground breaking entertainment. I like Top Gear but feel uncomfortable about what they did.
jonup - Tuesday, February 19, 2013 - link
This is sensible piece of advice.If you do not have common sense do not buy Model S, you will fail to charge it. On the other hand, if you have common sense, don't waste you money and get a better car.
... and on that bombshell...