When looking at Teslas or other Electric Vehicles, you likely hear the word “range” used often. But what is range? What exactly does it mean for you?
What is Range?
Range, when it comes to Electric Vehicles (EVs), is a measurement of approximately how many miles a vehicle can travel on one full charge.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) calculates Electric Vehicle range through a set of driving tests during which they drive a fully charged vehicle until it is empty. This set of tests include city driving with no HVAC in use, highway driving with no HVAC, city driving with HVAC, and highway driving with HVAC. The EPA performs each of these tests multiple times and then averages the results to calculate the range of an electric vehicle.
The EPA’s Range metric does not factor in charging loss – the slight loss of power that occurs during charging due to heat and energy conversion. Instead, the EPA uses MPGe, or “miles per gallon equivalent” to measure an electric car’s fuel efficiency including charging loss. You can read more about MPGe here.
How Far Can I Go on One Charge?
The number of miles you can drive on one charge depends on several factors: the vehicle’s battery capacity, weather conditions, driving conditions, driving style, wheels, and overall weight.
Unlike gas-powered vehicles, most electric vehicles are more fuel-efficient during city drives. This is due to Regenerative Braking, a feature that allows EVs to capture the kinetic energy from braking and use it to extend the vehicle’s range.
At highway speeds, EVs are less efficient. This is partly because Regenerative Braking is not frequently used during highway driving, and partly because the amount of power the vehicle must use to move itself exponentially increases the faster you drive.
A similar process occurs when driving in hilly or mountainous terrain; when you are driving downhill, the vehicle is more efficient because Regenerative Braking is continuously active. When you are driving uphill, the car must use more power to move itself against gravity and thus it will be less efficient.
Driving style also affects an EV’s efficiency. Aggressive driving, which includes fast acceleration, hard manual braking, and driving at sustained high speeds, depletes a vehicle’s range much faster than driving at lower speeds, with slower acceleration and braking.
Weather plays an important role in EV efficiency as well. The optimal temperature for an EV battery is 68-86 degrees Fahrenheit. In temperatures outside of that range, the vehicle’s battery must heat or cool itself to maintain efficient operating temperature. This means that in cold winter weather, the vehicle uses more power to warm itself, which reduces the total amount available for driving.
You can account for temperature changes by using your vehicle’s preconditioning settings to ensure the battery is at peak operating temperature before driving.
Additionally, the vehicle’s weight affects range. The same 100 kWh battery used in two different cars, one weighing 4,000 lbs and one weighing 6,000, will be able to travel fewer miles in the heavier vehicle. Similarly, a vehicle’s wheels impact its efficiency. Smaller wheels require less power to move because they weigh less and have a lower rolling resistance (a lower amount of power needed to get them moving). Larger wheels are heavier and have a higher rolling resistance and so will require more power to move.
Lastly, the most important factor in vehicle range is an EV’s battery capacity. EV battery capacity is measured in kilowatt-hours (kWh) which is a unit of electricity that equates to 1 kilowatt of energy used per 1 hour. Most EV batteries have a capacity of 50-100 kWh. In general, the higher a battery’s kWh, the farther it can go. Check out our helpful chart below to compare Tesla battery capacity across different models and trims:
How Long Does a Tesla Battery Last?
Tesla battery packs are designed to last 300-500,000 miles, or roughly 10-20 years. However, they do lose efficiency over time.
In the first year of driving, a Tesla vehicle will lose an estimated 3-5% efficiency in a process known as degradation. Each year after, the vehicle will lose another 1-2%. This means that as the vehicle ages, its range capabilities decrease. This number can increase based on factors such as constant Supercharging and aggressive driving.
This loss in efficiency should not scare you, however: after 12 years, most EV’s will still have roughly 70% efficiency, which is plenty to continue to drive your vehicle normally.
How Much Does it Cost to Replace a Tesla Battery?
Battery replacement is the most expensive service you may encounter as a Tesla owner. New Tesla vehicles do come with a generous Limited Battery and Drive Unit warranty to cover the cost of major part replacement if needed. Check out the chart below for a detailed breakdown of warranty coverage for each Tesla vehicle.
Without the Tesla battery warranty, replacing the battery can cost 13-20,000 dollars depending on the model, battery size, and year of the vehicle.
How Do I Check Battery Health?
Range is important, but when evaluating an electric vehicle, particularly a used Tesla, it is crucial to think about the High Voltage (HV) battery’s health.
To understand a Tesla’s battery health, you should investigate the age of the vehicle, how many miles it has been driven, and, if possible, get information about the previous owner’s charging habits and routine drives.
You can also reach out to us here at Amber for a complimentary 150-point remote diagnostic inspection. Our technicians can review your vehicle’s important data to determine battery health, spot potential faults, and catch current issues so that you are not blindsided by surprise repair bills.
To sign-up for your complimentary diagnostic, click here.
Conclusion
Range is a valuable metric to measure how an EV will fit into your life. It can tell you a lot about a vehicle battery’s health, efficiency, and performance. When range is considered during Amber’s remote diagnosis, it can also help technicians identify battery degradation and faults so that you can purchase and drive your used electric vehicle with confidence.
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