Highway use

[lietuviukasd]

Just wondering what is everyone finding the best speed to a minimum electricity use for the highway driving? Speed Limit ? or anything else you guys seeing that helps with the range?
Thanks

 

[jmueller065]

Depends on traffic! If you'll be killed by going slow than it is inadvisable to do so LOL.

I've found that, in general, slower is better. Thus going 65 on the freeway will be more efficient than 70 (and thus going 60 is more efficient than 65). On any of the highways here going slower than 65 is pretty risky (in some places going slower than 70 is risky).

If you can find a route that avoids the highway altogether and lets you go 45-55 you'll be better off (at least power consumption wise).

 

[damania]

The faster you go the more you use. 60 mph seems to be the best speed on the freeway. 65mph at most before you really start losing mileage.

 

[sefs]

Check out this document on the second page. It has a nice chart to break out Wh/Mi at different speeds.

http://avt.inl.gov/pdf/fsev/fact2013fordfocus.pdf

 

[Snowman]

That's an interesting document and I've never seen it before. If I had I probably would not have purchased my FFE. I travel almost exclusively highway. I have a 16 mile commute each way and all but 3 miles is highway. I average ~70 MPH (sometimes less, sometimes more) and when the weather is above 50, I average ~250 Wh/mile. So my range at this temperature and usage is between 75 and 80 miles total.

In winter, with the heat on and temperatures <10 I'll average close to 400 Wh/mile or more.

 

[lietuviukasd]

Check out this document on the second page. It has a nice chart to break out Wh/Mi at different speeds.

http://avt.inl.gov/pdf/fsev/fact2013fordfocus.pdf

WOW so at regular Highway speeds 65 mph with perfect conditions you can really drive 55 range! estimating that @ 65mph it takes around 330wh/mi

 

[Elektra]

Check out this document on the second page. It has a nice chart to break out Wh/Mi at different speeds.

http://avt.inl.gov/pdf/fsev/fact2013fordfocus.pdf

Cool, I'll start to drive between 10-20 mph from now on. :lol:

 

[michael]

These results are not surprising and agree closely with data published for Tesla model S and Roadster

http://www.teslamotors.com/blog/model-s-efficiency-and-range

Best range is achieved at speeds generally between 10 and 30 MPH

Note that according to this chart, Model S is needs about 180 kWh/mile at around 18 MPH. By comparison the INL report indicates the FFE needs about 150 at that same speed.

Thank you, Sefs, for that link....very interesting!

 

[sefs]

Since everyone liked that one so much, here is a link to the index page with a bunch of documents on the FFE; including battery testing. Other BEV's were tested as well.

http://avt.inl.gov/fsev.shtml

 

[NightHawk]

Once a week, I drive a 50mile (total mileage round trip, 25miles each way) mostly on freeway with my FFE at 65mph+ and end up at home with over 20miles left on the GOM, typically a little over 30% battery charge left.
I can drive 70-75mph at many parts of the freeway trip on a downhill grade when I can see on the real-time energy meter display that the Wh/m is low, and use cruise control @65mph most of the time.

 

[v_traveller]

Since everyone liked that one so much, here is a link to the index page with a bunch of documents on the FFE; including battery testing. Other BEV's were tested as well.

http://avt.inl.gov/fsev.shtml

Holy crap, this is awesome stuff, sefs! Thanks!

 

[hybridbear]

Thanks for the great links!!