Miles/kWh

[ReintjeWA]

I find the closest the car comes to coasting is with regen set to A (adaptive?) but the ACC loves hard deceleration for sure. You can always switch the car to Neutral with the selector dial, I do this every now and then to clean the brake discs (as there is no regen braking in neutral). Lets me select N up to at least 80/90 km/h from memory.

 

[Jamesrr]

I prefer not using ACC, I think I can get better consumption without it.

How exactly?

As you say, it slows and starts unnecessarily, it will do this on hills even if there's no traffic.
Accelerate up hill brake on the way down, what a waste of energy.

I use ACC on long distance drives all the time. I set it to the speed limit and it keeps the car at that speed very consistently, up hills and down dales. Varies by a kph at most. It adjusts the power to do so, obviously using more power going uphill.

That would be because it's adding potential energy to the car going up a hill. It's called physics

Then when going back down it recovers that potential energy by regen so you'll typically see a -ive power value displayed.

Obviously there's losses in the process so you do get better energy efficiency on flat roads than hilly ones, but it's far better than an ICE that can't actually do any regen and can only "coast" at best and sometimes will actually have to brake to keep under the speed limit.

Using ICE techniques in an EV is often not a great way to drive efficiently...

I used to use it in the Mazda but when it was going down hill I would turn it off and let it coast until it returned to the target speed.

That would be very counter-productive in an EV. Why would you waste all that potential energy you have gained by not using Regen? It's an EV, not an ICE like your old Mazda.

In the MG turning it off does not have the same effect. I may try seeing if I can switch to neutral but it's not as easy in this pseudo auto box set up (my least favourite feature of ALL EV's)

Pseudo auto box??? What is this meant to mean? Electric motors do not need multiple gearing to overcome the torque limitations of an ICE.

You put them in "D" for Drive and they will go forward. "R" if you want to go backwards. You can put them in "N" if you have some requirement for the car to roll without the motor being engaged, but that's rare. You would almost never do so when actually driving. It's potentially dangerous.

 

[decrep]

That would be because it's adding potential energy to the car going up a hill. It's called physics

Then when going back down it recovers that potential energy by regen so you'll typically see a -ive power value displayed.

Obviously there's losses in the process so you do get better energy efficiency on flat roads than hilly ones, but it's far better than an ICE that can't actually do any regen and can only "coast" at best and sometimes will actually have to brake to keep under the speed limit.

Using ICE techniques in an EV is often not a great way to drive efficiently...

I have to agree with all that, after all this time my head was still partially in iCE mode.
However I still think slowing a bit up hills, may reduce the inherent losses.
But I think that's hard to test.
Can somebody please kick me out of ICE mode!

 

[Jamesrr]

Can somebody please kick me out of ICE mode!

I'm trying

Sometimes my mates say I'm very trying

 

[T1 Terry]

I have found I can improve the range by doing the loud pedal operation myself rather than ACC, like letting the car gain the little bit towards the bottom of the hill if an uphill is immediately ahead ..... as well as watching the load percentage when applying more drive to get up the hill on the other side.
The other thing is longer slowing approaching a corner or traffic etc, a light application of the brakes engages additional regen rather than friction of brake pads against discs .....

But to be honest, I just love the laziness of ACC driving, so I only get involved in the whole economical driving things if I'm trying to extend the range ...... or make up for some more aggressive driving earlier in the charge cycle, but still need to get home ...... there are long stretches when using the short cuts between Adelaide and Mannum, where EV charging hasn't quite reached yet ..... in fact, there aren't even fuel stations in those parts these days, they have all shut up shop .....

T1 Terry

 

[T1 Terry]

I have to agree with all that, after all this time my head was still partially in iCE mode.
However I still think slowing a bit up hills, may reduce the inherent losses.
But I think that's hard to test.
Can somebody please kick me out of ICE mode!

Still run into mind missteps where increasing the motor rpm is actually better for energy economy than reducing it and relying on the torque ..... EV torque is big from very low rpm, but it eats stored capacity

T1 Terry

 

[decrep]

Still run into mind missteps where increasing the motor rpm is actually better for energy economy than reducing it and relying on the torque ..... EV torque is big from very low rpm, but it eats stored capacity

T1 Terry

So how do we do that Terry?
Don't accelerate hard at low speed perhaps?

I have found I can improve the range by doing the loud pedal operation myself rather than ACC, like letting the car gain the little bit towards the bottom of the hill if and uphill is immediately ahead ..

I like that, I don't mind going 5ks over.

... as well as watching the load percentage when applying more drive to get up the hill on the other side.

so what's the cut out?

The other thing is longer slowing approaching a corner or traffic etc, a light application of the brakes engages addition regen rather than friction of brake pads against discs ...

I do that anyway, always have, annoys drivers behind sometimes, but I just hope they realise the advantages of not actually stopping for the lights. Leaving a bigger gap to the vehicle in front also helps stop all that on and off the brake.

..

But to be honest, I just love the laziness of ACC driving,

Now I'm going to have to give it a try, I'll give it a few weeks and see how I go.

 

[Cabansail]

I normally set the cruise speed to 85kph which is either 15kph or 25kph below the speed limit. No matter if you are in an EV or ICE those last few kph create a lot more drag and hence chew up more energy.
Then I try to minimise the use of brakes, be that friction or regen. Rapid acceleration or deceleration also waste energy. It also pays to reduce items which increase drag (like roof racks etc) or incur drive train losses (like auto boxes and poorly inflated tyres.)
The old Mazda actually had regen, on deceleration it would draw power into a large capacitor and would use that to power the electrics and reduce alternator load. In that car the highway cycle was 4.7 l/100km but I could get about 4 on a trip, the best I ever recorded was 3.4. I am still refining my use of the MG to get the best economy.

 

[barry7153]

Very confused about the mls/kWh readings. Sometimes when I start the car it can start as low as 1.8 and slowly increase as the journey proceeds. However the predicted range doesn't seem to increase at all relative to the reading. The car reviews would suggest it should be around 4. I understand that it will vary with whatever else is switched on, AC/radio etc, but by that much?

Trying not to be paranoid but just done a home charge and seeing this. Surely not right for a 64kw battery?

 

[LenEV2016]

What part do you think isn't right? The range at 90% ?

If you look at your MLS/kWh you are getting 3.2 miles, the trophy/long range has a 61.7 kWh usable capacity, so your real range is about 188 miles at 100% which is normal for the time of year.

 

[barry7153]

Thanks for that, I never realised there would be a 100 mile difference summer to winter.

 

[bedsev]

Not sure where to post this, but this seems to be efficiency related, so here's my 18 month update on costs of running my car without any home charging. I continue to track downwards on the average cost I'm paying as I've got better at finding good value chargers + Tesla opened up 5 minutes from my house, so that's a bargain.

I've spent £2201.41 (including 2 * annual Tesla memberships) on 4841kw and done 15521 miles. Roughly a £250 saving vs my previous diesel.



So that, average cost pkw 45p (including memberships). All time miles per kw is 3.12.

Original tyres, so only other costs are £10 tax (I think), and £470 service plan spread over 3 years.

Any Youtuber or MSM journo that says you have to home charge to save money with an EV is simply wrong.

 

[LenEV2016]

Thanks for that, I never realised there would be a 100 mile difference summer to winter.

I wouldn't go on your GOM, just do a quick sum with your MLS/kWh. Even if you GOM is saying 288 in the summer you will struggle to get that with any kind of normal mixed, speed limit driving as that is a consistent 4.7 MLS/kWh. Achievable on some slow journeys but probably not long term at any speed above 60mph

 

[T1 Terry]

So how do we do that Terry?
Don't accelerate hard at low speed perhaps?


I like that, I don't mind going 5ks over.

so what's the cut out?

I do that anyway, always have, annoys drivers behind sometimes, but I just hope they realise the advantages of not actually stopping for the lights. Leaving a bigger gap to the vehicle in front also helps stop all that on and off the brake.

Now I'm going to have to give it a try, I'll give it a few weeks and see how I go.

Light throttle, watch the load meter, lower right of the main screen ..... you will find a figure you feel good with, that suits you driving ..... a mobile road block can be just as dangerous as a speeding driver.
I look to not be a nuisance to other drivers, I might be retired, but they still have to make a living .... truck drivers in particular ...... anything under the posted speed limit is robbing money from their pay packet and their hourly pay rate, stuck at 80km/h behind a road block on wheels in a 100km/h zone means you are robbing him of 20% of his hourly rate ..... how would you feel if someone was doing that to you?

Rant over, sorry if I offended anyone ..... we all share the same road, be mindful of them as to whether your urge to get the best possible economy ..... who else are you affecting ......

T1 Terry