Gravity Assist

Polly Wog · Feb 1, 2016

I was at the top of Haleakala here on Maui earlier today, and when I got home, I realized that there are probably very few Model S owners that would be able to realize such a scenario. For the 50+ mile drive down from the top to where I live in Kihei, my average wh/m was -104. 10,000 feet of gravity, combined with the efficient regen capability of the Model S, and I had more rated miles when I got home than when I left (106 miles at the summit, 124 miles when I arrived home 1:25 later).

Pruitt · Feb 2, 2016

That's pretty good. Now if you can figure out how to do that on the way up, you'll really have something!

GHammer · Feb 2, 2016

I was really missing my MS when we were descending Haleakala last December. It was a lot of work to not burn up the brakes on the rental ICE. On another note, we made it a game to see how many different individual MS's we could spot on Maui. We ended the two weeks with 7.
P.S. Nice music selection.

ianBlackburn · Feb 2, 2016

I don't understand why Tesla don't install bigger wheels at the back than at the front, then it would be downhill all the way?

Patrick W · Feb 2, 2016

Did you happen to note the rated miles before heading up the hill?

Would be interesting to see how many you used on the way up vs what you gained on the way down.

BTW, do you work at one of the observatories on Haleakala?

AudubonB · Feb 2, 2016

Somehow driving from way up in Alaska to way down in Arizona we don't get that same benefit. I wonder why that is.

P.S.: did you know that one 'favorite' question we get from tourists is "How high is sea level in Alaska?"!!!!!

kirkbauer · Feb 2, 2016

I like your music selection.

green1 · Feb 2, 2016

AudubonB said:
P.S.: did you know that one 'favorite' question we get from tourists is "How high is sea level in Alaska?"!!!!!

All the way up to the shore!

Polly Wog · Feb 2, 2016

Patrick W said:
Did you happen to note the rated miles before heading up the hill?

Would be interesting to see how many you used on the way up vs what you gained on the way down.

BTW, do you work at one of the observatories on Haleakala?

Actually, yes, at least part of the time (working at the observatory). The drive up averaged about 655 wh/mi, but I was a little more aggressive than usual, as I got stuck behind some tourists going 10 mph who wouldn't use the turnouts. Passing them was fun, though! In general, the roundtrip averages just under 290 wh/mi, which I think is pretty good, considering. Of all the drives on Maui, this is by far my favorite, by the way.

Ben W · Feb 2, 2016

ianBlackburn said:
I don't understand why Tesla don't install bigger wheels at the back than at the front, then it would be downhill all the way?

And with a windmill on top, how could you go wrong? :biggrin:

Polly Wog · Feb 2, 2016

[email protected] said:
I was really missing my MS when we were descending Haleakala last December. It was a lot of work to not burn up the brakes on the rental ICE. On another note, we made it a game to see how many different individual MS's we could spot on Maui. We ended the two weeks with 7.
P.S. Nice music selection.

@Hammer, seeing 7 in two weeks here in Maui is pretty good! Although we have about 60-70 on island, I've only been able to officially count 16 (including mine) over the past year (we're "counting Teslas" here in Hawaii). By chance, did you see mine? I'm "SKYGZR".

Mike K · Feb 3, 2016

Going into Los Angeles from the central valley you pass over a mountain range with a very steep initial ascent and then a gradual descent. I remember the day I picked up my salvage car I realized I couldn't supercharge it. So going up the mountain range I was panicking because I lost something like 25 miles of range in 10 minutes. Once I hit the top and started going down I managed to drive something like 60 miles and lost maybe 10 miles of range.

It's cool to see that you're capturing energy that would otherwise be lost to heat and worn brake components.

ianBlackburn · Feb 3, 2016

Ben W said:
And with a windmill on top, how could you go wrong? :biggrin:

By golly I think we've cracked it! Perpetual Energy!

GHammer · Feb 3, 2016

Polly Wog said:
@Hammer, seeing 7 in two weeks here in Maui is pretty good! Although we have about 60-70 on island, I've only been able to officially count 16 (including mine) over the past year (we're "counting Teslas" here in Hawaii). By chance, did you see mine? I'm "SKYGZR".

Nope, No SKYGZR, maybe next year :smile:

Polly Wog · Feb 5, 2016

I was "up top" in my Model S three times this week. Surprisingly, or maybe not, my average for the drive down was -105, -106, and -104 wh/mi. The drive up on the 3rd time was 650 wh/mi. The attached picture is from yesterday's round trip. Consistency has been amazing.

Bruiserbob · Feb 5, 2016

Yeah, it's gotta use a huge amount of juice to get up there. Not to mention had damn cold it is up at the top!!! I loved biking down that volcano!

DoubleDownOn9 · Feb 5, 2016

Got some crazy readings coming down from Lake Tahoe. I should have never charged the car at the top of the mountain...

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