Aftermarket accessories and range loss (or not)

[Rothgarr]

Since I got my M3 AWD in late June I've added a number of accessories that I've often wondered if they affect my range. Those include:

• wheel spacers (I figured pushing the wheels out would affect aerodynamics)
• trunk spoiler (the results below would indicate to me that it's really just for show and not pushing the rear end down)
• mud flaps (since these sit behind the pushed out wheels I wasn't sure what to expect)

This weekend I took a trip from CT down to NJ (about 180 miles round trip). On the way home, I used the Trip function in the Energy screen. And I was pleased to see that even with those three accessories on my car I still made it home with the same remaining battery percentage that it estimated at the beginning of the trip. Started at 60% and ended at 39%

Some additional details:

• It was raining
• Some stop and go rush hour traffic
• Mostly highway driving (Garden State Pkwy, 287, Saw Mill, I-84)
• Tires were inflated to 41-42 lbs
• Aero wheels (with aero caps ON)
• Still on software version 2019.32.12.2
• No spirited driving (had my kid in the car with me)

So if you were thinking of getting an accessory and holding back because of the thought of losing range, I say go for it. I'd say "spirited driving" and additional passengers will affect your range more than anything else.

Questions:

• Anyone else have any accessories other than the ones above that they either noticed (or not) a range change?
• Does the estimated line in the "trip" screen update based on the car's individual performance over time? For example, is it possible that my car's range actually IS affected by my accessories and it has accounted for it over time in its estimate before a trip?

 

[640k]

i recall some other threads on here testing various accessories you have listed and the results were minimal at best. the biggest accessory impact being a roof mounted bike carrier. the rack alone had minimal impact, but nearly any item being carried on it had a sizable increase in usage.