Summary Results at 65 MPH: Drafting at any TACC setting (1-7) improved range 5%. (Difference between settings 1 & 7 was surprisingly and negligibly small.) Lowering suspension from LOW to VERY LOW improved range 4%. (These may not be additive.) For a fully-charged (250 mile) battery, drafting and suspension could add as much as 22 miles.
Objective: Determine any range improvement of a Tesla Model X when following behind an 18-wheel truck at various distances.
Car: Tesla Model X Signature, P90D, 20 inch tires @ 42lbs, A/C: on, Range Mode: on.
Technique: Follow an 18-wheel truck at distances determined by the Tesla Traffic Aware Cruise Control (TACC) following settings. Record average kW/mile over 5 miles. Utilized an Interstate segment about 7-miles long with flat terrain, no over-passing, sea level, 88 degrees, no significant wind, Insane Mode, Range Mode: ON. Recorded results in both road directions. Set the average energy consumption display to 5 miles and monitored the graph to ensure no peculiarities. Identified a truck traveling at 65 mph. Set the TACC to 70 mph and set the TACC following distance. Approached the truck until the car speed dropped to the speed of the truck. Followed the truck for at least 5 miles, avoiding any nearby vehicles that may affect wind resistance. Documented the average energy consumed over 5 miles (kWh/mile) and recorded the speed. Repeated above for various TACC settings and suspension settings.
Note 1: trying to only judge improvement by only observing the graph can be very difficult and misleading.
Note 2: Expected improvements at higher speeds would be greater.
Objective: Determine any range improvement of a Tesla Model X when following behind an 18-wheel truck at various distances.
Car: Tesla Model X Signature, P90D, 20 inch tires @ 42lbs, A/C: on, Range Mode: on.
Technique: Follow an 18-wheel truck at distances determined by the Tesla Traffic Aware Cruise Control (TACC) following settings. Record average kW/mile over 5 miles. Utilized an Interstate segment about 7-miles long with flat terrain, no over-passing, sea level, 88 degrees, no significant wind, Insane Mode, Range Mode: ON. Recorded results in both road directions. Set the average energy consumption display to 5 miles and monitored the graph to ensure no peculiarities. Identified a truck traveling at 65 mph. Set the TACC to 70 mph and set the TACC following distance. Approached the truck until the car speed dropped to the speed of the truck. Followed the truck for at least 5 miles, avoiding any nearby vehicles that may affect wind resistance. Documented the average energy consumed over 5 miles (kWh/mile) and recorded the speed. Repeated above for various TACC settings and suspension settings.
Note 1: trying to only judge improvement by only observing the graph can be very difficult and misleading.
Note 2: Expected improvements at higher speeds would be greater.