Noticing Significant M/hr Super Charging Vs. M3 Dual Motor

[JoeCal]

Hi guys,

Leased a Model 3 Dual Motor (2021) for 3 years, using 100% Super Charging (99% at the same station). Needless to say, it was an absolute unit. Using the same Super Charging station (72kw), I would be getting 305 mi/hr, and around 275 mi/hr when crowded.

My 2024 MSPlaid, however, can't seem to break 255 mi/hr at the same station. Is there something that I'm missing? I've googled what feels like hundreds of different posts, but I am not sure what is credible/accurate to believe.

Disclaimer: This is a concern of whether or not my car is charging properly, not being nitpicky about the 25-50 decrease in mi/hr. If this is normal for the MS/Plaid, then no hard feelings; I got this to go Plaid (lol). This may also foreshadow what to expect with home charging. Since I own this car, I will be installing a home charging unit in the coming week or so.

I'd love to hear everyone's thoughts/expertise.

 

[LoudMusic]

Charge rate is actually kW (kilowatts), not miles. If you charge any car at 72kW for half an hour you would have 36kWh (kilowatt-hours). A Model 3 can go more miles per kilowatt-hour than a Model S can. So when charging those two vehicles at the same 72kW, the Model 3 is going to show more miles being added because it can do more miles with the same energy.

I highly recommend changing the display to kW/kWh to eliminate that concern. Tap the miles displayed next to the battery icon at the top of the screen.

I also think if you could charge at home you would have a better ownership experience. Sitting at a 72kW charger is a wild waste of personal time.

 

[JoeCal]

Charge rate is actually kW (kilowatts), not miles. If you charge any car at 72kW for half an hour you would have 36kWh (kilowatt-hours). A Model 3 can go more miles per kilowatt-hour than a Model S can. So when charging those two vehicles at the same 72kW, the Model 3 is going to show more miles being added because it can do more miles with the same energy.

I highly recommend changing the display to kW/kWh to eliminate that concern. Tap the miles displayed next to the battery icon at the top of the screen.

I also think if you could charge at home you would have a better ownership experience. Sitting at a 72kW charger is a wild waste of personal time.

Ah. All this time I've been perceiving it as: At this current kW, ignoring all other variables (charge slowing down at higher %, increase in cars), that I would expect to see the 305 miles in an hour. I prefer your way of using kWh, as I'm sure it's also the standard the community uses. I'll convert into kW/kWh, thanks for the tip!

I'd usually 100% agree with you. But I was a unique case. Ths Supercharger was attached to my apartment building, as well as my gym. I basically had the option to either charge the car for 40-50 min and walk up to my apartment to kill time, or charging would force me to hit the gym, Lol. Those three years weren't bad at all. I have never, however, experienced the luxury of getting home from work, plugging in my car, and seeing my car at an 80% before work the next morning. Never invested in a charger for the lease, but I'm definitely going for one now with the Plaid. I can imagine the home charging will turn out to be my favorite part of EV ownership.

 

[Rocky_H]

Ah. All this time I've been perceiving it as: At this current kW, ignoring all other variables (charge slowing down at higher %, increase in cars), that I would expect to see the 305 miles in an hour. I prefer your way of using kWh, as I'm sure it's also the standard the community uses. I'll convert into kW/kWh, thanks for the tip!

I don't think you need to change the setting if you don't want to, but this is the important thing to understand why the kW power level would be the same, but the miles per hour measurement would be vastly different because of the different vehicle efficiencies.

The analogy I always use if if you use the same gasoline pump to fill up an economy car or a big pickup truck. They're getting the same gallons per minute flow rate, but are they getting the same miles per minute? No, because their miles per gallon usage is very different.

 

[JoeCal]

I don't think you need to change the setting if you don't want to, but this is the important thing to understand why the kW power level would be the same, but the miles per hour measurement would be vastly different because of the different vehicle efficiencies.

The analogy I always use if if you use the same gasoline pump to fill up an economy car or a big pickup truck. They're getting the same gallons per minute flow rate, but are they getting the same miles per minute? No, because their miles per gallon usage is very different.

I appreciate this analogy as well. I immediately pictured a family sedan versus a V8 sports car. Assuming both cars have a 15 gallon tank, the sedan will burn through much less fuel and therefore "go a further distance" with its full tank versus the V8. Two different purposes.

Thanks for the feedback, guys.