Traffic stop Energy consumption between ICE and EV question.

[Amanfromconn]

Can someone explain to me about the energy consumption between ICE and EV.
Let's say if I'm stuck in heavy traffic. I know ICE car will just keep burning gas even when the car is not moving.
Do ICE car behave the same way? Or as long as the wheels are not turning and you're not stepping on the accelerator you're not losing any energy right?
If that's the case then EV would be perfect for people who live in a city where you run into heavy traffic daily.

 

[jjrandorin]

Or as long as the wheels are not turning and you're not stepping on the accelerator you're not losing any energy.

Im not sure why you would think the car would not use any power when sitting there, since all the systems, including HVAC etc are still on. its less energy lost than an ICE vehicle, but Teslas are rolling around with the equivalent of about 3-4 gallons of gas worth of energy, for all usage.

The slower you are moving the less energy is used from the battery for moving the car, but that doesnt change how much energy is used for stuff like HVAC etc.

 

[Amanfromconn]

Im not sure why you would think the car would not use any power when sitting there, since all the systems, including HVAC etc are still on. its less energy lost than an ICE vehicle, but Teslas are rolling around with the equivalent of about 3-4 gallons of gas worth of energy, for all usage.

The slower you are moving the less energy is used from the battery for moving the car, but that doesnt change how much energy is used for stuff like HVAC etc.

Im not sure why you would think the car would not use any power when sitting there, since all the systems, including HVAC etc are still on.

That's what I forgot to add beside all those things.

 

[boulder.dude]

Don’t forget regen breaking as a huge energy saver in city traffic.

However it seems like ICE hybrids these days turn off the gas engine even at red lights? I hear them start up when the light turns green. L

So the efficiency gap between EV and hybrid might not be giant.

 

[Sophias_dad]

However it seems like ICE hybrids these days turn off the gas engine even at red lights?

Even some ICE not-hybrids turn off the gas engine at red lights. It really bugs me as a driver(of an occasional rental ICE that turns its engine off at lights)

 

[jjrandorin]

Don’t forget regen breaking as a huge energy saver in city traffic.

However it seems like ICE hybrids these days turn off the gas engine even at red lights? I hear them start up when the light turns green. L

So the efficiency gap between EV and hybrid might not be giant.

Yeah, I noticed that too. I hated (hated) the "auto start / stop" in my BMWs (most of them were not hybrids). Most veteran BMW owners coded that off the minute they figured out that could be done, since BMW had forced the feature to be on, even though, in their own car manual for the car, they mentioned that the auto start / stop feature might put extra wear on the starter.

In the 5 series hybrid I had, though, it was super smooth. You didnt have the car rattle or anything when starting from a stop. The issue with hybrids is more a maintenance one, to me, at least, in that they have two sets of motors, additional complexity, etc.

The experience of driving most hybrids, from an efficiency standpoint, is pretty darn good.

 

[Watts_Up]

@Amanfromconn Use the App Scan My Tesla combined with an ODB2 scanner,
you will find all the consumption information that you are looking for.

 

[Amanfromconn]

@Amanfromconn Use the App Scan My Tesla combined with an ODB2 scanner,
you will find all the consumption information that you are looking for.

Good to know. I will try that. Thanks.

 

[Amanfromconn]

Don’t forget regen breaking as a huge energy saver in city traffic.

However it seems like ICE hybrids these days turn off the gas engine even at red lights? I hear them start up when the light turns green. L

So the efficiency gap between EV and hybrid might not be giant.

I hated that feauture on my Acura non-hybrid. It was not seamless like my Honda Civic Hybrid where you don't hear the engine starting up again. I have to make a mental note to disable that once I press the ignition button but sometimes I forget.