Wow, we need to find another way to heat EVs

[Orwell]

Model Y is equipped with a heat pump!

Tesla Model Y has a heat pump for consistent range in cold climates - Electrek

 

[camalaio]

Model Y is equipped with a heat pump!

Tesla Model Y has a heat pump for consistent range in cold climates - Electrek

I'm very sad for myself. But happy for others. Thank goodness.

 

[Msjulie]

Model Y is equipped with a heat pump!

Tesla Model Y has a heat pump for consistent range in cold climates - Electrek

Yep this makes sense.

 

[Zcd1]

Wonder whether it will ever be offered/included for the Model 3...

 

[dfwatt]

Huuuuuggggeeeeee impact at "cruising at 77". Its not linear power usage its more like exponential. "cruising at 60" is much much much much (much much much much) more efficient, from a power usage, not counting heat. It will take you longer to get there going 60 than 77 so not sure how that math works out, but people really discount the effect speed has on range, and it is HUUUUUGGGGGGGEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

Yup! Watt hours per mile is proportional to the square of the Velocity. You can check this out yourself by testing your Watt hours per mile at a steady 40 miles an hour and then going 80 if that's safe on your local Highway. You will see your watt-hours per mile reasonably close to exactly double which means given that you're going twice as fast your rate of consumption is four times faster. This is almost entirely due to aerodynamic losses which are proportional to the square of your velocity. These issues affect ICE cars but are less visible because ICE cars have their best mileage in their top gear at the lowest speed your top gear will comfortably hold. In contrast to Tesla can get its best mileage literally somewhere between 15 and 20 miles an hour (where ICEcar miilage craters due to the need for a lower gear) and Model 3 beats its canonical 2:45 watt-hours per mile (the consumption number at which EPA pegged range) at almost any speed under 55. And the significantly increased consumption in internal combustion Vehicles at highway speeds under the influence of the same drag issues is also masked by their longer ranges than EVs.

 

[mongo]

The Electrek title is incorrect, it will not give consistent range in cold climates. Colder temps still use more energy to heat (due to losses) and the new system on the Y gets less efficient at lower temperatures. Tesla uses the drive unit and pack waste energy as a heat source. If that is insufficient, the compressor is run inefficiently to make itself a heat source (like how the 3 drive unit heats the pack). That let then eliminate the cabin PTC heater and associated wiring/controls. The cabin now has both an evaporator and condenser instead.

Efficiency and mode map from Tesla's patent: US20190070924A1 - Optimal source electric vehicle heat pump with extreme temperature heating capability and efficient thermal preconditioning - Google Patents



Based on one of the versions described in the patent, it seems like new Model 3 could be build with this heating/ cooling system.

 

[HyperionMark]

The Electrek title is incorrect, it will not give consistent range in cold climates. Colder temps still use more energy to heat (due to losses) and the new system on the Y gets less efficient at lower temperatures. Tesla uses the drive unit and pack waste energy as a heat source. If that is insufficient, the compressor is run inefficiently to make itself a heat source (like how the 3 drive unit heats the pack). That let then eliminate the cabin PTC heater and associated wiring/controls. The cabin now has both an evaporator and condenser instead.

Efficiency and mode map from Tesla's patent: US20190070924A1 - Optimal source electric vehicle heat pump with extreme temperature heating capability and efficient thermal preconditioning - Google Patents

View attachment 522453

Based on one of the versions described in the patent, it seems like new Model 3 could be build with this heating/ cooling system.

Electrek have an incorrect or clickbait title? Shocker

 

[Phlier]

That is incorrect. A PTC (positive temperature coefficient) resistive heater of 7kW capacity is used. It is completely separate from the stator heating which is used to warm the coolant loop.

I apologize for the extremely late reply, but even with it being months later, I just had to say "Thank You!" to @AlanSubie4Life for straightening me out on this topic.

I was unaware that there was a separate resistive heater for cabin warming in addition to the motor stator heating. Interestingly, in every video I've seen so far, they appear to be married; every time you turn on the cabin heat, the stator heat also comes on. Either that, or the current hardware that is being used to "sniff" the data just can't separate the two yet and lump reporting them both into one number.

Now that we're on the backside of winter (actually, here in the desert it has been more like summer for the last two months), I gotta say I loved the way that my 3 handled its first winter. We took a few road trips in it to far colder climes just for grins, and I was very happy with the mileage I got between charges. Maybe it was just the fact that I had zero expectations, but regardless... the 3 handled all of our road trips with no problems and no range anxiety ( using abetterrouteplanner.com probably helped with that). We prioritized using the seat heaters over the cabin heater, but even so, we needed to have the cabin heater kicking out at least some heat all the time.

I'm approaching the one year point of ownership, and I'm happier now than I was on delivery day.