LFP vs NCA database of Wh/m for Model 3 SR+ and others possibly starting May 2024

[jsugarsd]

I just got the new LFP battery installed in replacement of my failed NCA at ~24K. I bought the car at about 15K and put about 9K on the NCA before it failed. According to the trip meter it shows that the Wh/m was 263 Wh/m. I am now really paying attention to how the car behaves with the new battery and suspension. I also replaced the OEM tires with Falken Azenis FK 460s 235 40 R19 all around; sport wheels unchanged from stock but tires updated. At this point about a week in (I drive a lot... over 100 miles per day sometimes 150 miles) I am at 268 Wh/m. I calculated based on this website:

Tesla Model 3

All details and specs of the Tesla Model 3 (2021-2023). Compare price, lease, real-world range and consumption of every electric vehicle.

ev-database.org

That the estimated Wh/m should be 211 Wh/m. 57,500/273 = 210.6
57.5 KwH battery size indicated above as the useable battery size. 273 Miles as the initial estimated range instead of the posted 405km (divide by 1.6 to get 253.125) based on many others posting that as the initial estimated range. If we use the above posted then the estimated Wh/m should be 223 Wh/m. Either way I'm well over that by about 40-45Wh/m.

Is anyone getting close to that (211 or 223 Wh/m)? If so, what year is your Model 3 and what tires do you have on there? I am asking specifically for the LFP but others are welcome to chime in. I will update my data as it comes in. If there's another better established thread on this please point me in that direction.

My goal is to get as many people to list what they are getting with updates so others can have a fair idea if their car is running efficiently or not and what possible changes to their setup (tires, wheels, suspension, etc.) may have as an impact to that. Please let me know if you have any questions.

My setup: 2021 Tesla Model 3 SR+ Sport Wheels Falken Azenis FK 460 235 40 R19 with almost 300 miles yielding 263 Wh/m efficiency consumption as of 5.13.2024 with LFP Battery and new suspension. I'm wondering how much of this is the tire vs the new battery and suspension and how this compares to others either with NCA or LFP.

Thank you!

 

[Regaj]

My 2022 LR AWD Model 3, at just over 30,000 miles, is at a lifetime Wh/mile of 229. Vehicle is stock except that the aero covers were removed early on and replaced with the wheel cap kit (a change which imposes a very modest efficiency hit).

Wheels and tires make a big difference. But the biggest variable of all is the driver.

 

[jsugarsd]

My 2022 LR AWD Model 3, at just over 30,000 miles, is at a lifetime Wh/mile of 229. Vehicle is stock except that the aero covers were removed early on and replaced with the wheel cap kit (a change which imposes a very modest efficiency hit).

Wheels and tires make a big difference. But the biggest variable of all is the driver.

Wow, that sounds really good! Almost 40 Wh/mile better than what I'm getting and nearly what is calculated for ideal range. I assume this is with an LFP battery being a 2022; is that correct? More people who share like this will help. Thank you for posting, Regaj!

 

[Regaj]

I assume this is with an LFP battery being a 2022; is that correct?

No, it's NCA. The LR AWD models are all NCA chemistry, I believe.

 

[3sr+buyer]

I also replaced the OEM tires with Falken Azenis FK 460s 235 40 R19 all around; sport wheels unchanged from stock but tires updated.

19" wheels with OEM tires are less economical than 18" wheels with OEM tires. Non-OEM tires that are not low rolling resistance (that OEM tires are commonly chosen for) could cause an additional penalty.

Also, 272-273 miles is the US EPA rated range for the 2022+ LFP battery with nominal new capacity of 60.5 kWh, with 18" wheels and OEM tires. That would suggest a rated consumption of 222 Wh/mile. There should also be a setting in the car to specify wheel size, which should adjust the rated range to match.

 

[jsugarsd]

19" wheels with OEM tires are less economical than 18" wheels with OEM tires. Non-OEM tires that are not low rolling resistance (that OEM tires are commonly chosen for) could cause an additional penalty.

Also, 272-273 miles is the US EPA rated range for the 2022+ LFP battery with nominal new capacity of 60.5 kWh, with 18" wheels and OEM tires. That would suggest a rated consumption of 222 Wh/mile. There should also be a setting in the car to specify wheel size, which should adjust the rated range to match.

Much appreciated. This is exactly why I'm posting this. It came with the 19" wheels and I am considering changing to the 18" with OEM but I wanted to share what I am rolling with so others may decide for themselves and the more that contribute the better. Thanks for your post. Mind sharing what Wh/m you're getting thus far when you get a moment?

 

[jsugarsd]

No, it's NCA. The LR AWD models are all NCA chemistry, I believe.

Thanks for the clarification. Hopefully more people share their details and efficiency like you have

 

[3sr+buyer]

Mind sharing what Wh/m you're getting thus far when you get a moment?

Lifetime average of 219 Wh/mile. About half of driving is with stuff on the roof rack. With only the empty rack, looks like about 190-200 Wh/mile. This is a 2022 car with LFP battery (60.5 kWh when new, 56.9 kWh now after 2.3 years according to Scan My Tesla) and 18" wheels and original tires. Most of the driving is highway, but often traffic-limited to 50-55 mph or less.

 

[3sr+buyer]

It came with the 19" wheels and I am considering changing to the 18" with OEM

You can go to the service screen and select wheels and tires to tell the car that 19" wheels are installed.

However, the tire type is only "all season / summer" or "winter", so there would not be a distinction in rolling resistance between various all season and summer tires that the car can know (not that there is an accessible database of such for the US tire market).

 

[jsugarsd]

Lifetime average of 219 Wh/mile. About half of driving is with stuff on the roof rack. With only the empty rack, looks like about 190-200 Wh/mile. This is a 2022 car with LFP battery (60.5 kWh when new, 56.9 kWh now after 2.3 years according to Scan My Tesla) and 18" wheels and original tires. Most of the driving is highway, but often traffic-limited to 50-55 mph or less.

Wow 219 Wh/mile sounds great. It appears to be a significant difference between the 18" OEM and 19" sport wheels that I have. It would be nice to hear others with 19" and what efficiency ratings they are getting. I apparently drive very inefficiently as well. Perhaps I need to slow down a bit. I do use chill mode more but a lot of drivers in my area cruise near 80mph on the freeways here in San Diego.

 

[rudythecar]

2022 RWD (60kWh LFP), ~30k km (18k miles), stock 18" wheels/tires for first 10k km then switched to michelin crossclimate 2
lifetime efficiency is 140 Wh/km (~225 Wh/mi)

 

[3sr+buyer]

Tips for good efficiency and range when driving:

• When buying a Model 3, note that 18" wheels are more efficient than 19" wheels or 20" wheels.
  • With 18" wheels, use the aero covers, at least on the highway.
• Consider rolling resistance when choosing tires.
• Higher highway speeds consume more energy.
• Try to minimize use of friction braking (pressing the brake pedal).
• When temperatures are comfortable, turn off the heat and AC (set the temperature low with the AC off).
• When temperatures are cold, favor use of the heated seats over the cabin heater.
• If you use a roof rack:
  • Use one with aerodynamic crossbars.
  • Remove any cargo or accessories with high drag or high frontal area when not needed.

When parked, try to avoid energy consumption to leave more for driving:

• Minimize use of sentry mode and anything else that turns on the car (e.g. Tesla or third party apps).
• Minimize use of cabin heat or AC while parked.
• Choose sunny parking spaces in cold weather, and choose shady parking spaces in warm weather.
• Install a sun shade under the roof glass during warmer seasons.

 

[jsugarsd]

2022 RWD (60kWh LFP), ~30k km (18k miles), stock 18" wheels/tires for first 10k km then switched to michelin crossclimate 2
lifetime efficiency is 140 Wh/km (~225 Wh/mi)

Thank you for this! It helps to keep seeing what people have setup specifically including tires as one may infer if that has an effect. Looks like you have pretty good efficiency as well!

 

[gtg465x]

2023 RWD with 18” wheels and OEM MXM4 tires, but aero covers removed. Lifetime average 221 Wh/mi over 10k miles, with about 30% of that being highway road trips at 75-80 mph (when there isn’t traffic). I average about 200-210 around town and 250-260 on road trips. I have a 980 3D1, so probably less efficient than people who have the newer motors with hairpin windings.

 

[jsugarsd]

2023 RWD with 18” wheels and OEM MXM4 tires, but aero covers removed. Lifetime average 221 Wh/mi over 10k miles, with about 30% of that being highway road trips at 75-80 mph (when there isn’t traffic). I average about 200-210 around town and 250-260 on road trips. I have a 980 3D1, so probably less efficient than people who have the newer motors with hairpin windings.

Thank you for posting. I had to google what a 980 3D1 is but details like that help. Is it the same as a performance version motor or similar? I'm still not clear on that. So, again thank you!

 

[yolobattery]

I have a stock LFP 18" 2024 Model 3 and get about 230 Wh/mi.

I like what you're doing, but I have to advise you that it will be hard to get good signal unless you are mining a fleet of hundreds of cars. Even then, you'll have spurious correlations, like people who drive more miles/day = people with less efficiency, because those people are the highway drivers. The route is the most important variable. If you do 90% driving at 80 mph, versus 90% driving at 30 mph, could mean 160 Wh/mi versus 320 Wh/mi. That 2x difference is reported in an old Tesla blog post on the Model S:

Model S Efficiency and Range | Tesla

www.tesla.com

On the ordering page, Tesla advises that the 19" model changes the EPA rating from 272 to 248. You can expect that this was collected in very controlled conditions. Tesla's stock tires are picked with efficiency in mind so other tires will take a hit beyond that.

I do most of my driving on the highway. The last three trips were each 75 miles @ 67 mph + 5 miles @ 30 mph, and I notched 209, 223, and 220 Wh/mi on these, so getting the rated range on a flat highway without traffic is definitely possible with stock tires and suspension.

 

[jsugarsd]

I have a stock LFP 18" 2024 Model 3 and get about 230 Wh/mi.

I like what you're doing, but I have to advise you that it will be hard to get good signal unless you are mining a fleet of hundreds of cars. Even then, you'll have spurious correlations, like people who drive more miles/day = people with less efficiency, because those people are the highway drivers. The route is the most important variable. If you do 90% driving at 80 mph, versus 90% driving at 30 mph, could mean 160 Wh/mi versus 320 Wh/mi. That 2x difference is reported in an old Tesla blog post on the Model S:

Model S Efficiency and Range | Tesla

www.tesla.com

On the ordering page, Tesla advises that the 19" model changes the EPA rating from 272 to 248. You can expect that this was collected in very controlled conditions. Tesla's stock tires are picked with efficiency in mind so other tires will take a hit beyond that.

I do most of my driving on the highway. The last three trips were each 75 miles @ 67 mph + 5 miles @ 30 mph, and I notched 209, 223, and 220 Wh/mi on these, so getting the rated range on a flat highway without traffic is definitely possible with stock tires and suspension.

Thanks for the post. I understand it is an ambitious effort. I just thought since I couldn't find it elsewhere maybe I'd start and see how well it goes and perhaps it could be a source for people to at least gauge how they are fairing on efficiency and can make decisions from there. That said you are indeed correct; there are numerous variables that affect the outcomes here. Thanks again nonetheless for these great details! Btw, what tires do you have on there?

 

[yolobattery]

I got the default 18" tires. I think they are based on Michelin Primacy, not totally sure.

 

[BSparx]

2023 RWD with 18” wheels and OEM MXM4 tires, but aero covers removed. Lifetime average 221 Wh/mi over 10k miles, with about 30% of that being highway road trips at 75-80 mph (when there isn’t traffic). I average about 200-210 around town and 250-260 on road trips. I have a 980 3D1, so probably less efficient than people who have the newer motors with hairpin windings.

Almost exactly the same for me…

2023 RWD w 18” wheels (and aero covers). 15000 miles averaging 221 wh/mi. I see 240-260 wh/mi on long road trips pushing hard in the mountains.

 

[3sr+buyer]

Apparently, Tesla Model 3 drivers reporting to Recurrent average 28% worse efficiency (39% greater consumption) than the EPA drivers / test. (Not LFP, since LFP is too new, but effects of driving habits should be similar.)

Recurrent: Model 3 drivers got 72% of EPA range with new cars, 64% after three years

https://www.recurrentauto.com/research/how-long-do-ev-batteries-last Study says that Tesla Model 3 drivers reporting to Recurrent were getting about 72% of EPA range with new cars, 64% after three years. 72->64 is about 12% loss, which is apparently considered fairly typical for NCA batteries...

teslamotorsclub.com