Maximum Miles Driven on One Charge

[Don]

Way back when, JoeS did some measurements using a Hall Effect ammeter (very accurate) and came up with the following "Interpreting what you're looking at: at 22mph the iMiEV is drawing 2.0Amps out of its (nominal) 330V pack, thus consuming 0.66kW at 22mph.

What this means, if we get really greedy and say that we have a fully-usable 16kWhr pack, then we could go (16/0.66)*22 = 533 miles at 22mph on one charge. Let me repeat that: a range of 533 miles at 22 mph on a single charge."

This doesn't necessarily mean you could go THAT far, but speed and the wind resistance that causes is the BIG enemy of range and most of the amps you're using are just to push the air. I would imagine a 'realistic' range on level ground with no wind at 22 mph would be between 150 and 250 miles . . . .

Don

 

[JoeS]

Wow, that was optimistic, wasn't it? We've learned a whole lot more in the intervening years with CaniOn.

Are there any Electrical Engineers and Technical Specification information to actually calculate the Motor/VFD/Drive Train MPH sweet spot or at least range?...

Probably the best graph of speed vs. range is shown in this post:

http://myimiev.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=17565#p17565

 

[user 2304]

I continue to be amazed by the quality of responses here. I think I am straying from the center of this thread. I am a Newb just trying to maximize my commute efficiency. My basic takeaway on these graphs is to find routes that maintain 25 to 45 MPH are best. Now to find the flattest profile route with fewest stop points. Are there any graphics out there that defines a corollary between a route that is 2mi longer vs a relative route with 5% .5mi hills. Sorry, my questions keep rehashing older threads but what is the comparative regen going down the .5mi 5% slope vs driving back out of the same .5mi 5% slope I guess for the example I would assume approximately 35 MPH in and out of the valley.
Thanks,
JB Patry

 

[Don]

Hills aren't a big range killer (assuming you're going up and then back down) nor are routes which have a few stop and starts. If you're using regen correctly, you can get back nearly 80% of the energy you used to get moving when you slow down . . . . or you can coast an extra distance and save nearly as much

Higher speeds and in the winter, running the heater, are the big energy hogs. We have a 35 mph back route that we frequently take on a 35 mile round trip. It's 3 miles longer than the freeway but it uses much less energy, even with going up and down several hills. You are correct - An alternate route to using the freeway where you can drive 25 to 45 mph will almost always save you energy and thereby give you longer range

Don

 

[kiev]

Today i wasn't paying attention and forgot about a quick lunch trip, then on the way home drove past a LVL3 when maybe i should have stopped--even just 5 minutes of Chademo does wonders. But i love how much fun and excitement this car creates.

The usual daily commute is take kids to school, then to work, then pick up kids after school activites and back home, ~50 miles.

So this is a new max for me with kiev2. It was too dark, wet, cold and windy for me to want to try for more even if only around the block a dozen times...

 

[JoeS]

...So this is a new max for me with kiev2. It was too dark, wet, cold and windy for me to want to try for more even if only around the block a dozen times...

63.3miles in the middle of winter, even in the Heart of Dixie, +2milesRR = 65.3miles with photographic evidence. Good 'on ya, as the Aussies would say! (even if it was a bit inadvertent) Thanks for sharing.

 

[Don]

We've done 60+ miles several times, even running the A/C

Unless my mind is completely gone, I seem to recall someone here way back when in NYC (I think) who actually drove 100 miles on a single charge. I don't think that would be too hard to do in a flat environment where you are pretty much limited to 25 or 30 mph

We have had a few people who have had RR's over 100 miles after a recharge . . . . though that computation only covers use over the previous 15 miles - It would be hard to keep that up over a 100 mile trip so you very seldom hear about it actually happening

Don