Are some SEs more efficient than others?

CuriousGeorge

Well-Known Member
Just pontification/speculation/conversation material...

As mentioned in the "optimal tire pressure" thread I started, I am presently driving a loaner F56SE with Goodyear F1 tires (vs. the Pirelli P7s on my car). Driving conditions haven't been identical, and initially the Goodyears were underinflated, but nonetheless my initial impression is that this particular car isn't as efficient as my own. Is that really possible? If so, what might be the explanation? Yes, the rolling resistance of tires varies (and improves as they wear), but might that be enough to explain a (I'm guessing) 0.5 mi/kWh difference? Do wheel bearings need to be broken in? (Seems quite unlikely.)

FWIW, based on % of battery used (and occasionally actual distance covered from near-full to near-empty) I seem to get well above average range from my SE. I have always ascribed this to driving conditions/style, but now I am starting to wonder if there might be more to it

Thoughts?
 
I'm assuming you have already eliminated the summer tire vs all season tire tread pattern, run-flats vs non-run flats, and identical wheels.
 
Summertime I consistently get well over 5 mi/kWh. The SE seems to be one of the most efficient EVs on the road.

I've always done the 38/35 psi (I believe) but am going to try the 42/39 psi ECO mode from the UK/European label from the other thread to see if I can push the efficiency even higher.
 
Summertime I consistently get well over 5 mi/kWh.

Me too. However, I'm under 5 in this loaner.

The car only has 1500 miles on it, versus the 6000 on mine by its first summer. Perhaps it's just the extra squirmy tread depth? Or, perhaps there is a bigger difference in rolling resistance between the Goodyears and Pirelli than you might think?

Obviously I need to swap wheels between the two SEs and conduct a more formal experiment, but also obviously that's not really possible.
 
Its almost 2Kwh/100km more efficient than my 500e on the highway. 14.5/100 to 16.5/100 for the 500e
 
Tire tread makes a big difference. I would assume that your loaner is less efficient due to the newer tires, assuming all other confounding variables are equal. I took a huge hit in efficiency when I swapped from the stock tires.
 
I strongly suspect this is the case. I cannot get 5mi/kWh. The best ever do is 4.8, and that's only one way... Usually, low to mid 4s. I have been running 42/38psi. This makes a noticeable difference over stock 35/32. I have noticed that my TPMS read low. Unevenly so across them. I'll get one more summer out of my stock 16" 'Kooks. I have just discovered that Conti ECS02s are not low rolling resistance, though nowhere near as bad as my 200TWs.
 
Obviously I need to swap wheels between the two SEs and conduct a more formal experiment, but also obviously that's not really possible.

Where are you? Meet up with another SE owner. Drive in a well separated convoy somewhere with pre-agreed everything settings and load. Swap wheels, drive back. Swap wheels.
 
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