Best Miles/kWh and MPGe Competition

[AnthonyW]

Many questions have come up regarding efficiency metrics and I thought it would be good if we started posting some of ours. I have done some research and have posted instructions on how to calculate mi/kWh and MPGe below. (If you see any errors please feel free to let me know). While MPGe is somewhat theoretical, miles per kWh is pretty cut and dry is a good measuring stick across all electric vehicles. For comparison purposes, miles driven must be in electric mode and kWh measurements must be "wall to wheel" (no adjustments for charging inefficiencies).

To calculate mi/kWh and MPGe (in electric vehicle mode only):
Step 1: Charge battery up to full
Step 2: Drive and record mileage driven (with no ICE activity)
Step 3: Charge battery up to full and record how many kWhs it took to charge
Step 4: Divide step 2 by step 3 - this is your mi/kWh
Step 5: Multiply Step 4 by 33.7 - this is your MPGe
Step 5: post the following:

-miles/kWh
-MPGe
-Type of Drive (i.e. City, Highway, Mixed)
-Your charger Voltage/Amps (i.e. Level 2 240/32; Level 2 240/16; Level 1)
-Your local high temperature (doesn’t have to be precise i.e...90’s)

Guidelines and Notes:
-For this experiment let’s do a minimum of 25 miles and the max is unlimited. Its okay if it take you a few days to reach the 25 mile minimum, just make sure you keep good records of the miles and kWh consumed.
-During drive, do not allow ICE to come on. If it does start over at step 1.
-There should be no adjustments for charging inefficiencies. It’s “wall to wheel” energy used and miles from your trip odometer. We can segregate and compare by the type of charger voltage/amp types. If you have a Level 1 charger you will need either a smart plug or a
Killiwatt to determine your kWh’s consumed.
-Canadians please convert kilometers to miles please.

I will start if off:

-4.38 mi/kWh (27.4mi, 6.26kWh)
-148 MPGe
-Mixed Driving
-Level 2 (240/32)
-mid 80’s

Finally here are some benchmark/stock mi/kWh and MPGe figures for vehicles in all electric mode from fueleconomy.gov (higher numbers are better):

2018 Hyundai Ioniq PHEV: 3.53 mi/kWh 119 MPGe
2018 Clarity PHEV: 3.26 mi/kWh 110 MPGe
2018 Chevy Volt: 3.14mi/kWh 106 MPGe
2018 Ford Fusion Energi PHEV: 2.88 mi/kWh 97 MPGe

2018 Tesla Model 3 Long Range: 3.86 mi/kWh 130 MPGe
2018 Honda Clarity EV: 3.38 mi/kWh 114 MPGe
2018 Nissan Leaf: 3.32 mi/kWh 112 MPGe

Eager to see what everyone else is getting!

 

[insightman]

Isn't a round-trip journey required to compensate for grade and wind?

 

[KentuckyKen]

You got me beat by one single MPGe.
I used the Trip meter and ChargePoint app w Home 32 Amp EVSE
Here’s my best summer MPGe:

4.35 m/kW (51.4 m, 11.81 kW)
147 MPGe
Mixed driving, one person, ac set to 72 F, daytime, high 80s to low 90s. Charging temps in high 80s with no preconditioning.

Here’s the metrics from my last 5 trips:
Miles/kW
24.7/5.98
36.8/9.93
39.3/9.19
40.5/10.18
51.4/11.81
Average:
192.7 miles, 47.09 kW
4.35 miles/kW, 138 MPGe
Same conditions but with some night and some rain and temps a little higher

@insightman, if you use the same charger at start and finish, it must be a round trip (although not necessarily over the exact same route) and so takes care of elevation and virtually all the wind.

 

[insightman]

After losing many (OK, every) hypermiling competitions in my Insight, I imagined someone (me) charging their Clarity PHEV on high and recharging down low to ace the competition. So how about a same-charger rule to compensate for grade? Wind changes won't affect the results as much as permitting non-round-trip routes.

 

[AnthonyW]

After losing many (OK, every) hypermiling competitions in my Insight, I imagined someone (me) charging their Clarity PHEV on high and recharging down low to ace the competition. So how about a same-charger rule to compensate for grade? Wind changes won't affect the results as much as permitting non-round-trip routes.

Sounds completely fair to me.

 

[bpratt]

I have been tracking mine since I purchased the car in late December 2017. My best was 4.52 miles/KWh and 152.46 mpge. My average the last few months since the temperature has warmed up is 4.01 miles/KWh and 135.13 mpge.

 

[dstrauss]

I'm claiming the title based on this morning cool weather (68 in Midland is like a freeze in August). I started this morning with 54.1 estimated EV miles, fresh off the charger, and look at my remaining EV miles after my 5.5 mile drive to work - I GAINED 2.9 miles of EV range - guess that means I've joined Buzz Lightyear to infinity and beyond:

Ha ha ha - I realize that's just the computer adjusting the estimated miles for the weather and better glide path this morning, but it is still a kick to end up with more total miles than I started...

 

[KentuckyKen]

@AnthonyW, @dstrauss ‘s downhill slalom run does suggest another rule for the contest.
We are using actual miles from either the Trip Meter or the Odometer and not estimated miles from the HV range?
How about this?:

So here be the rules:
-Use total kW from wall
-Start with a full charge, no HV allowed, and any mid-route charging added to final charging
-Must be a round trip, starting and ending at the same charger used for starting and ending charge
-Must use actual milage from either the Trip Meter or the Odometer and not from the estimated EV Range. Trip Meter preferred since it’s in 10ths of a mile.

You decide; it’s your contest.

 

[su_A_ve]

3.52 miles/kWh
118.46 MPGe
Mixed driving, AC set to 72 then 70
Level 2 - I assume it's 32amps - took 2hrs exactly for 11.92 kWh
Temp about 90

It was a round trip with the exact same charger, but not the same route. One way included 14 miles of highway at about 65. Total of 41.9 miles.

 

[AnthonyW]

@AnthonyW, @dstrauss ‘s downhill slalom run does suggest another rule for the contest.
We are using actual miles from either the Trip Meter or the Odometer and not estimated miles from the HV range?
How about this?:

So here be the rules:
-Use total kW from wall
-Start with a full charge, no HV allowed, and any mid-route charging added to final charging
-Must be a round trip, starting and ending at the same charger used for starting and ending charge
-Must use actual milage from either the Trip Meter or the Odometer and not from the estimated EV Range. Trip Meter preferred since it’s in 10ths of a mile.

You decide; it’s your contest.

Yes, no problem at all. I assumed that everyone would use the trip meter. Definitely not the estimated HV. And round trip, same charger makes perfect sense.


Sent from my iPhone using Inside EVs

 

[AnthonyW]

Let's define one more metric that @kent335 asked about on another post: kWh/100 miles. Really simple conversion one you have the metrics computed above

Step 6: To get kWh/100 miles: 100 divided by answer from Step 4.

In other words divide 100 by your miles/kWh. So my best trip so far has been:

-4.38 mi/kWh (27.4mi, 6.26kWh)
-148 MPGe
-22.8 kWh/100 miles
-Mixed Driving
-Level 2 (240/32)
-mid 80’s

Over all since I started tracking I am at:

-4.21 mi/kWh (683mi, 149.7kWh)
-142 MPGe
-23.74 kWh/100 miles
-47% Highway at 70 mph, 53% City/Stop and Go
-64% Level 2 (240/32), 36% Level 1 (120/20)
-Mid 80's to high 90's