My initial results with new Tow Mode

[azbill]

I am 100% the opposite. After dozens of long trips, I have found the nav calculated range remaining absolutely useless. It approximates a minimum of 30-60 miles of range remaining less than what I know I will arrive with. And it doesn't adjust/improve with multiple trips on the same route. What's worse, it always calculates an unnecessary stop to charge, and if I remove that stop it won't even list that route as an option, or it will try to tell me I can't make it. If I subtract the known miles to travel from the estimated miles remaining on the driver screen, I'm almost always +/- 5-10 miles.

At least this towing update gives me hope that the NAV will eventually be able to learn and do better, but so far it is next to useless in determining range remaining on any trip I take. The only current "adjusting" on the way is just applying the same bad math it started with, but with fewer miles to go so it becomes a relatively smaller error. I have been doing the same ~200 mile route once or twice a month round trip on the exact same route, and to date the NAV has learned zero about how wrong it is.

My results are slightly different, the GOM on the driver display is too optimistic, seems to be just EPA based, then the nav gives a way to pessimistic value and tries to add unnecessary charging stops. I usually have to turn off the truck nav and use my phone nav to avoid preconditioning the battery on long legs.

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[HyperionMark]

Here is our first towing/camping trip post-update:

I think we are much closer to 4,000 lbs than 3,000. We had a tailwind both coming and going from our trip, so maybe that impacted our weight numbers, and definitely our efficiency numbers.

This is for the trailer shown in my avatar, short but pretty tall and boxy. We only take the highway if possible because we simply aren't in a hurry when we are camping. But this was a round trip, so zero elevation net.

More musings about efficiency and speed. Since we never towed an RV pre-EV life (Model X prior to R1T) we don't have any built in notions about how traveling and towing should be. I think people that have towed for a long time with ICErs that are used to taking the interstate will definitely have a harder time with range. Lower speeds equals better range, especially with an un-aerodynamic trailer. No way around physics.

 

[KirillWA]

Thanks for sharing. I'm still trying wrap my head around what will be the usable range for towing my 6600lb trailer with Max Pack R1T. I hope I can get at least 150 miles on full charge.

 

[Dark-Fx]

More musings about efficiency and speed. Since we never towed an RV pre-EV life (Model X prior to R1T) we don't have any built in notions about how traveling and towing should be. I think people that have towed for a long time with ICErs that are used to taking the interstate will definitely have a harder time with range. Lower speeds equals better range, especially with an un-aerodynamic trailer. No way around physics.

First time I towed near capacity with my GMC Sonoma I was surprised and annoyed I had to leave it in 3rd gear on the freeway instead of Drive. Otherwise it'd cause it to hunt which is even more annoying. I could have just slowed down though, but no-one wants a trip to take longer just because your method of transport has changed.

 

[Epicloop]

The trip meter showed I used 40kwh and got 1.26 mi/kwh. The real full range estimate should be about 150-160 miles, maybe after some more trips it will figure it out.

I would say that is not bad for 70mph, curious the difference with a horse. They need to make cargo & rv trailers more aerodynamic similar to the smooth & round front of your horse trailer. There are virtually no aerodynamic cargo trailers, if they have a V-nose the transitions are all sharp edged which kills the aero.

At least this towing update gives me hope that the NAV will eventually be able to learn and do better, but so far it is next to useless in determining range remaining on any trip I take.

I have noticed the same thing since I know my route I just go by the % loss.
They need more parameters similar to the lightning including elevation gain/loss and not limit it to 3 trailers.

Lower speeds equals better range, especially with an un-aerodynamic trailer. No way around physics.

I am impressed with the 1.5mi/kwh any idea what the average speed was?

I hope I can get at least 150 miles on full charge.

If you go slow enough or may need to trade for a more aerodynamic trailer. If you are going with 20" some A/S will help.
It would be pretty nerve wracking to push the limits below 10% while towing as well.
Don't even think about getting that if going over the Cascades. The sail & extra weight going up just kills the range then going back down the other side the sail doesn't help the regen as much as an aerodynamic trailer.
I went over the another pass with a loaded dump trailer(7000lb) & a deck over with a big square load(5000lb) The later used an additional 30% more energy on the flat & less regen as well since it acts like a brake.

 

[HyperionMark]

@Epicloop my highway speeds were probably around 50 mph to get 1.5, plus some wind help

 

[azbill]

I would say that is not bad for 70mph, curious the difference with a horse. They need to make cargo & rv trailers more aerodynamic similar to the smooth & round front of your horse trailer. There are virtually no aerodynamic cargo trailers, if they have a V-nose the transitions are all sharp edged which kills the aero.

So I have now done several trips with my smaller enclosed utility trailer.

My speeds have been between 45-75mph, and it is showing 1000lb (about right, but I don't know the exact empty weight). It is getting 1.7 mile/kwh after about 80 miles of towing. What I notice is that at the start of each trip, it goes into "sensing" mode for the first 2 miles, which means it is trying to re-estimate the weight. This makes sense, because for many trailers the weight will vary from trip to trip, such as putting one or two horses in my horse trailer, or loading a flatbed with a car.

 

[Epicloop]

They have a ways to go yet.
Someone didn't get the memo that the large pack is not 180kwh.

 

[KootenayEV]

They have a ways to go yet.
Someone didn't get the memo that the large pack is not 180kwh.

Yeah I've noticed that the "Range at 100%" doesn't line up with the "Towing efficiency" - it also doesn't reset together, which seems odd to me. For now I'm just using the latter and ignoring the former.

 

[logan]

Another data point where I drove with cruise control consistently at 65 except when passing. I'm really happy with the towing update. It makes the nav planner useful. I found it was pretty close to estimates with the new towing mode versus before where it was useless and I had to calculate a worst case everything myself.

With regards to the discrepancy. Hard to say what the right way to estimate this- at least if you live in an area with elevation changes and different driving conditions. I'm more concerned about the accuracy with the nav planner for specific routes. I was seeing between .9 and 1.2 mostly depending on terrain. I'm pretty happy with how well it works now so far. (Only one trip since update.) I figured my backup plan was to drive slow if the range calculations were way off but it did great.

 

[CharonPDX]

They have a ways to go yet.
Someone didn't get the memo that the large pack is not 180kwh.

I got similar on my long trip right after the update arrived. At one point, it said I'd have 240 miles of range at 100%, with a towing efficiency of 1.0 mi/kWh, and a trailer weight of 5000 lbs.

Then it suddenly decided my trailer was 12,000 pounds, and it dropped my range in half.

My trailer is actually 3500 pounds. (Measured.)

 

[Epicloop]

I figured my backup plan was to drive slow if the range calculations were way off but it did great.

Are you only getting 1mi/kwh with the airstream? I thought the results were better for the A-S

 

[logan]

Are you only getting 1mi/kwh with the airstream? I thought the results were better for the A-S

I generally get 1.1-1.2 on reasonably flat terrain. Sometimes higher. Going up hill for long stretches is more like .9.

 

[Epicloop]

I generally get 1.1-1.2 on reasonably flat terrain. Sometimes higher. Going up hill for long stretches is more like .9.

60mph?
Yes I have done much worse on hills with cargo trailer

 

[logan]

60mph?
Yes I have done much worse on hills with cargo trailer

65 mph is what I set the cruise control to including uphill. I'm sure I could do better if I did 55 or 50.

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