Re:Winter chills limit range of the Tesla Model S electric car
by lutusp on Sunday February 17, 2013 @04:45AM
(#5234743)
> Not sure how Tesla does that (if it does 'engine braking')
Tesla uses the electric motors that normally propel the car by expending battery energy, but "in reverse" to generate a small amount of power while decelerating. It's better than nothing, but it's not as efficient as many people seem to believe.
> And of course that's negated by the fact that you'll be going uphill in the way back, using more energy
Good example -- going downhill with your foot on the brake, recovers 20% of the car's kinetic energy lost by descending the hill. Going uphill again requires 100%$ of the required energy from the battery. So it's a net loss of 80% of the total energy represented by climbing and then descending the hill.
Tesla uses the electric motors that normally propel the car by expending battery energy, but "in reverse" to generate a small amount of power while decelerating. It's better than nothing, but it's not as efficient as many people seem to believe.
> And of course that's negated by the fact that you'll be going uphill in the way back, using more energy
Good example -- going downhill with your foot on the brake, recovers 20% of the car's kinetic energy lost by descending the hill. Going uphill again requires 100%$ of the required energy from the battery. So it's a net loss of 80% of the total energy represented by climbing and then descending the hill.