Tesla Model 3

[Longsnowsm]

I don't know if anyone on here has the Model 3. This is the first I have checked back in on the forum here in quite a while. I figured since the Model 3 has been around for a while that someone on here probably has one and may have started to eco mod them.

I am thinking about getting one this time next year if the economy doesn't fall out from under us as they are saying. I have some ideas about what I would like to do to a Model 3 right out of the gate to see how much the WH per mile figure can be moved. I think there is some room to see some improvement.

I was hoping someone else was a crazy as I am and already doing it. LOL

[freebeard]

I have some ideas about what I would like to do to a Model 3 right out of the gate to see how much the WH per mile figure can be moved.

To quote the Beatles: "We'd all love to see the plan."

[Longsnowsm]

Well the first thing I think is the wheel covers can be improved. I have seen some claim that some of the other wheel covers meet or beat the Tesla aero covers so I think those need to be tried and documented.

Secondly the tire diameter is a 235 tire, I think it should be easy enough to try and go down to a 225 or 215 diameter tire to reduce that contact patch

Next I have seen a company called Performance Unplugged make some claims about increasing range with a front spoiler lip, lowering springs, and a rear spoiler. I have seen Bjorn Nyland however do a rudimentary test of the lip and the rear spoiler and it was negligible, but he didn't really do a thorough test. I think those should be tested more in depth.

A rear diffuser may have some benefit with this car. I have seen a report that was done on the aero performance and it seem to indicate that the Model 3 might benefit. However I would love to see some more feedback and data. Most people are putting these on for the appearance, and no one has really reported efficiency data or range info to go with the mod.

Rear wheel skirts I think would be beneficial on this car. However I don't see anyone doing anything that you can buy so it would probably need to be fabricated, but I think there would a real impact.

So that is what i am thinking at the moment. The method to coast in this car is appears to be a bit convoluted. I know there is a roll method that can be applied to the stopping method, but it still sounds like the car does a mild regen even if in rolling. I asked a few people who have the car if they knew if you could coast with the rolling, but I didn't get any feedback. Most of my driving is highway so I would love to be able to coast and have paddle to apply regen when I want it.

[JSH]

Originally Posted by Longsnowsm

People said that about the aero wheel covers and as it turns out there is quite a bit of difference.

Just assumed the eco modders would be trying to see how much more they can get out of it.

The Volkswagen XL1 was capable of 280mpg with a 2 cylinder diesel, battery, and some very slick aero.

I would like to think that it would be possible to see a lot more MPGe with similar mods. That would be the point. Just figured someone in here would already be working on it and reporting their numbers.

It depends on whether the "Eco" goal is economical or ecological.

For me eco modding is about saving money - using less fuel means I pay less per mile I drive. Reducing pollution is a great secondary benefit.

I've had my Bolt EV for a year now. In the past year I drove 13,032 miles and consumed 3,203 kWh of electricity. paid for 2308 kWh of that electricity at a cost of $324. (One of the benefits of driving electric is the availability of free charging.) That comes out to $0.025 per mile. That is less than half of the $0.065 per mile for my old 2005 Prius back when fuel averaged $3 / gal.

Even spending $100 to make some pizza plate wheel covers for a 5% improvement isn't going to pay back. $ / MPG can be maximized when buying a car as opposed to trying to mod a car for better fuel economy.

I get that some people just like to see what they can do. Maximizing fuel economy is the goal and cost is a secondary issue. No different than people who are willing to spend thousands of dollars to reduce a 1/4 mile time by 0.1 seconds.

The Volkswagen XL1 was one of those efforts. A limited run of 250 cars sold for $110,000 each. They were basically efficiency supercars sold at supercar prices for people that brag about MPG instead of MPH.


EDIT:

Originally Posted by Longsnowsm

The method to coast in this car is appears to be a bit convoluted. I know there is a roll method that can be applied to the stopping method, but it still sounds like the car does a mild regen even if in rolling. I asked a few people who have the car if they knew if you could coast with the rolling, but I didn't get any feedback. Most of my driving is highway so I would love to be able to coast and have paddle to apply regen when I want it.

Coasting in an electric car is as simple as releasing the accelerator pedal until the car is no longer accelerating. Release it more and you get regen.

[Longsnowsm]

Very nice data on the Bolt.

My interest is economical. I have an off grid homestead. I presently have my solar system sized for specific loads and needs. My objective is to keep the KWH as low as possible in the EV so that I will be able to Level 1 charge the car off of my power system without breaking stuff or having to add a lot more to capacity to my home power build. I am mentally preparing myself for the possibility I may need to put up one more string of PV panels to offset the increased load of the EV. However that cost is pretty substantial so efficiency pays.

When you have to carry your own water you start to value every drop! If I can keep the amount I use in the car as minimal as possible I think it should be possible to trickle charge an EV and be able to top it off on what I produce. But I am going to have to be pretty efficient with it's use.

It is probably excessive to want to mod the EV, but if I can be as efficient as possible I may be able to defer the other costs that I will have to spend in other places. And besides all of that this is a fun exercise.

Today with the EV's that are out there I think we can start edging closer to the XL1's numbers if we put some effort into it. The Model 3 with a .23 CD has some room to improve, but it is a pretty good place to start.

[JSH]

Originally Posted by Longsnowsm

Very nice data on the Bolt.

My interest is economical. I have an off grid homestead. I presently have my solar system sized for specific loads and needs. My objective is to keep the KWH as low as possible in the EV so that I will be able to Level 1 charge the car off of my power system without breaking stuff or having to add a lot more to capacity to my home power build. I am mentally preparing myself for the possibility I may need to put up one more string of PV panels to offset the increased load of the EV. However that cost is pretty substantial so efficiency pays.

When you have to carry your own water you start to value every drop! If I can keep the amount I use in the car as minimal as possible I think it should be possible to trickle charge an EV and be able to top it off on what I produce. But I am going to have to be pretty efficient with it's use.

Yes, that changes things considerably. When you are making your own power small changes in usage can require expensive upgrades.

I'm in the process of specing out the electrical system for my ambulance to RV project right now. I have the induction "burner", toaster oven, and refrigerator I'll be using and I'm measuring consumption for cooking.

What type of batteries are you using for your off-grid system? I have 6V lead acid golf car batteries in my current campervan but I'm looking to go lithium in the new RV. It looks like I will be able to fit about 1800 watts of solar on the roof - I was hoping for 2,000.

[freebeard]

Thanks

Secondly the tire diameter is a 235 tire, I think it should be easy enough to try and go down to a 225 or 215 diameter tire to reduce that contact patch

Those are not diameters, but aspect ratios. And contact patch is your only friend.

What you are looking for is frontal area. Go tall and narrow to preserve contact patch[es]. Agreed about the skirts. Embrace and extend: Hitch-mounted truncated boat tail that wraps around three sides of the rear.

I have an off grid homestead.

What are your thoughts on the Ugrinsky turbine?

[Longsnowsm]

Originally Posted by JSH

What type of batteries are you using for your off-grid system? I have 6V lead acid golf car batteries in my current campervan but I'm looking to go lithium in the new RV. It looks like I will be able to fit about 1800 watts of solar on the roof - I was hoping for 2,000.

I ended up choosing the Nickel Iron batteries more commonly called the Iron Edison batteries due to the location of the battery install, temperatures, and the long term durability.

[Longsnowsm]

Originally Posted by freebeard

Thanks

What are your thoughts on the Ugrinsky turbine?

I am seeing a resurgence of the VAWT type turbines again. I see a couple of startup companies are trying to launch something and I think a VAWT if you could get something that can handle the winds and not break would be great for the low to moderate wind locations and you don't have to get a massive tower up above all the local obstructions, trees etc. I think I would certainly be interested in adding a VAWT type turbine to supplement that more conventional turbines due to startup speeds and the amount of wind it takes to be producing anything.

I am basically just watching the wind generation market at the moment to decide what I will do in the wind generation. I am leaning toward a wind unit called the Ista-Breeze Heli 2.0. It looks like bang for the buck it may be worth doing. I think I may find that my bang for buck will first be to add one more PV array and then look at adding a Heli or two so that I can offset the cloudy days. It is a constant learning experience so I am learning as I go.

This time of year(winter) we get mostly cloudy overcast skies so power production suffers. We do tend to get some wind in the winter, but it isn't consistent so I couldn't rely on it, but it might fill the gaps for some of these cloudy days. Today was a perfect example where it was overcast all day long so power production was very poor. I still produced what I needed and everything is topped off before sundown. You have to design your systems trying to account for the what if's.

You have to really pay attention to what you use because you don't know how long it will be before the sun is shinning again. Get a bunch of ice and snow covering panels and your in for a bad time. I have my PV's ground mounted so I can attempt to keep them clear, but if you get freezing rain which is typical here before it turns to snow then you aren't going to see anything from the panels for a while until you get some sun to cook that stuff off. And when it does shine you need to be sucking down all the power you can get because it tends to be short opportunities with shorter winter days.

Summer time is pretty easy as far as power production with the sun most of the time.

[freebeard]

I am basically just watching the wind generation market at the moment to decide what I will do in the wind generation

Not to drift too far off-topic, but I'm impressed with a horizontal VAWT on a roof ridge at right angles to the prevailing wind. My friends that live up river have a barn that is 80ft long and 40 ft in the air. They could probably harvest 10s of Kilowatts. But they would have to care.