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That link is about brake performance on a race track at speeds greater than 100mph. I'm not sure what "expected" is in that context, and I doubt the results gen
by jimrandomh 8y ago
That link is about brake performance on a race track at speeds greater than 100mph. I'm not sure what "expected" is in that context, and I doubt the results generalize to more normal usage.
- azinman2 8y agoCR article mentions 60mph, not 100.
- jimrandomh 8y agoI was referring to the Autoevolution post, not the Consumer Reports article. It specifically mentions a maneuver at 103.9mph.
- newnewpdro 8y agoPresumably they're comparing their observations to other vehicles they've driven on Laguna Seca. My suspicion is that the model 3 has undersized brakes for a vehicle of its mass. It's an obvious place to cut the costs. edit: To clarify, the autoevolution report noted not only the pads "were cooked" but that the front rotors appeared to need replacing. Typically only the pads will wear out when it's a simple matter of requiring a more track-oriented pad (higher temp range). The rotors do not get worn in the process, though they may need to be machined (AKA turned) to remove non-uniformly deposited pad material. When you've got both front rotors and pads ruined after a few hot laps at the track, your options are basically larger diameter rotors and/or a different rotor material. Putting back the same style rotors with a higher temp pad is only going to eat the rotors even faster than before. These long-range EVs are not light vehicles, they have a very high potential to stress the braking system.
- dpark 8y agoUndoubtedly the brakes are undersized for track racing. But you don’t need brakes that can hold up to timed laps on Laguna Seca to commute 30 minutes to work. Especially in a car where most braking is done regeneratively.
- newnewpdro 8y agoIt doesn't require a track to repeatedly accelerate and brake agressively a dozen times in a short period of time, an activity a relatively quick EV practically encourages with its silent operation: "It makes all of its power at zero rpm, it has perfect traction control, it never squeaks the tires at all, and it's totallly quiet. So, every stop sign you go to, literally like 90% of the times I come to a stop, if it's a straight line ahead of me, I put my foot to the floor and you just get rubber-banded ahead, it's not anti... If I did that with the Testarossa, it was anti-social, I mean people could hear me three miles away when I would get on it on that car so it's just not something that you do every little corner on there." - John Carmack speaking about his Tesla Roadster [1] I think most people won't expect to have to replace their brakes after a single charge worth of likely shenanigans. [1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L51eoUFp_YA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L51eoUFp_YA
- dpark 8y agoIt doesn't take a track, just an aggressively inappropriate driving style. In a family sedan. :\ Flooring it between lights is stupid and unsafe and to the extent that it's causing massive brake fade you should detect it (and stop) unless your recklessness is accompanied by incompetence. If you're driving so aggressively that you manage to destroy your brake pads in a few miles, you're either on a track or an utter moron.
- newnewpdro 8y agoThere's no shortage of jalopies throughout automotive history which would want their brakes serviced after a single agressive stop from highway speeds. That was before they carried a floor full of batteries and accelerated with their peak torque from 0 RPM. This situation is exacerbated with the paradoxically affordable, massive, and quick (in a straight line) EVs. It won't surprise me one bit if Tesla's first "budget" electric car for the masses cut enough corners to join that list. Skimping on things like brakes in favor of retaining impressive, car-selling acceleration and range figures.