4 ms·

Yeah, but to do it properly the "real world" aspects need to be the same across all of the tested cars.

gamblor956 6y ago
Edmunds tested all of the cars the same way: on roads, highways, and freeways in the LA area. It tested each car using the same settings for A/C, etc. Tesla simply failed to live up to its marketing claims. Again. Even after Edmunds re-tested the vehicle to accomodate some of Tesla's requests. (And in fact, Edmunds notes that no Tesla has ever reached or exceeded its EPA rating in its tests, which is unique among all automakers, ICE or EV.) In contrast, most of the other EVs outperformed their stated EPA ranges, and even with zero range buffers Tesla still underperformed its EPA ratings, while the other vehicles simply exceeded their EPA ratings even more once their zero-range buffers were included. How does Edmunds conduct its testing? The roads Edmunds drives on specific road routes that cover both highway and city driving around the greater Los Angeles area. We aim for a mix of 60% city driving and 40% highway, assuming that most electric vehicle owners will likely spend more time in stop-and-go traffic than they will on the open highway. Since no electric vehicle has exactly the same range, the route length is adapted to suit each vehicle. The methodology In EPA tests, a vehicle is run in the default settings at startup. If there are more efficient drive modes available, or if you can increase the level of regenerative braking, but the vehicle doesn't default to these settings, they won't be utilized. Edmunds' standard practice is to use the most efficient drive mode as long as it doesn't affect safety or practical comfort levels, such as deactivating the climate control system or significantly reducing power for accelerating or maintaining appropriate highway speeds. We run with windows up and the climate control set to auto at 72 degrees, and we maximize regenerative braking during stops. We follow the posted speed limits and keep within 5 mph of them, traffic and conditions permitting.
- labcomputer 6y ago
  > Edmunds tested all of the cars the same way: on roads, highways, and freeways in the LA area. It tested each car using the same settings for A/C, etc. That's... fairly generous to Edmunds. There was almost a 20 degree difference in temperatures between cars. > How does Edmunds conduct its testing? The roads [...] driving around the greater Los Angeles area Which can exaggerate the difference between cars. Suppose Car A has just enough battery to coast over the top of Angeles Forrest Highway and then regen down the other side. Car B rolls to a stop 1 ft from the top. Most people would say these two cars have virtually the same range, but a test on hilly public roads could turn that into a 20+ miles difference in range.
  - gamblor956 6y ago
    They tested all of the cars in the same geographic location, following the same course on roads, highways, and freeways, ever time, during the same month. No other brand had the same systematic issue with overstated mileage despite the temperature differences, which affected all of the Teslas, not just the one driven during the coldest days (which were still no lower than 45 degrees F). Most people would say these two cars have virtually the same range, but a test on hilly public roads could turn that into a 20+ miles difference in range. That would have benefited Tesla, as their vehicles have larger batteries than their competitors. And yet...they systemically underperformed their EPA ratings.

Edmunds tested all of the cars the same way: on roads, highways, and freeways in the LA area. It tested each car using the same settings for A/C, etc. Tesla simply failed to live up to its marketing claims. Again. Even after Edmunds re-tested the vehicle to accomodate some of Tesla's requests. (And in fact, Edmunds notes that no Tesla has ever reached or exceeded its EPA rating in its tests, which is unique among all automakers, ICE or EV.) In contrast, most of the other EVs outperformed their stated EPA ranges, and even with zero range buffers Tesla still underperformed its EPA ratings, while the other vehicles simply exceeded their EPA ratings even more once their zero-range buffers were included. How does Edmunds conduct its testing? The roads Edmunds drives on specific road routes that cover both highway and city driving around the greater Los Angeles area. We aim for a mix of 60% city driving and 40% highway, assuming that most electric vehicle owners will likely spend more time in stop-and-go traffic than they will on the open highway. Since no electric vehicle has exactly the same range, the route length is adapted to suit each vehicle. The methodology In EPA tests, a vehicle is run in the default settings at startup. If there are more efficient drive modes available, or if you can increase the level of regenerative braking, but the vehicle doesn't default to these settings, they won't be utilized. Edmunds' standard practice is to use the most efficient drive mode as long as it doesn't affect safety or practical comfort levels, such as deactivating the climate control system or significantly reducing power for accelerating or maintaining appropriate highway speeds. We run with windows up and the climate control set to auto at 72 degrees, and we maximize regenerative braking during stops. We follow the posted speed limits and keep within 5 mph of them, traffic and conditions permitting.

labcomputer 6y ago
> Edmunds tested all of the cars the same way: on roads, highways, and freeways in the LA area. It tested each car using the same settings for A/C, etc. That's... fairly generous to Edmunds. There was almost a 20 degree difference in temperatures between cars. > How does Edmunds conduct its testing? The roads [...] driving around the greater Los Angeles area Which can exaggerate the difference between cars. Suppose Car A has just enough battery to coast over the top of Angeles Forrest Highway and then regen down the other side. Car B rolls to a stop 1 ft from the top. Most people would say these two cars have virtually the same range, but a test on hilly public roads could turn that into a 20+ miles difference in range.
- gamblor956 6y ago
  They tested all of the cars in the same geographic location, following the same course on roads, highways, and freeways, ever time, during the same month. No other brand had the same systematic issue with overstated mileage despite the temperature differences, which affected all of the Teslas, not just the one driven during the coldest days (which were still no lower than 45 degrees F). Most people would say these two cars have virtually the same range, but a test on hilly public roads could turn that into a 20+ miles difference in range. That would have benefited Tesla, as their vehicles have larger batteries than their competitors. And yet...they systemically underperformed their EPA ratings.