I think it is more of the latter but a bit of the former too David. The S uses quite a bit more power on accessories than most conversions, and most drivers likely usually have climate control on. It also has a very low drag coefficient, so low that it has the same CdA as my little Suzuki Swift. That, and its 4700+ lb weight results in it's drag and rolling resistance forces being equal at around 60-65 mph compared to around 45 mph for most vehicles.
I consistently use less energy per mile driving around the city than on the highway. But I think it depends on what you mean by city driving. I am driving around a small city with relatively few traffic lights compared to a city like SF or LA. Also depends on how fast you accelerate. I've measured recouped energy from regenerative braking at 50% - 58% of the kinetic energy of the car just prior to braking. Considering work against drag and rolling resistance forces, and drive train, motor/controller losses during acceleration, it seems you only get back around around 20%-25% of the energy used to accelerate the car. The energy/mile used moving at ~ constant speed in city driving would have to be low enough relative to highway driving to compensate for that energy lost during each acceleration, and that will depend on distance driven between stop/starts. Lots of variables, which is why people argue endlessly about the value of regen. -- View this message in context: http://electric-vehicle-discussion-list.413529.n4.nabble.com/Re-EVLN-Upgraded-2016-Tesla-S-90D-is-the-first-300mi-483km-production-Electric-car-tp4681833p4681861.html Sent from the Electric Vehicle Discussion List mailing list archive at Nabble.com. _______________________________________________ UNSUBSCRIBE: http://www.evdl.org/help/index.html#usub http://lists.evdl.org/listinfo.cgi/ev-evdl.org Read EVAngel's EV News at http://evdl.org/evln/ Please discuss EV drag racing at NEDRA (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NEDRA)
