Brutal efficiency from 1,200 road trip this past weekend in CT4S with WNK1 update

[thecoloradokid]

I drove my '22 CT4S with 20 inch wheels and the new WNK1 update from Denver to Lawrence, KS this past weekend. I loaded two bikes that weighed 60lbs max on the back of the car in @bsclywilly's awesome bike rack he made for CT owners. The weather was in the mid-80's, I did not have climate control on, and did not use range mode. I was averaging 75mpg to 80mpg on the highway. There is a 4,000ft drop in elevation from Denver to Lawrence, KS as well.

As you can see, efficiency was brutal.

I wanted to compare the efficiency from my last road trip to Jackson, WY that I did in the end of July and was shocked by the difference.

Same car, but pre-WNK1 update. I only brought my 35lbs electric mountain bike and used range mode on this trip. There was no speed difference on the first leg of this trip compared to my trip this past weekend, but the car was significantly better in regards to efficiency, even with the number of mountain passes I had to cross. On the way back, I took a lot of small roads, and my average speed was much lower, which explains the killer efficiency for that 550 mile leg.

I am a little baffled by these recent results and wanted to see if anyone has seen similar results after installing the new software updates?

 

[f1eng]

Some people have reported the car reverting to “bed-in new brakes” mode after the update, as if it is a new car, so it may not be using much regenerative braking yet.

 

[thecoloradokid]

Honestly, I am not too sure how much that would play in to my drive this past weekend. There is not too much regen, or braking, going on a highway that is close to straight for 550 miles and with light to no traffic.

I am going to take a couple of hundred mile drive this weekend, with no bikes on the back, in range mode to see if the car behaves a little better.

 

[WuffvonTrips]

I was averaging 75mpg to 80mpg on the highway. There is a 4,000ft drop in elevation from Denver to Lawrence, KS as well.
...
As you can see, efficiency was brutal.

Assuming you meant mph rather than mpg, 2.0 miles/kWh sounds pretty good to me.
I've little confidence in the consumption data I'm getting from the app, it doesn't seem to correlate well with my own calculation from kWh charged and miles covered between charges.

 

[perski]

Anything mounted on the outside of the car is going to be a bit of a range killer. At the back is a lot better than on the roof, but still very noticeable.

 

[thecoloradokid]

Appreciate the comments.

I have tons of experience with road tripping in the Taycan with bikes on top of my car, and now on the back since I have a CT4S in all types of weather conditions.

I was just shocked at the difference in efficiency during the two trips in similar conditions pre and post the update, and by using range mode on one trip and not in the other.

 

[daveo4EV]

I drove my '22 CT4S with 20 inch wheels and the new WNK1 update from Denver to Lawrence, KS this past weekend. I loaded two bikes that weighed 60lbs max on the back of the car in @bsclywilly's awesome bike rack he made for CT owners. The weather was in the mid-80's, I did not have climate control on, and did not use range mode. I was averaging 75mpg to 80mpg on the highway. There is a 4,000ft drop in elevation from Denver to Lawrence, KS as well.

As you can see, efficiency was brutal.

I wanted to compare the efficiency from my last road trip to Jackson, WY that I did in the end of July and was shocked by the difference.

Same car, but pre-WNK1 update. I only brought my 35lbs electric mountain bike and used range mode on this trip. There was no speed difference on the first leg of this trip compared to my trip this past weekend, but the car was significantly better in regards to efficiency, even with the number of mountain passes I had to cross. On the way back, I took a lot of small roads, and my average speed was much lower, which explains the killer efficiency for that 550 mile leg.

I am a little baffled by these recent results and wanted to see if anyone has seen similar results after installing the new software updates?

not saying this is the case in your circumstance - but headwinds can cause a dramatic increase in consumption - drag has a velocity-squared component impact - if you have a 10 mph head wind at 70 mph - it's the equivalent of the aero-drag level of 80 mph - which isn't linear but exponential…due to the V^2 component - this can cause efficiency to drop like a stone for same speed driving…

 

[thecoloradokid]

The more I think it about it think it may be an issue with the car reporting since I got the same efficiency in the same kind of weather - low winds both ways - dropping 4,000ft one way and then recouping the 4,000ft in elevation on the way back doing the same speeds.

 

[Taycanfamily]

Did you take I-70 and did you find plenty of chargers?

 

[thecoloradokid]

Did you take I-70 and did you find plenty of chargers?

I know I-70 from Kansas City to the junction in central Utah with I-15 like the back of my hand. I could make the drive east or west from Denver blindfolded and know where all the Electrify America chargers are located.

If the Electrify America chargers were not spaced 125 miles apart between Denver and KC, I would have been screwed.

 

[Taycanfamily]

I know I-70 from Kansas City to the junction in central Utah with I-15 like the back of my hand. I could make the drive east or west from Denver blindfolded and know where all the Electrify America chargers are located.

If the Electrify America chargers were not spaced 125 miles apart between Denver and KC, I would have been screwed.

Thank you. I may be heading to Kansas City

 

[Kingske]

Some people have reported the car reverting to “bed-in new brakes” mode after the update, as if it is a new car, so it may not be using much regenerative braking yet.

If true, that may explain the drop in efficiency seen by a.o. @B61 , @W1NGE , and myself after our uPdates...

 

[W1NGE]

If true, that may explain the drop in efficiency seen by a.o. @B61 , @W1NGE , and myself after our uPdates...

Dealer confirmed my thoughts on brake re-learning post uPdate. Happy to say the brakes have learned and now back to recuperative motor braking - the brake dust was starting to get annoying!

 

[lcarron]

Did you had the bikes on both trips?
The bikes on mine kill the range when driving fast. No brainer.

 

[B61]

Some people have reported the car reverting to “bed-in new brakes” mode after the update, as if it is a new car, so it may not be using much regenerative braking yet.

Might be, but “bed-in new brakes” of new car was up to 500km or so…while i already made more than 1500km after uPdate.
Will see…i also asked my dealer about that and i’m waiting for any feedback.

btw: yesterday, I started to charge at 18%SoC…up to 100%. According to display on charger, there was 77Kwh “loaded” to the battery…. So 100% = 93,9kwh.

Dealer confirmed my thoughts on brake re-learning post uPdate. Happy to say the brakes have learned and now back to recuperative motor braking - the brake dust was starting to get annoying!

OTOH, that would also confirm my “findings” that consumption after uPdate is similar as it was last September/October.
I haven;t noticed any brake dust (lots of rain during last three weeks), but when you wrote about different feeling when braking, I noticed that as well…
But, another OTOH: some members reported range extensions immediatelly after uPdate, so…?
Who knows, only time will tell.

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