Electric vehicle efficiency tests usually yield impressive figures, but every once in a while, a result makes headlines. It is precisely what happened when Bjorn Nyland, one of the most respected EV testers in the world, drove 814 km (506 miles) on a single charge in a Tesla Model Y Long Range Rear-Wheel Drive, all in Thailand.
The fact that this was achieved with such an efficiency figure, namely 96 Wh/km (154.5 Wh/mi), is even more impressive. The efficiency of that figure competes and even surpasses the efficiency of much smaller electric cars, not to mention a midsize electric SUV.
The Conditions Behind the Record
Nyland did this using traditional hypermiling techniques and kept his speed at 80 km/h (50 mph) on the highway. This velocity is near the efficiency optimum of EVs, where aerodynamic drag remains comparatively small, and drivetrain losses are reduced.
At high ambient temperatures, batteries work more effectively to minimize heat losses to heating as well as internal resistance. This setting also enabled the Model Y to perform close to its peak efficiency during the drive, unlike cold-weather tests that penalize range.
Notably, it was not a laboratory simulation. Nyland executed the test under real conditions, in his customary transparent style, and took a meticulous record of the energy consumption, which has become the hallmark of his audience in years of uninterrupted experimental work.
Breaking Down the Efficiency Numbers
In comparison with 96 Wh/km, several EVs on highways use 150-180 Wh/km (average), whereas at higher speeds, bigger SUVs can easily be over 200 Wh/km. Remarkably, the Model Y was able to achieve under 100 Wh/km in its size. 154.5 W/mi puts the Model Y efficiency in the same territory as some of the very efficient compact EVs that ever existed. It shows the extent to which Tesla has advanced in terms of powertrain optimization, aerodynamics, and battery management systems.
This is also the reason why the car can drive such a high distance at a time when it was not supposed to. EVs can perform better than standardized test cycles that are accompanied by acceleration, higher speeds, and stops at low, steady speeds.
Why Model Y LR RWD Matters
The Long Range Rear-Wheel Drive version of the Model Y is more efficient in its make compared to the dual-motor AWD models. The RWD design is also best suited to maximum range and not outright performance with a single motor instead of two, fewer losses in the drivetrain, and fewer overall pounds.
Together with the high-efficiency permanent magnet motor designed by Tesla, improved inverter design, and optimized thermal management, the Model Y LR RWD will become a long-range star when driven at a leisurely pace.
Although the majority of drivers are not hypermiling at 80 km/h, covering hundreds of kilometers, the message of the test conducted by Nyland is very crucial: EV range anxiety is becoming a thing of the past. Depending on the circumstances, modern electric vehicles can do much more than what their official ratings claim. To regular drivers, even this efficiency increase, in the form of easier driving, more moderate speeds, and the correct state of tires, can be translated to a significant change in actual range.
