Picture this. Before the Tesla Model S, EVs were more of a nuisance rather than an alternative to internal combustion-engined and hybrid vehicles. Then the Model 3 came around, pushing the game one step further with its $35,000 starting price.
On the other hand, 220 miles of range doesn’t sound like a lot if you’re planning to take a trip to somewhere the Supercharger network is second to nonexistent. To this effect, the Long Range is the Model 3 to choose, adding $9,000 to the tally. If you want to go all out with extras such as the dual-motor option and Performance package, Tesla is much obliged to hike up the price to a Maserati Levante-like $86,000.
These being said, the larger of two battery options is quoted at 310 miles. That’s 25 miles short of the Model S with the 100-kWh pack, and it’s a lot of range in comparison to more mainstream competitors such as the Nissan Leaf. On the other hand, the advertised range need not apply if you drive like an old lady to church.
Sean Mitchell and Erik Strait set out to prove that the Model 3 can travel more than 600 miles on a full charge, and guess what? The two did it, clocking 606.2 miles after 32 hours of driving with short stops to use the bathroom.
The two decided on a one-mile loop near Denver International Airport, which features a 10-foot elevation change. This is an essential detail in any hypermiling experiment, and so is speed. Most of the time, Sean and Erik kept the Model 3 Long Range between 20 and 30 miles, a lot less than the 140-mph maximum velocity.
Then there’s the comfort - or lack thereof - of such an experiment. Case in point: “At its peak, it was 108 ° Fahrenheit in the cabin with no A/C running.” As for water and food, a friend of Sean and Erik had to throw the goods into a net in the car as the Model 3 Long Range drove by him. Still, there are worse jobs out there, right?
Final #Model3 hypermile numbers from @teslainventory and I: 606.2 miles (975 km), 66 kWh, and 110 wh/mi, and 32 hours of driving. At its peak it was 108F in the cabin with no a/c running. Thank you @Tesla and @elonmusk for making such an incredible piece of machinery! pic.twitter.com/Z1LJk4Ligk
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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