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Tesla Model S P100D Drives for Over 900 Km (560 Miles) on One Charge

Ever since it came on the market, Tesla has held the record for the highest maximum range among battery-powered electric vehicles. GM's Chevrolet Bolt offers a great alternative with 238 miles, but Tesla can still beat it by almost 100 miles.
Record-braking EV efficiency run 5 photos
Photo: Peeters and Cools
Record-braking EV efficiency runRecord-braking EV efficiency runRecord-braking EV efficiency runRecord-braking EV efficiency run
While those numbers are undoubtedly impressive - especially for the rest of the manufacturers who still struggle to go past the 200-mile barrier - Tesla isn't focusing only on range. In fact, one might say that it's the way the cars accelerate that have brought the company its fame, even though we believe it's a mix of the two combined with the ability to recharge the batteries quickly via the Supercharger network.

The 335 miles the Model S 100D can travel between charges sure sound like a lot, but that's not the best Tesla can offer. Not if you're willing to crawl at painfully slow speeds avoiding braking like it was the plague and trying to maintain a steady pace as best as possible.

Two guys called Steven Peeters and Joeri Cools were up to the task, and what they've achieved is nothing short of spectacular. Using a Model S P100D - the performance version, which isn't the best choice for the feat - they drove around a closed loop in Belgium until the battery ran out.

The two discovered that the sweet spot for best efficiency in a Tesla is at 24 mph (40 km/h), which is a good information to have if you're ever running low on juice and need to make sure you make it to the closest charger.

As Peeters explains in a blog post, driving in a loop has its advantages. Most people choose a straight road and pray for tail wind, but Peeters and Cools figured that, by going in a loop (16 miles/26 km long), they would eventually learn everything there is to the route, and improve their approach to each turn or roundabout.

The whole trip lasted just 15 minutes shy of a full 24 hours, and the two claim they have achieved consumption figures as low as 88Wh/km over a distance of 10 km (140.8Wh/mile over 6.25 miles). In total, they traveled 901.2 km (563.25 miles), which is a new record.

However, it's not one that can't be beaten. Using a Model S 100D and leaving just one man inside the car might help the EV breach the 600-mile barrier, especially if the wind agrees.
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About the author: Vlad Mitrache
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"Boy meets car, boy loves car, boy gets journalism degree and starts job writing and editing at a car magazine" - 5/5. (Vlad Mitrache if he was a movie)
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