What is the main factor that affects the range of an electric vehicle? It is the battery of the electric car that stores the energy required to propel the vehicle. We discuss some other factors that affect the electric car range today.
Don’t get surprised.
Tesla Motors did not alter the battery of the electric vehicle and attained an additional 10% range in their electric vehicles.
How did they do it?
How did they improve the electric car range with the same battery?
Electric car battery cost and time to charge the battery are the two main constraints that pull the customers back when go for an electric vehicle.
The range of the vehicle is a critical factor that decides how success would be an electric vehicle in the market. So the manufacturers keep on trying to improve the range of the electric vehicle.
Shorter range vehicles have less chance to capture the EV market. Range anxiety really matters for a driver.
Tesla vehicles travel long on a single charge than other electric vehicles in the market. The system-level changes in the vehicle make the cars to travel even longer without changing the battery of the vehicle.
They have claimed that they achieved a landmark range of 370 miles and 325 miles on the EPA cycle for Model S and Model X respectively. Tesla changed the drivetrain design to increase the range keeping the same 100kW battery pack.
How the change in power train affects the range of the vehicle?
The power train components affect the range of the vehicle. For example, a low efficient inverter dissipates more power than a high efficient optimally controlled inverter.
The main modifications required to improve the range of the vehicle without touching the battery pack shall be listed below.
- Use of an optimized permanent magnet synchronous reluctance motor
- Silicon carbide power electronics components in the vehicle
- Improved lubrication, cooling, bearing, and gear designs
Let’s dive a little deeper to each points.
Tesla uses a permanent magnet motor in the front and induction motor in the rear enables the best range and performance at all times. All wheels of the vehicle is connected to the power train.
By the power-train modification, more than 10% improvement in the range of the vehicle is obtained.
In addition to the range, the power and torque of the vehicle improved significantly and it reflects in its 0-60mph time.
Additional improvements possible in an electric vehicle
Additional possible improvements
- Reduce the mass of the vehicle
- Aerodynamic design
Compromise the initial cost might improve the range of an electric car a little bit. The initial cost of an electric vehicle is a bit high nowadays. The feasibility of additional improvements has to be closely examined in the business point of view.
Read more: The longest-range electric vehicle now goes even farther
Conclusion
Tesla motors improved the range of the electric vehicle without altering the battery. They had modified the power train components and obtained higher performance.
The battery is not the only factor that affects the range of the electric vehicle. Improvement in the power train component also affects the range of the electric car.
Key points
- Use of an optimized permanent magnet synchronous reluctance motor
- Silicon carbide power electronics components in the vehicle
- Improved lubrication, cooling, bearing, and gear designs
- More than 10% improvement in the range
- Power and torque improvement
