Passengers effecting range ?

[Galiano]

My wife and I would like to take a couple of friends on a country drive we have done before. By adding the weight of two additional passengers ( approx. 350 pounds) how noticeably will this extra weight effect our range ? Any guesses ?

 

[donald]

Given all other factors that normally influence range, I do not believe you will be able to tell.

Weight is less critical to EVs than ICE because kinetic energy put in can be largely recovered again. There is no inefficient engine working hard to push energy into the chassis only to lose it again as heat in braking.

As a matter of comment, IMHO, the future for EVs is that they will get much bigger and heavier, because they do not succumb to the inefficiencies of heavy cars like ICE do, and by making the car linearly D% bigger you get D^3% volume (thus potential battery carrying capacity) increase.

 

[cgaydos]

Weight is less critical to EVs than ICE because kinetic energy put in can be largely recovered again. There is no inefficient engine working hard to push energy into the chassis only to lose it again as heat in braking.

There is some truth in that, although hybrid ICEs also have that advantage.

However, weight (and wind, and resistance from road precipitation, and etc) all actually do have more impact on an EVs range exactly because the EV is more efficient. All that waste heat generated by ICEs - even in hybrids - doesn't happen in EVs so a higher percentage of the available energy is used to make the car move. Thus anything making it harder to move the car will have a more direct impact on total range.

We have noticed a slight range difference in our LEAFs between having 1 passenger versus 4. The curb weight of the LEAF is about 3250 lbs, give-or-take depending on year and version, and throw in the extra stuff people carry plus two passengers you're up to maybe 3700. Adding another 350 or so pounds is about a 10% increase. There is some overhead to the energy used in the LEAF but I would guessimate something on the order of a 5-8% reduction in range.

 

[Galiano]

You guys are great. Thanks for the instant replies.

 

[Dmchose]

It could actually be much further. Drive till it stops and tell them mush... :idea: