Can ANYONE explain what "Reference Consumption " is? And HOW it's determined?

[Odysseus]

Here is my issue.  I have a 2017 Tesla S100D.  I tested ABRP for accuracy on a route I drove regularly.  ABRP has a default RC number for this car of 324.  Using that and putting in my actual driving speed, 10 mph over the posted limit which is about 114%, a BRP pretty accurately reported that I would arrive with 15% left. That's very Close to what I actually experience on this drive which I have done probably 100 times [182 miles, 6400" vertical climb].

I found this website https://ev-database.org/cheatsheet/energy-consumption-electric-car which gives RC's for all electric cars  I input the number for my Tesla, 162, into ABRP and it said I would arrive with 49% capacity, which is absurd.

I'm looking to buy a Taycan 4S with the 93kW battery  and drive it from Arizona to Indiana, 1492 miles. ABRP says this will take 27 hours and require 15 charging stops using the default reference consumption number. When I change this to the cheat sheet referenced charge number obtained from the above website, it takes five hours off the total time and cuts the number of charge stops from 15 to 7!  

 

Edited March 26, 2021 by Odysseus

[Odysseus]

it's 192 miles, not 182

[Bill N]

That is 162 Wh per kilometre .... not miles. That’s the main issue here.

But also, that is the figure for the the Model S LR which will be more efficient than your car.

The equivalent figure for your car is 196Wh/km (or 315 Wh/mi).

Furthermore, the EV database consumption figures are not really “reference” figures in the same way that ABRP uses.

EV database say:

“* = estimated value. Average energy consumption and range based on moderate drive style and climate. Real-life values may differ significantly.”

and

“The combined (motorway and city) energy consumption of the Tesla Model S 100D is about 315 Wh per mile. By comparison, this energy consumption is the equivalent of a fuel consumption of 128 mpg in a traditional petrol car.

The actual energy consumption will depend on several factors including climate, terrain, use of climate control systems and driving style. For example: sustaining high speeds in cold weather could result in an energy use of around 440 Wh per mile. However, driving at low speeds in mild weather will increase the efficiency to about 220 Wh per mile.”

Whereas, the ABRP figure is based on the car being driven at a constant 65mph.

[Odysseus]

Thanks!  That explains it ... garbage in and garbage out.  I've re-run the numbers for the actual Tesla drive I make with 315 and they make more sense.  The reserve number given for end of journey on the ascending trip is pretty close to real world.  The estimate on the descending trip, however, is way off, way overstated: it predicts 132 mile of range left when it is usually about 70.