Speed can make a significant difference to a Tesla vehicle’s energy consumption - but how much range do you actually lose by driving at 120 or 130 km/h instead of 110 km/h?

To find out, we tested our 2025 Tesla Model Y Juniper AWD over the same 102-kilometer route at three different highway speeds.

If you want to see the final results and how we got to them, watch the video below:

Test Design

Our Model Y is the all-wheel-drive version with the larger battery pack, providing approximately 79-80 kWh of usable energy. Tesla advertises a WLTP range of around 620 kilometers, but official figures do not always represent what drivers can expect on the highway.

For this test, we completed the same 102-kilometer route three times, maintaining a different speed during each run: 110 km/h, 120 km/h, and 130 km/h.

Around 90% of the route was on the highway. We drove approximately 50 kilometers in one direction before turning around and returning along the same road. This helped reduce the influence of elevation changes and different road conditions.

To make the comparison as consistent as possible, we also charged the battery back to exactly 60% before every run.

The test was conducted during the final days of summer at an outside temperature of approximately 30°C. The car was fitted with 20-inch Michelin Pilot Sport EV tires, and the air conditioning remained active throughout all three runs.

Test 1: Driving at 110 km/h

During the first run, we maintained 110 km/h.

The 102-kilometer journey took 1 hour and 9 minutes. The battery level dropped by 20%, while the Model Y consumed 14.6 kWh in total.

That produced an average consumption of 142.6 Wh/km.

Based on the battery’s usable capacity, the Model Y could theoretically cover approximately 554 kilometers on a full charge at this level of consumption.

This was the slowest of the three runs, but it also delivered the best efficiency and longest estimated range.

Test 2: Driving at 120 km/h

After charging the battery back to 60%, we repeated the same route at 120 km/h.

The second run took 1 hour and 6 minutes - only three minutes less than the journey at 110 km/h.

Energy consumption increased to 16 kWh, while the battery dropped by 22%. The Model Y recorded an average consumption of 156.8 Wh/km.

At that rate, the estimated range on a fully charged battery would be approximately 504 kilometers.

Increasing our speed by 10 km/h therefore saved three minutes over the test route, but reduced the estimated range by around 50 kilometers - or approximately 9%.

Test 3: Driving at 130 km/h

For the final run, we once again started with the battery at 60% and increased our speed to 130 km/h.

We completed the journey in exactly one hour, making it nine minutes faster than the original run at 110 km/h.

However, the car consumed 17.2 kWh, and the battery level dropped by 24%. Average energy consumption reached 168.4 Wh/km, resulting in an estimated range of approximately 469 kilometers.

Compared with driving at 110 km/h, maintaining 130 km/h reduced the estimated range by around 85 kilometers, or just over 15%.

In return, we saved only nine minutes over the 102-kilometer journey.

Increasing the speed from 110 to 130 km/h represents an increase of approximately 18.2%.

Over the same interval, average consumption rose from 142.6 to 168.4 Wh/km - an increase of approximately 18.1%.

However, the effect on the estimated total range is easier to appreciate:

At 110 km/h: approximately 554 kilometers

At 120 km/h: approximately 504 kilometers

At 130 km/h: approximately 469 kilometers

These figures represent theoretical ranges calculated from the measured consumption and usable battery capacity. Real-world results can vary depending on traffic, weather, elevation, tire pressure, battery temperature, climate-control use, and other conditions.

Why Does Speed Affect EV Range So Much?

One of the main reasons energy consumption increases at higher speeds is aerodynamic drag.

As a vehicle moves faster, it must push through the surrounding air with greater force. Aerodynamic drag increases roughly with the square of speed. In simple terms, doubling a vehicle’s speed can increase aerodynamic resistance by approximately four times.

That does not mean the car’s total energy consumption becomes four times higher, because aerodynamic drag is only one part of the equation.

Other factors also influence consumption, including:

Rolling resistance

Drivetrain efficiency

Climate-control use

Road surface and elevation

Wind direction and speed

Outside temperature and battery temperature

Wheels and tires

Nevertheless, aerodynamic resistance becomes increasingly important at highway speeds. As this test demonstrates, even another 10 or 20 km/h can produce a noticeable difference in efficiency.

Is Driving Faster Worth the Lost Range?

That depends on the journey.

During our test, increasing the speed from 110 to 130 km/h saved approximately nine minutes across 102 kilometers. At the same time, the Model Y’s estimated range decreased from 554 to 469 kilometers.

For shorter journeys with sufficient battery, the difference may not be particularly important. During a longer road trip, however, the additional consumption could result in an earlier charging stop - or an extra stop that might offset the time saved by driving faster.

Reducing your speed slightly can therefore be one of the easiest ways to extend your Tesla’s highway range, especially when the remaining distance or available charging options are a concern.

Would you sacrifice up to 85 kilometers of estimated range to reach your destination a little sooner, or would you slow down and prioritize efficiency?