The Influence of Road Gradient Resistance on the Driving Range of Electric Vehicles

This study examines how longitudinal road gradients affect the energy consumption and driving range of a Tesla electric vehicle using dynamometer measurements and Simulink simulations. Tests performed on slopes from 0% to 4% show a strong inverse relationship between gradient and range, with more than a 62% reduction at a 4% incline. The Simulink model accurately reproduces these trends despite the tested vehicle’s age and battery degradation. Shifting from driving range to energy consumption metrics provides a more robust assessment of vehicle efficiency, revealing that uphill segments substantially increase consumption, while downhill segments enable significant recuperation. When averaged, these effects nearly cancel out for moderate slopes, especially at higher speeds where aerodynamic drag dominates. Constant-speed simulations confirm that slope has minimal net impact at highway speeds but strongly affects consumption at urban speeds, with increases of up to 17% at a 4% gradient. Overall, the findings highlight road gradients as a key factor in EV energy modelling and emphasize the need to incorporate terrain and driving environment into predictive range estimation and eco-routing strategies.