Source: Tesla Model 3 Review Falls Short of Consumer Reports Recommendation The Tesla’s stopping distance of 152 feet from 60 mph was far worse than any contemporary car we’ve tested and about 7 feet longer than the stopping distance of a Ford F-150 full-sized pickup. A Tesla spokesperson told CR that the company’s own testing found stopping distances from 60 to 0 mph were an average of 133 feet, with the same tires as our Model 3. The automaker noted that stopping-distance results are affected by variables such as road surface, weather conditions, tire temperature, brake conditioning, outside temperature, and past driving behavior that may have affected the brake system. . . . In our testing of the Model 3, the first stop we recorded was significantly shorter (around 130 feet, similar to Tesla’s findings), but that distance was not repeated, even after we let the brakes cool overnight. Consumer Reports publishes a distance based on all the stops we record in our test, not just the shortest individual stop. Bob Wilson
The problem of variable braking distance has been reported by some model 3 owners. This has been an isolated but real potential problem. Both CR and R&T have reported similar variable stopping distances while MT has reported stopping distances shorter than those spec'd by Tesla. The vast majority of model 3 owners have not had any issues with stoping distance while a few have. The variability of stopping distance needed to be resolved. Elon resolved the issue yesterday. In a series of Tweets he said: "Looks like this can be fixed with a firmware update. Will be rolling that out in a few days. With further refinement, we can improve braking distance beyond initial specs. Tesla won’t stop until Model 3 has better braking than any remotely comparable car." "Also, Consumer Reports has an early production car. Model 3 now has improved ride comfort, lower wind noise & many other small improvements. Will request that they test current production." "To be clear, all Model 3 cars, incl early production will have same great braking ability. Nature of any product, however, is that if you care about perfection, you make constant small refinements. Today’s Model S is far more refined than initial production."In another Tweet, Elon said the stopping distance variability was caused by "ABS calibration algorithm." Name another car company that can fix problems and improve performance with OTA updates at no cost to the owner.
