According to a study from advisory service Teslascope, chip designer Advanced Micro Devices, Inc (AMD) Ryzen microprocessors placed inside Tesla, Inc’s Model 3 electric vehicles are lowering their driving range. Tesla had previously used Intel Corporation’s Atom processors for its infotainment systems, but the company has recently switched to AMD devices.
According to the report, and Tesla customers who pre-ordered a Model 3 are now being asked to accept a range reduction for their vehicle in some jurisdictions due to consumer protection laws. Additionally, the range of Tesla’s Model Y appears to have increased, but this looks to be due to larger batteries being installed in the vehicle.
Teslascope’s analysis was delivered in the form of a tweet, which also highlighted how Australian purchasers are forced to consent to their vehicle’s range being reduced after placing a pre-order. While Tesla’s statement does not specifically reference AMD, it does note that the Model 3’s range is being impacted by a new computer.
Tesla’s message reads as follows:
We have updated Model 3 vehicles to optimize the touch screen experience with our new car computer. This hardware change requires more power, resulting in a minor drop in range. Your Model 3 range is now 602 kilometers (WLTP), 22 kilometers less than originally communicated.
It then asks the user if they still want to go ahead with the pre-order. The message has not been issued to all consumers who have pre-ordered a Model 3 for themselves or others, as Teslascope points out in its tweet, and the one sent in Australia is owing to the country’s tougher consumer protection rules.
According to YouTuber Ingineerix, the Model S Plaid’s MCU Ryzen had the following specifications:
The main processor is now an AMD Ryzen YE180FC3T4MFG (4 core 45-watt Ryzen Embedded) 512 KB L2 cache per core, 4 MB L3 cache.
The GPU is also an AMD Radeon marked 215-130000026, the closest guess is similar to a Radeon Pro W6600.
The wifi/BT Module is an LG Innotek ATC5CPC001
Cell Modem is a Quectel AG525R-GL
Gateway is still the venerable SPC5748GSMMJ6
DSP 1 is an ADSP-SC587W SHARC+ Dual Core DSP with ARM Cortex-A5
DSP 2 is an AD21584 SHARC+ Dual Core DSP with ARM Cortex-A5
Ethernet Switch is a Realtek RTL9068ABD
Insides, which originally picked up the report from Teslascope shares more details for the Model 3 range reduction. It reports that:
Model 3 RWD (no changes)
18″ wheels: 510 km (317 miles)
19″ wheels: 491 km (305 miles)
Model 3 LR AWD
18″ wheels: 626 km (389 miles), down by 11 km or 1.7% from 637 km
19″ wheels: 602 km (374 miles), down by 12 km or 2.0% from 614 km
Model 3 Performance
20″ wheels: 547 km (340 miles), down by 20 km or 3.5% from 567 km
Model Y LR AWD
19″ wheels: 565 km (351 miles), up by 28 km or 5.2% from 537 km
20″ wheels: 533 km (331 miles), up by 26 km or 5.1% from 507 km
Model Y Performance
21″ wheels: 514 km (319 miles), up by 34 km or 7.1% from 480 km
Since last year, the Ryzen has been found inside Tesla’s other electric vehicles, including the Model S Plaid and the Models S and X, and a breakdown of the Model S Plaid’s Media Control Unit disclosed the processor’s characteristics.
The range information was first provided on Twitter by the account Tesla Adri, who goes on to quote a Tesla source who confirms that the range drop is due to AMD’s processor. Teslascope was the first to notice in December of last year that the Model 3 and Y 2022 models were also equipped with AMD processors.
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