Is there any data on the internal resistance of the ER and SR packs?
The $20k difference in price was a dead stop for me to option ER. The SR is more than adequate for my needs.
The charging network is the biggest problem right now. If Tesla opened up their network, the SR model would be the #1 seller.
ABRP (A Better Route Planner) shows reference consumption of each vehicle.
ER 447 Wh/mi (2.23 mi per kWh)
SR 537 Wh/mi (1.86 mi per kWh)
This seems quite off as well.
Tesla's experience would refute that the SR would ever be "the number one seller". Even with their charging networks, their sub 300 mile cars really gave them a black eye. I regularly make trips where my current model Y, rated at 320 mi, is just barely enough. My Chevy bolt, with a similar range to the SR was really just a city/local car.
The SR works great for you, and I am glad. But it is an undersized pack, is not going to work well for most people, and will ultimately tarnish the reputation of the vehicle overall.
Data on the effects of internal resistance, and manufacturers efforts to reduce it is abundant. White papers currently number in the thousands, so you could spend weeks if you like delving into them. In a nutshell, a given current drawn from a cell with an internal resistance of x is y. As the draw rate increases, so does the internal resistance. The opposite is also true, so drawing the same current from two cells results in y² - z², with z being how much less resistance it takes to draw half the amperage from the first cell. These factors differ according to chemistry and physical makeup of the cell, but are present in all cells.
Put another way; if a given load depletes a battery pack in 1 hour, the same load with two battery packs will give you more than 2 hours. This is because of the increased efficiency and less loss from internal resistance.
There is a point of diminishing return when increasing cell numbers when compared to weight in a vehicle, or a "sweet spot." Get too far below that sweet spot, and your cell resistance at a given draw hurts the overall performance of the pack.
Tesla found that sweet spot to be right around the 300 mile mark, but that is a very rough approximation of pack size in relation to vehicle Mass and drag. Anecdotal along with rated evidence, some of which you provide above, would suggest that the Ford sweet spot may be quite similar.
