Battery depletion cliff

[Kevin P]

Helpful and I will do. I get the whole estimation thing. But When your car says you have 5% of your SOC left and 10 miles of “estimated range”, do you defy these readings as too conservative and roll the dice when it hits 0%?

i just drove 432 miles on interstate and had to stop 3 times to charge. I started at 100%. Refilled 2x to 80%, the 3rd time from 48% to 75% and got home with 11%. I drive a steady 78 mph (75 limit) and the ave temp was 54 degrees.

i can do the math as you suggest but do you really conclude from that math to ignore the SOC when it says 0% and keep driving? Talk about range anxiety.

You aren't following. Its not that the 5% (or 0%) is incorrect, its that the 10 miles of estimated range MIGHT be incorrect. If the battery approaches 0%, it really is empty.

The car will tell you the miles per kwh used on each trip, if you select it on the main screen. It occasionally seems to report erroneously but its usually accurate. My guess is that at 78mph you are going to get 2.0 miles/kwh or so, at best. Worse in cold weather.

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[generaltso]

Just use the battery percentage the same way you would use a gas gauge in an ICE car. When it gets lower than you feel comfortable with, it's time to add more fuel.

 

[MightyMachMike]

No.

Did you keep driving your old gas powered car on empty?

The only only point we are making is that the “estimated range” that you are upset about isn’t necessarily the actual range you are getting.

It may say 170 miles but you actually may have 220.

Not because you can drive past 0%.

This is no different than a gas car range estimator. Mine said like 200 miles (because I drove mostly in the city), but actual highway range was over 300.

Also, just check your “trips” in the app, it will do the math for you.

Of course. Let me clarify. My disdain is not the lack of precision in estimated range so if my original thread made that impression then my bad. I am smarter than that. The SOC is confirming the substantially reduced range that is showing up in estimates. As my real life experience yesterday shows, I had to recharge 3x on a 430 mile road trip in moderate temperatures. That is very frustrating and disappointing.

 

[generaltso]

The SOC is confirming the substantially reduced range that is showing up in estimates.

Yes, speed and temperature will GREATLY reduce any EV's range.

 

[RockwallRick]

The first week we had the car the battery SOC dropped to 13 % while on the way home from Orlando. According to the GOM I had enough range to make it back but I didn’t trust it so played it safe and stopped for a DC charge. Still don’t trust the GOM so I pay more attention to the battery state!

 

[Mach1E]

Of course. Let me clarify. My disdain is not the lack of precision in estimated range so if my original thread made that impression then my bad. I am smarter than that. The SOC is confirming the substantially reduced range that is showing up in estimates. As my real life experience yesterday shows, I had to recharge 3x on a 430 mile road trip in moderate temperatures. That is very frustrating and disappointing.

It may be frustrating and disappointing, but as everyone else has mentioned, it’s “normal and to be expected.”

BEVs aren’t great for traveling long distances quickly, especially in the winter.

If you plan on frequently taking long trips at high speed in the cold, this isn’t the best vehicle for that. In fact it may be one of the worst.

 

[TruWrecks]

Want to get the best range in the MME?

Drive between 55-60 MPH and use only the seat heaters for heat. Turn off E-Heat. You can easily stretch that range out.

 

[Mach1E]

The GOM showing less than the actual mileage is similar to a gas guage that shows empty but actually has a few gallons left. Both are being conservative and are not meant to be accurate. While the % should be accurate, my wife has driven her LEAF several miles with 0% showing

To be clear, we aren’t suggesting running it on empty.

Just that when full, the 170 might actually be 200. But just like we don’t know how fast or where you will drive, the GOM can’t predict the future either.

 

[ARK]

Of course. Let me clarify. My disdain is not the lack of precision in estimated range so if my original thread made that impression then my bad. I am smarter than that. The SOC is confirming the substantially reduced range that is showing up in estimates. As my real life experience yesterday shows, I had to recharge 3x on a 430 mile road trip in moderate temperatures. That is very frustrating and disappointing.

Were you driving uphill the whole time or something, that does seem quite a bit. As others have said, the GOM tends to be more pessimistic than your actual range, so some of what you are experiencing may be that.

Others have mentioned it, but just to be clear, EVs are much more efficient at lower speeds, unlike ICEs, which do better on the highway than in the city.

Finally, know that for the GT, you need to be averaging about 3.0 or 3.1 miles per kWh in order to hit your projected range. If you multiply whatever miles per kWh the vehicle is showing you by 88 (the 2021 GT’s usable battery capacity), that would give you an idea of your usable range for a ‘full tank’ based on current consumption.

Of course if you have a 75%, 50%, 25%, etc. charge left, if you multiply the number you got by 75%, 50%, 25%, etc., that would give you a good idea of your true remaining range based on your current consumption regardless of what the GOM is telling you.

But caution, even the consumption rate is an estimate, so I wouldn’t go all in on it, and your consumption rate will drastically change (efficiency will go down) if you say start climbing a hill while maintaining your current speed.

 

[breeves002]

I would never drive to zero.

If you're concerned about range, slow down. Driving 78mph is impacting your range. Set the heat on 68 and use the seat warmer.

I agree with this.

If you precondition, unless it is extremely cold the heater isn't that massive of a draw though it isn't insignificant either. Slowing down is the biggest way to increase range. Wind resistance is exponential.

 

[breeves002]

I just drove 432 miles on interstate and had to stop 3 times to charge. I started at 100%. Refilled 2x to 80%, the 3rd time from 48% to 75% and got home with 11%. I drive a steady 78 mph (75 limit) and the ave temp was 54 degrees.

What was your actual consumed energy for this trip? Can guess based on when you started each charge to 80%. Let's do the math in mi/kWh and see if it makes sense. At 78mph with heater on around ~50ºF I'd expect between 2.3-2.6mi/kWh.

You may also consider wind conditions. If you have a 15mph head wind then it's like you're driving 93mph which will seriously tank range. Possibly below 2mi/kWh.

 

[Thor2j]

Of course. Let me clarify. My disdain is not the lack of precision in estimated range so if my original thread made that impression then my bad. I am smarter than that. The SOC is confirming the substantially reduced range that is showing up in estimates. As my real life experience yesterday shows, I had to recharge 3x on a 430 mile road trip in moderate temperatures. That is very frustrating and disappointing.

I have a GT. Drive it like I stole it. Live at 8000 ft elevation and drive up and down all the time to 5000 ft. It's 18 degrees right now and snow on the road. I'm averaging 2.5m/kwh. That's about 220 miles in dead of winter . I'll take it. Pay no attention to GOM.

 

[Murse-In-Airy]

If you want your GOM to get to 270 miles estimated range, you’re going to have to drive the way the EPA did. 55MPH 50% of the time and stop and go city driving the other 50% of the time. And in 70°+ weather.

Doing 78MPH in 50° weather ain’t gonna cut it.

 

[sotek2345]

I have a GT. Drive it like I stole it. Live at 8000 ft elevation and drive up and down all the time to 5000 ft. It's 18 degrees right now and snow on the road. I'm averaging 2.5m/kwh. That's about 220 miles in dead of winter . I'll take it. Pay no attention to GOM.

That is impressive - I am only seeing ~1.5mi/kWhr diving easy at 35mph in our GT driving around town. ~20% of energy going to ext. temp, ~40% to climate, and ~40% to propulsion.

 

[Thor2j]

That is impressive - I am only seeing ~1.5mi/kWhr diving easy at 35mph in our GT driving around town. ~20% of energy going to ext. temp, ~40% to climate, and ~40% to propulsion.

I leave mine plugged in at home and heat it before I leave but almost never see more then 10% climate. 68 degrees and seat heater on.

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