Battery range less than official figures

[Murse-In-Airy]

Thx. I think my post was misunderstood. I understand that weather conditions and driving style influences actual miles achieved on a charge. But if the battery has capacity of 314, shouldn't it charge to that level? I may not get 314 based on conditions and speed but it ought to fully charge.

The GOM is trying to use an algorithm based on your driving habits and local weather conditions to provide you with a true estimated range. It’s attempting honesty. Something the EPA and other car manufacturers don’t even try for. If you want the car to read 314 miles of estimated range, just reset the driving history each time you charge the car. Then watch the estimate recalculate to something much less because the 314 will be a lie. The battery percentage shows you what capacity you have. The range estimate is trying to be real with you.

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[HuntingPudel]

Additionally to what @Kabish said, the battery chemistry is less active when the battery is cold. The colder it gets, the less active it is. When the chemistry is less active, it holds less charge, which is the crux of the problem. If you can keep your battery at 70 degrees F all the time, you will not have these issues. Unfortunately, there is no way to keep the battery always at 70 degrees F. ?‍?

 

[Shayne]

Winter.

Here is the estimated range of my extended range, 91 kWh, 270 mile EPA rated MME:

Yellow card for driving too fast. The last 1% should get you an extra 16 miles ?‍

 

[JLH]

The GOM is trying to use an algorithm based on your driving habits and local weather conditions to provide you with a true estimated range. It’s attempting honesty. Something the EPA and other car manufacturers don’t even try for. If you want the car to read 314 miles of estimated range, just reset the driving history each time you charge the car. Then watch the estimate recalculate to something much less because the 314 will be a lie. The battery percentage shows you what capacity you have. The range estimate is trying to be real with you.

Thanks for that explanation. Much appreciated. Still doesn't make sense to me as I live in Southern California and the temperature is 60-70 every day and I don't drive at excessive speeds. Not sure what other factors impact my mileage but I understand what you're saying.

 

[Ride_the_lightning]

Thx. I think my post was misunderstood. I understand that weather conditions and driving style influences actual miles achieved on a charge. But if the battery has capacity of 314, shouldn't it charge to that level? I may not get 314 based on conditions and speed but it ought to fully charge.

Did you have a Tesla before? Because Tesla “miles” directly correspond to a battery charge. This isn’t true of the Mach E. Just look at the percentage. 100% is fully charged. You don’t put miles into the battery. You put KWH.

 

[Shayne]

Thanks for that explanation. Much appreciated. Still doesn't make sense to me as I live in Southern California and the temperature is 60-70 every day and I don't drive at excessive speeds. Not sure what other factors impact my mileage but I understand what you're saying.

It does make sense to tell you what you have for today and not what the perfect conditions could provide you. Drive not over 40 mph for a month let the range indicator (GOM) learn then come back and tell us how much over the GOM display is compared to the EPA.

 

[Mach-Lee]

Thanks for that explanation. Much appreciated. Still doesn't make sense to me as I live in Southern California and the temperature is 60-70 every day and I don't drive at excessive speeds. Not sure what other factors impact my mileage but I understand what you're saying.

It is not 60-70ºF all the time, the forecast says you dip down into the 40's at night which will definitely impact your range. The range shown will update throughout the day based on the current conditions. Range will start going down any time the current temp is below about 60ºF.

It seems like you are a former Tesla owner, understand they range display works completely differently between the two brands. The Tesla always shows the EPA mileage at 75ºF which is wrong most of the time (impossible to actually go that far), the Ford GOM will always show the best estimate of the current range based on current conditions and usage history. With the Ford GOM you will see a different number every day even if you always charge to the same %.

 

[Murse-In-Airy]

Thanks for that explanation. Much appreciated. Still doesn't make sense to me as I live in Southern California and the temperature is 60-70 every day and I don't drive at excessive speeds. Not sure what other factors impact my mileage but I understand what you're saying.

Unfortunately true EPA range is tested on a dyno and even the “highway test” involves never going over 60 MPH and an average of 48 MPH. So if you want true EPA range, you’re going to have to drive like an EPA test.

(Actually not that bad because Ford down-rated their range. So you’re pretty safe up to 60 MPH, but the ideal battery temp is 80°. So even at 60° you’ll see less range than ideal)

 

[generaltso]

Thx. I think my post was misunderstood. I understand that weather conditions and driving style influences actual miles achieved on a charge. But if the battery has capacity of 314, shouldn't it charge to that level? I may not get 314 based on conditions and speed but it ought to fully charge.

Battery capacity isn’t measured in miles, it‘s measured in kWh. When you fill a gas car do you pump miles into the tank or gallons?

 

[Kabish]

I live in Southern California and the temperature is 60-70 every day

Ummm I don't know what "Southern California" you live in, but its been cold as tits here. I have a feeling that most people that say "Southern California" are actually in LA so.. That is far from 60-70, that is more like 50 -60. Well below where a battery is happy.

There are a zillion threads about this topic. I live in San Diego, once its constantly below 70 degrees range drops a lot. Once its above 90ish degrees constantly range will also drop. Elevation, acceleration, brake regen, weather, wind, tire pressure, if you ate that one extra burger at McDonalds that you knew you should had skipped after having that large milkshake with the double quarter pound large size meal. It all factors into what the range meter will say.

 

[JLH]

It is not 60-70ºF all the time, the forecast says you dip down into the 40's at night which will definitely impact your range. The range shown will update throughout the day based on the current conditions. Range will start going down any time the current temp is below about 60ºF.

It seems like you are a former Tesla owner, understand they range display works completely differently between the two brands. The Tesla always shows the EPA mileage at 75ºF which is wrong most of the time (impossible to actually go that far), the Ford GOM will always show the best estimate of the current range based on current conditions and usage history. With the Ford GOM you will see a different number every day even if you always charge to the same %.

No, never a Tesla. Can't stand him. Just a new EV owner who apparently misunderstood how the battery operated. I chose the car because it had an extended range battery and assumed 314 meant that or at least in the neighborhood.and not 45 miles under. But, appreciate the education about how this actually works.

 

[Mach-Lee]

No, never a Tesla. Can't stand him. Just a new EV owner who apparently misunderstood how the battery operated. I chose the car because it had an extended range battery and assumed 314 meant that or at least in the neighborhood.and not 45 miles under. But, appreciate the education about how this actually works.

Yeah, cold saps your range due to physics, it's the same with all EVs. Up here in cold WI I only get 150 miles range in the winter (45% range loss). Perfectly normal winter range loss.

 

[JLH]

Ummm I don't know what "Southern California" you live in, but its been cold as tits here. I have a feeling that most people that say "Southern California" are actually in LA so.. That is far from 60-70, that is more like 50 -60. Well below where a battery is happy.

There are a zillion threads about this topic. I live in San Diego, once its constantly below 70 degrees range drops a lot. Once its above 90ish degrees constantly range will also drop. Elevation, acceleration, brake regen, weather, wind, tire pressure, if you ate that one extra burger at McDonalds that you knew you should had skipped after having that large milkshake with the double quarter pound large size meal. It all factors into what the range meter will say.

Ha. All about perspective. I live in south Orange County but moved here from Chicago. Chicago is cold as tits. I wear shorts and flip flops almost every day here.. But point taken about why range varies.

 

[mkhuffman]

Ha. All about perspective. I live in south Orange County but moved here from Chicago. Chicago is cold as tits. I wear shorts and flip flops almost every day here.. But point taken about why range varies.

Research how EPA range testing is done. If you can drive like the test, and in warm temperatures, you can meet or exceed EPA range. Some people actually do exceed EPA range, driving like grandma in the summer. I floor it every chance I get and the speed limit is a guideline, not a rule to me. So my GOM does not match the EPA rating.

How do you drive?

 

[macchiaz-o]

My vehicle estimates slightly more range now than it does in the summer. I think it's due to not using the HVAC, and garaging my car (it's warmer in there than out in the driveway, especially overnight).

Do you park it outside, or in a garage, @JLH?

Mine's currently estimating 243 miles at 100%, which is 5% above its original factory/sticker rating. Current temps in Phoenix range from 45 to almost 70.

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