California Rt 1 charging and mileage

[kencamp]

I picked up our new Mach-E California Route 1 a couple of weeks ago but have barely had a chance to drive it. We bought the Rt 1 for the range. I’m concerned because I’m just now charging it to full 100% after minimal local driving. Range estimate says 232, which is way below what I expected. Does it learn based on driving habits and adjust the range updware after a little driving? Or do I have a problem?

Sponsored

 

[timbop]

https://www.macheforum.com/site/thr...ulate-how-far-your-mach-e-can-really-go.6104/

 

[RickMachE]

Welcome. There are dozens of threads discussing range. If it's 70 degrees, then that's the range. I suspect you are cooler right now.

And the GOM (Guess-O-Meter) isn't very accurate. Use miles per kWh x your battery size.

 

[kencamp]

Thanks. Just trying to figure it all out. I’ll research deeper through forums too.

 

[timbop]

Thanks. Just trying to figure it all out. I’ll research deeper through forums too.

It's a VERY common comment, which is probably why you're not getting much in the way of replies. The range estimate is referred to as the "guess-o-meter", and can confuse newbies. If you drive the same route the same way in the same weather after a while it gets pretty accurate. If you vary anything, then it may or may not be accurate. If you had a range estimator on your ICE (internal combustion engine) car the same thing happened, but you probably never even noticed. Since ICE cars are so inefficient (30% to 40% efficiency), weather and speed affect mileage less dramatically. BEV's are 95% efficient, so any change to efficiency from speed or weather is more noticeable. The batteries are also more sensitive to cold temps.

The bottom line: what you'll actually achieve depends on how fast you drive and how cold it is. In good weather with a mix of highway and local driving you'll see around the EPA range or even a little better. If you drive at slower speeds in warmer weather you'll significantly exceed the EPA range. If you do 85 on the highway all the time you'll get less. In 30 degree weather you'll see a 20% penalty on range; as it gets colder that penalty increases.

 

[kencamp]

That helps a lot. Since the longest run it’s been on has been like 4 miles, it hasn’t had any chance to learn my driving. Doing a 100-125 mile run tomorrow which should help it begin to learn reality. Appreciate the detailed response.

 

[timbop]

That helps a lot. Since the longest run it’s been on has been like 4 miles, it hasn’t had any chance to learn my driving. Doing a 100-125 mile run tomorrow which should help it begin to learn reality. Appreciate the detailed response.

The key to remember is that the guess-o-meter (GOM) is trying to predict how/where/when you're going to drive so by its nature can't be exact. What REALLY matters, and what you should worry about is the actual miles/kwh you are actually achieving. In warm weather you'll probably see around 3.5 if you average 60 mph or so (mix of city and highway), roughly 3.2 at 70mph on the highway, and probably 4 if you average 40mph (in town driving).

That equates to 315, 290, and 360 miles of range if you charged to 100% and drained it down to zero

 

[AZBill]

In nice warm Arizona, I easily get 300 miles with mine, driving 70-75mph. Ignore the GOM.

 

[timbop]

I suggest looking here also to learn about your new pony:
https://www.macheforum.com/site/posts/242483/

 

[MachEMaster]

That helps a lot. Since the longest run it’s been on has been like 4 miles, it hasn’t had any chance to learn my driving. Doing a 100-125 mile run tomorrow which should help it begin to learn reality. Appreciate the detailed response.

Report back!

 

[Boris]

I believe that battery mileage is calculated with everything "off", especially the a/c and heat. Every extra that affects power use. When I calculate m/kw-hr around town and freeway driving, the freeway driving approaches 3 kw-hr/mi (>2.9) whilst around town, with long wait periods at signals, slower driving, etc., it falls to ~2.5.

Since we live in So Cal, we always have the auto heat on, which means that battery power is either heating or cooling. I'd love to hear how mach-e drivers get over 300 miles per battery charge.

Boris

Sponsored