How Accurate is Mileage (Odometer Versus Charge Level)

[Sparty]

I've made a few round trip runs to Detroit Metro Airport over the last month and this Monday's trip has raised some concerns with the accuracy of mileage!

Each time, I charged our AWD, high capacity battery, 2023 MacheE to 100%. Each time, the display showed 100% charge with 270 to 280 mi of estimated range. G-map shows the trip as 168 mi there and back. Ambient temps were 60 to 78 F on these days. I used environmental control and listened to either FM radio or Pandora via Android Auto. I don't think I sat parked for more than 15 minutes during any trip nor did I get off the highway. On every trip, by the time I arrived back home the display showed charge at 20%, or less, with 40 - 60 miles range remaining. That total works out to 208 - 228 mi of actual range achieved versus the estimated range of 270-280 mi at 100% charge.

Yesterday, I ran over to see my Daughter. I noted 274 mi estimate at 100% battery when I left and 78% when I got home and estimated 183 remaining. Odometer reading was 5652 mi when I left and 5705 when I got home. That works out to 53 miles achieved on a 22% drop in battery. The estimated range fell from 274 at 100% to 183 at 78% (or 91 miles).

What has your own experience shown with regards to estimated mileage range changes compared to odometer readings?

As always, thank you for your thoughtful input.
Peace/Out

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[Sikkun]

Yesterday temperatures in that area was 40-55 is going to be part of the answer. Then how fast you drive, elevation changes, amount of traffic, wind speed, etc.

 

[Mach-Lee]

First of all, you’re talking about range, not mileage. Second of all, the inaccuracy of the range reading has been well documented for several years if you do some reading on here. This is why we call it the guess-o-meter or GOM.

It will not be accurate unless you always drive a consistent speed at a consistent temperature. If you are suddenly taking a trip, you need to enter the destination in the Ford nav so the range figure can be updated based off of road speeds and current conditions. Even then, it can still be somewhat in accurate.

It is best if you calculate the estimated range yourself based off of your expected efficiency. For example, if I take a freeway trip in the summer, I know I’ll probably get about 2.5 mi/kWh with 85 kWh usable battery capacity, that equates to about 212 miles of actual range.

 

[Thunderbuck]

My first piece of advice to any new EV owner: DO NOT TAKE THE CAR'S RANGE ESTIMATE AS GOSPEL.

It's not useless, but it's compiled from a number of factors including the actual battery charge, the ambient temperature, your driving history, and a hundred other things. Maybe a thousand. It's an elaborate algorithm. And it can be influenced by driving style; drive slower, you'll go further, simple as that.

 

[Sparty]

I'd searched for posts on the subject but kept coming up with worry warting about life expectancy of battery rather than performance.

Though cold weather performance was 32F and lower....not 60F. BTW it was 65-70F on Monday here.

Anywho.....lesson learned........"actual mileage may vary, and your results can be affected by innumerable variables!" roflmao. I am beginning to understand the not too subtle challenges of long trips. We won't plan any until that Tesla NACS adapter (now due in November) arrives. And will use Ford Nav and Blue Network charger finder when time comes. Any other charger finder apps that you have found to be helpful when traveling East of the Mississippi river?


Again, thanks for the advice.

 

[Thunderbuck]

Any other charger finder apps that you have found to be helpful when traveling East of the Mississippi river?


Again, thanks for the advice.

Plugshare is the gold standard, as far as I'm concerned. It's not perfect since it's crowdsourced, but it's still pretty good.

 

[Sikkun]

Though cold weather performance was 32F and lower....not 60F. BTW it was 65-70F on Monday here.

I guess here isn’t related to Detroit Metro area then? Because weather report shows it was a high of 56 low of 42 this previous Monday.

Either way download A Better Route Planner application and PlugShare, those two applications do a pretty good job at showing routes and customer reviews of stations.

 

[hybrid2bev]

I'd searched for posts on the subject but kept coming up with worry warting about life expectancy of battery rather than performance.

Though cold weather performance was 32F and lower....not 60F. BTW it was 65-70F on Monday here.

Anywho.....lesson learned........"actual mileage may vary, and your results can be affected by innumerable variables!" roflmao. I am beginning to understand the not too subtle challenges of long trips. We won't plan any until that Tesla NACS adapter (now due in November) arrives. And will use Ford Nav and Blue Network charger finder when time comes. Any other charger finder apps that you have found to be helpful when traveling East of the Mississippi river?


Again, thanks for the advice.

If you're planning a road trip, then PlugShare, Tesla and A Better Route Planner (ABRP) are the go to apps.

Just be sure to update the settings in ABRP to match your weather and actual miles per kwh results. Filter the Tesla app to NACS supporting stations and sign up for the Tesla membership to get a lower cost on charging if you're going to be doing multiple stops.

 

[Sparty]

Many ?

 

[Snakebitten]

I repeat the same exact round trip of 46.6 miles about 5 times a week. 24 years.

As variable as many of the EV metrics can be, and are, the odometer is no different than the odometer in every other vehicle I drive on that same loop.
The odometer isn't a complex algorithm based on multiple variables. Instead, it's a simple formula of tire circumference and number of rotations. 8th grade physics. ?

 

[txfab]

The range calc depends on so many factors you cannot expect it to be anything even approaching "accurate". It starts with how fast you accelerate when a light turns green to what top speed you drive to how many hills you go up and down (and of course that even applies when the overall elevation change of your route is 0).
So even if they implemented some machine learning algorithm that adjust to how you typically drive, it will still end up being a very rough guess because of a ton of undeterminable factors.

 

[Donna216]

The best advice I had ever received on here is to not look at the "miles range" but look at the %.

 

[tedjordan]

I'd searched for posts on the subject but kept coming up with worry warting about life expectancy of battery rather than performance.

Though cold weather performance was 32F and lower....not 60F. BTW it was 65-70F on Monday here.

Anywho.....lesson learned........"actual mileage may vary, and your results can be affected by innumerable variables!" roflmao. I am beginning to understand the not too subtle challenges of long trips. We won't plan any until that Tesla NACS adapter (now due in November) arrives. And will use Ford Nav and Blue Network charger finder when time comes. Any other charger finder apps that you have found to be helpful when traveling East of the Mississippi river?


Again, thanks for the advice.

I'll check out ABRP and I like Plugshare, but I use Electrify America and EVgo the most because they have super fast chargers that I need for long trips.
I can go from 0-100% in

I'd searched for posts on the subject but kept coming up with worry warting about life expectancy of battery rather than performance.

Though cold weather performance was 32F and lower....not 60F. BTW it was 65-70F on Monday here.

Anywho.....lesson learned........"actual mileage may vary, and your results can be affected by innumerable variables!" roflmao. I am beginning to understand the not too subtle challenges of long trips. We won't plan any until that Tesla NACS adapter (now due in November) arrives. And will use Ford Nav and Blue Network charger finder when time comes. Any other charger finder apps that you have found to be helpful when traveling East of the Mississippi river?


Again, thanks for the advice.

I'll checkout ABRP and Plugshare but I mainly I use Electrify America and EVgo because they have super fast chargers.
I can go from 0 to 100% in about an hour.

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