Well, Ford, the new "Distance To Empty" algorithm doesn't work . . .

[dbsb3233]

To add:
I left the car at the airport for a week. SOC stayed constant at 41%. I checked FordPass a few times while I was gone and the GOM varied between 65 and 79 miles. Higher numbers did coincide with higher local temperatures.

On a similar note... the example I listed above of the 1700 mile road trip where one of the last legs was off by 70 miles, that was even with frigid temps that day. It was about 20F leaving the hotel that morning, but it was still wildly optimistic.

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[MyLittleMachEPony]

I love this idea! With a 3mo old and a 2 year old every stop for a charge is a big deal so we try to limit, but running out of charge would be a VERY big deal. Yesterday on a trip to a ski hill with no cell reception and gale force headwinds we had honestly no idea where we stood in terms of range (after update our on-car range estimates have been widely inaccurate even without the wind) so we u-turned and doubled back quite a distance to hit the last available DC charger. The ensuing tantrum on attempted re-entry to the car seat added probably 20 minutes to total charge time ?

Next time we will do the calculations ourselves based on kWh/100km as estimated in real time.
I guess the next question is, how accurate are the “% battery remaining” displays because those seem to drop excessively at the start of drive, too (we always pre-heat before departure).

 

[MyLittleMachEPony]

I love this idea! With a 3mo old and a 2 year old every stop for a charge is a big deal so we try to limit, but running out of charge would be a VERY big deal. Yesterday on a trip to a ski hill with no cell reception and gale force headwinds we had honestly no idea where we stood in terms of range (after update our on-car range estimates have been widely inaccurate even without the wind) so we u-turned and doubled back quite a distance to hit the last available DC charger. The ensuing tantrum on attempted re-entry to the car seat added probably 20 minutes to total charge time ?

Next time we will do the calculations ourselves based on kWh/100km as estimated in real time.
I guess the next question is, how accurate are the “% battery remaining” displays because those seem to drop excessively at the start of drive, too (we always pre-heat before departure).

Sorry I was saying I loved the idea of showing the current efficiency and battery life left on the dash. It didn’t include my quote of the post for some reason

 

[Secret Sauce]

I have never had an issue with the GOM. It shows a range much lower now in the Winter than it was during the Summer, as to be expected. But it goes down pretty steadily and is not super sensitive to some highway driving or some AC/heater use. I previously had a Bolt, where the range would instantly drop 20 miles when you turned the AC on. Or would go into free fall mode when I got up to 70mph on the highway. I prefer the more impervious GOM from the MME even if it might be less accurate in "real time."

Former Bolt owner here too. With that car I noticed the same instant range deduct for turning on the heat or AC. Toggle it back off, and the range "returns." When I brought this up in a Bolt forum many responded "well, of course, the heat and AC use energy." But it still seemed arbitrary if only because heat and AC don't draw power continuously, and how much energy they use depends on the thermostat set temperature and outside temperature, neither of which seemed to be included in the calculation.

Bottom line, the guesstimator is software made by engineers and based design decisions and assumptions about how to best represent how far you can drive on a given amount of energy. The best way I've found for keeping the fictional range number from become a worry and annoyance is to focus more on the charge level. Think of your battery more like a gas tank and you'll soon become a better guesser than the GOM.

 

[abfoot7818]

The algorithm is working just fine. You’re getting better mileage in the city than you are on the freeway. It’s based upon your average and your average is much higher in the city than freeway driving. I have a plug-in Ford hybrid, and I have an Expedition. The Expedition when I started on the freeway trip says I have 300 miles to empty 550 miles later I fill the tank because it’s used to me getting 13 miles to the gallon in the city instead of 22 on the freeway you may be able to hyper Mile your Mach-e good enough to get 5 miles to the kilowatt. where as if you’re going closer to 80 MPH on the freeway you’re getting more like 2-2.5 take US routes or roads that have 55 mile an hour speed lines and you’ll get your range you’re looking for and may even be faster than having to stop and charge sooner. Not a linear graph, but rather a very sharp exponentially increasing curve. Think about walking with a parachute attached to you. with a 1 MPH breeze versus a 10 MPH Breeze will have much more than just 10 times the force pulling on you. Just remember if you’re in North America hyper mile-ing on the freeway stay to the right. The left lane is for emergency vehicles and passing only. I don’t care if someone is doing 100 miles an hour stay to the right except to pass- it also helps me avoid getting speeding tickets as they are always looking for the fast car in the left lane.

 

[Thunderanger]

Yup, I had a few weeks of spot-on intelligent range (<5% error) before it got broken by an update or server change. Ever since then it's been disappointing. I wish they could fix IR and bring it back, but they clearly don't have the programming chops to make that work without bugs.

With the latest software, it does seem to be getting better after I pulled the battery cable. It's only about 10% optimistic now. Still changes throughout the day even when the vehicle doesn't move, so it must be looking at temperature change somewhere.

Please explain the battery cable disconnection and why you did it and why you think it helped. I might try it.

 

[Maquis]

The algorithm is working just fine.

It’s not fine. Yesterday, I drove 138 miles. The algorithm reduced the GOM by 211 miles.
Now, when I charge to 90%, there’s no way in hell I can drive as many miles as shown.

 

[awp0]

It’s not fine. Yesterday, I drove 138 miles. The algorithm reduced the GOM by 211 miles.
Now, when I charge to 90%, there’s no way in hell I can drive as many miles as shown.

I agree. The GOM is significantly more important for highway driving than it is for city driving, and the new algorithm is crap. It's wildly wrong now for road trips, which is the only time it actually matters.

 

[Maquis]

I agree. The GOM is significantly more important for highway driving than it is for city driving, and the new algorithm is crap. It's wildly wrong now for road trips, which is the only time it actually matters.

I can’t achieve the GOM miles even in the city, especially this time of year. I charge to 90% and it shows 268. Before the update, it would show 190-210. Temps 30-40F. It might be close for city driving in the summer.

 

[CarGuy11]

This is the only vehicle I've purchased that I haven't received a survey. How do we complain to @Ford Motor Company about this issue??

 

[Maquis]

This is the only vehicle I've purchased that I haven't received a survey. How do we complain to @Ford Motor Company about this issue??

Go to settings in the car and choose “Record Feedback.” I don’t remember the exact path, but it’s there.

 

[alexgorod]

I can’t achieve the GOM miles even in the city, especially this time of year. I charge to 90% and it shows 268. Before the update, it would show 190-210. Temps 30-40F. It might be close for city driving in the summer.

It wasn't accurate before the update, but it gave a rough estimate. Now it needs to be totally ignored.

Maybe it will be less irritating in summer when the actual range will be closer to the imaginary.

 

[HuntingPudel]

Huh, I haven’t a clue what my GOM says. I can tell you what my SoC is though… ?‍?

 

[azerik]

Go to settings in the car and choose “Record Feedback.” I don’t remember the exact path, but it’s there.

I wish that posted to Twitter lol.

 

[devmach-e]

So i have had 4 Evs now and just like gas cars they DO NOT get their stated range. Manufacturers especially US car brands put the cars in the perfect weather with the right humidity and the wind to their back on a down hill grade with a driver that weights as much as a Kentucky derby jockey to get the absolute best range/hp estimates.

I can't tell if you are being sarcastic, but that's not how manufacturers figure out what they put on the window sticker for range. Or MPG for ICE vehicles. Both types of cars use the same EPA test(s). The same test(s) that manufacturers have been using for decades.

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