Failed range calculation left me stranded

[Charliek]

A number of years back some one siphoned my tank at my aprtment parking lot . And I drove for 2 days on E thinking the guage was bad because I was sure I had filled up a couple of days before. I used up a all of my luck as I literally ran out and drifted to the pump at a gas station. I have the plug share ap on my phone at the ready for those trips when super chargers are few and far between. So far so good!

 

[buttershrimp]

The OP didn't answer the question about whether there was anything done like accelerating up a hill. I wonder if a shutdown can be triggered by being too aggressive with little left. Just curious that's all.

 

[Testwa]

As others have pointed out, if they did that then there would be people who would start expecting that 15 miles below zero every time and start driving below zero more often, and subsequently complain if they only got 10 miles below zero one time instead of the expected 15. Better for Tesla to tell drivers that there is a 1-2 percent margin of error for the battery indicator and to plan to charge accordingly.

No, this is a major difference for several reasons:
- First, only a few technical interested people would bother to figure out how much they can go below 0
- Most people would not dare to go below 0. Like on an ICE, how many people ever tried to go below 0
- If range is above 0 then expectation is, you can still drive. If range is 0, then expectation is: it is 0.
- Probably someone could sue the manufacturer for getting stranded if the shown range is still above 0. Seems unreasonable to sue the manufacturer if shown range is 0 and you get stranded, right?

On one hand your idea with showing a percent margin of error would be fine for me, but for the big masses, I think, they would struggle how to calculate and what that means: 2% of 0? 2% of rated range, but which range, range at 90% or 100% SoC? 2% points out of 100% SoC? Probably most of today's Tesla S and X drivers and forum members here have some good understanding of batteries, of technology and mathematical / technical know how and know about the risk around 0 miles left. But think about the average Joe in a few years when everyone is driving an EV. Does everyone know how batteries work, what a percentage means, why at a shown range above 0 it could be actually already 0? I mean, also most people do not really know, how an ICE works and how the remaining fuel is measured. So they just use the information about the left range as information when to fill up. Don't make it too complicated for the average people who don't care about the technology behind.