Having hard time using percentage over miles

[noshadow]

I'm having a hard time using the percentage left. I'm constantly trying to do the calculation in my head of miles. I know everyone talks about using percentage and how it's better, but it's just such an arbitrary number to me still, even at about 3,000 miles driven on the car.

I know the mile range is an estimate, but it seems to be better than the estimate I can come up with in my head while driving.

Does anyone have thoughts about how I can think about percentages better? How do you do it?

 

[jmaddr]

Pull up the energy app. It will let you know how many miles you have left (not EPA range left which is a BIG deal) using your last 5, 15, or 30 miles as a baseline. EPA range left is as useless as a knitted condom.

 

[drxenonbloom]

Does anyone have thoughts about how I can think about percentages better? How do you do it?

The whole point to setting it to percentage is to stop thinking about your charge in terms of miles. When you had an ICE, did you constantly do the math for how many miles a half tank of gas would get you? Maybe you did and that’s cool. But then set your display to show miles and not percentage because it’s not working for you. The reason why everyone says setting your display to percentage is better is that it’s supposed to help with range anxiety but it seems to be doing the opposite for you. It’s not for everyone which is why there’s the option.

 

[Rocky_H]

I know everyone talks about using percentage and how it's better,

Certainly not everyone. I sure don't. Percentage isn't informative at all, but some people need it to avoid stress. But you will find both camps, just like Apple versus Android.

but it's just such an arbitrary number to me still,

Yes, % is arbitrary, which is why it's not really useful. How much is a %? Well that depends on whether it's a 200 mile car or a 300 mile car or a 400 mile car, etc.

I know the mile range is an estimate, but it seems to be better than the estimate I can come up with in my head while driving. Does anyone have thoughts about how I can think about percentages better? How do you do it?

I can't really help you get better with using percentage, because the very reason people recommend using percentage is to not know.

What gets people upset with the "rated miles" is that they are determined to think it is supposed to be exactly equal to their driven miles, and when it's not, they get angry. If you can let yourself not become attached to that and be comfortable with it always being generally higher than real miles, then it's easy to eyeball it and get an idea of how much you have left. It works for the laid back people, but definitely not for the uptight.

 

[Kabillyhop]

Still think the default should be to show both.
We have 2 ICE cars that show both the fuel guage and estimated miles to empty.

 

[cypho]

I think there should be an option to remove it entirely with just a pop-up if the car thinks you're getting uncomfortably low.

In a gas car where you usually start the day with the gas tank at a randomly non-full state it is very easy to run out of gas if you don't have a gauge constantly reminding you of the fuel remaining.

But in an electric car, most people will be plugging in every night in their garage. So every day you start with a full battery. Unless your daily commute is pushing the limits of the car's range, there is no need to ever look at the battery gauge on a normal day.

You'll want to pay close attention to your state of charge on road trips, but the rest of the time the battery gauge is just clutter on your screen.

 

[IronCoffee_Max]

I would prefer if Tesla would show me both. Ideally I would prefer %, but realistically I prefer mileage. That's how I think.

 

[mark95476]

My gasser had a fuel gauge and range estimate. I refuelled when I got down below 25%. I rarely used the range estimate. It was interesting, but I drove fast so I was always coming up with less driven miles.

The MY has a charge gauge and range estimate. I recharge when I get to ~50%. I charge up to ~70%. I haven't gone on any long road trips, but 50% SOC is plenty so that I don't stress at all.

If I was taking a long road trip, I'd probably head to a Supercharger aiming for 5% or less so I get the max charge rate. Your Tesla's nav system will tell you which SCs are in range and the ones that are out-of-range will be grayed-out.

I'm having a hard time using the percentage left. I'm constantly trying to do the calculation in my head of miles. I know everyone talks about using percentage and how it's better, but it's just such an arbitrary number to me still, even at about 3,000 miles driven on the car.

I know the mile range is an estimate, but it seems to be better than the estimate I can come up with in my head while driving.

Does anyone have thoughts about how I can think about percentages better? How do you do it?

 

[noshadow]

Interesting! Thank you all.

I think you're right, the percentage is giving me more anxiety than if a I saw a ballpark mile number. For long trips, I just trust ABRP to tell me what to do (and I like that it shows your current charge vs. the estimated one for the trip to see if you've strayed).

I'm going to start using miles for a bit to see how that feels for me.

 

[GtiMart]

I switched to percentage so I stop wondering why the number has changed by 1-2 kilometers. It's not a perfect measure in any mode anyway. PErcentage works for me because I normally do short rides and I know 50% is good for many many days at that rate. I can treat it as a gas guage and just worry when it's "low". As others said, anyway on trips I'll use the planner and ABetterRoutePlanner so it doesn't matter what display I use.
Ultimately though there are two options so you choose which you prefer. Just remember none is perfect, none is precise.

 

[masotime]

Does anyone have thoughts about how I can think about percentages better? How do you do it?

Just multiply by 2 for a safe number. If it's 50%, you have 100 miles left. If it's 100%, you have 200 miles left.

It sounds a bit insane, but it's not hard to come up with situations where the efficiency is so bad that 200 mile range is accurate. e.g. going uphill from 0 to 10,000 feet at 70mph. If you baseline by each % going 2 miles minimum, you have a much better safety margin to work with.

 

[IronCoffee_Max]

When I had my BMW, I looked at the range more often than I did the fuel gauge. Same with my Burb before that. Again - I think ideal would be to have both displaying (and there is room). Percentage is definitely more accurate and mentally makes more sense. I just couldn't wrap my head properly at a glance.

 

[user212_nr]

Does anyone have thoughts about how I can think about percentages better? How do you do it?

Yeah, don't think about it. If your gas car had 80% or 60% did you care?

If you are going on a long trip, you'll need to do a little planning either way b/c the miles estimate is not accurate for real wold.

All these threads due to people worrying over numbers.

 

[GWord]

I've been using percentage for three or four years now. A couple of thoughts:

1) If you stick with it, given enough time, you will start to intuitively know how much percentage it takes you to get to certain places in various conditions.

2) Use the nav as much as possible. It shows your destination charge in terms of percent and is usually pretty accurate.

 

[Canefan456]

I keep it on percentage and use the energy app 30 mile average which computes range based on my driving habits. Currently it shows that my average consumption is 257 wh/mi which calculates out to a range of 291 miles when full. Compared to 276 miles as reported by the range estimator.

 

[KingBozo]

I'm having a hard time using the percentage left. I'm constantly trying to do the calculation in my head of miles. I know everyone talks about using percentage and how it's better, but it's just such an arbitrary number to me still, even at about 3,000 miles driven on the car.

I know the mile range is an estimate, but it seems to be better than the estimate I can come up with in my head while driving.

Does anyone have thoughts about how I can think about percentages better? How do you do it?

I just multiply the percentage by 3, get's me pretty close to what miles would show, other the that, drive it, charge it, repeat

 

[tonyb99]

The miles estimate is based on the EPA rating not your driving habits. It is quite optimistic, I use a factor of 80% to estimate my actual range. I feel reasonably certain that my normal driving will get me 250 miles when charged to 100%, or 80% of whatever range the car is estimating. When the car estimates less than 100 miles, or I have a long trip next day, I charge (85% normally, 100% for a long trip). Like the OP I tried setting battery percentage but I found I was doing more mental gymnastics to determine when I needed to charge.

Comes down to personal preference rather than there being one right way.

 

[masotime]

I feel reasonably certain that my normal driving will get me 250 miles when charged to 100%, or 80% of whatever range the car is estimating.

This is why I recommend a factor of 2 rather than 3 when estimating from percentage. E.g. if you have 80%, you should estimate your range as 160 miles as a failsafe baseline.

Here’s an example of a trip I took today, you can see how inaccurate the “rated” range is. In spite of having almost a 100 more “rated” miles than needed to reach my destination, the Tesla navigator wasn’t confident I would make it and asked me to slow down. The % was roughly 90%, i.e. 180 miles using a factor of 2.

 

[hgmichna]

I'm having a hard time using the percentage left.

I think you are the perfect person to use the miles display. Why don't you just switch back to miles?

You have to remember though that the miles displayed are correct only under ideal circumstances, i.e. fair, warm weather, no rain, no hills, smooth road, no heating, no cooling, etc., and at a speed of no more than 65 mph.

For every less than ideal circumstance deduct some miles. Under very unfavorable conditions, like winter, snow, hills, you may only get half as many miles or, with luck, two thirds.

 

[filotej]

Get the watch app and have both conveniently.