I drive 20% of my battery; percentage response

[ngogas]

I have alway been asked, so how many miles do you drive a day. Or the common, how many miles do you have left on your normal day of usage. Now that I have switched to percentage display; when asked these common questions; my reply would be - my daily commute I use about 20 percent of my battery. So if I have 80 percentage; I normally end up with 60 percent capacity. On cold months, I use about 35 percent of my battery. This leaves the ICE folks with a blank face.

Then you get the nerds who ask, so what does that equate to in terms of watts per miles blah blah blah. I would respond, I have no idea because depending on my mood that day; I may have lead feet and then some days I don't. To end the conversation with them; I just say, "all I know is that I leave with 80% charge, I come home with 60% charge. Tesla EV works great for my needs.

Then you get followup questions, well how many miles did you use to drive when you where in an ICE car. Well, I think I average around 50 to 75 miles a day in my daily commute. So then they equate 20% to that many miles etc.

I have ditched the idea of miles per gallon or miles per watts blah blah blah. My mind set is now, percentage per miles. Anyone else?

 

[Gondi63]

Isn't this about the same thing as "quarter of a tank"? I'm not sure if being obstinate about it is helpful.

 

[Casmium]

For the most part my response is, with my old Jetta I would spend approx $200 a month on gas, now with having my Model 3 for a year and doing several more road trips, it typically adds about $25-30 or electricity to my bill per month.

 

[ngogas]

For the most part my response is, with my old Jetta I would spend approx $200 a month on gas, now with having my Model 3 for a year and doing several more road trips, it typically adds about $25-30 or electricity to my bill per month.

That is also one of my response I put in my back pocket. "It only cost me 60 bucks a month on my electrical bill as opposed to my HEMI that cost me 300 in gas."

 

[ngogas]

Isn't this about the same thing as "quarter of a tank"? I'm not sure if being obstinate about it is helpful.

It's exactly it. I just don't know what to say since I no longer use miles and all I see is percentage so I'm adapting to percentage. Exactly how ICE gas gauge is....

 

[BZM3]

I have alway been asked, so how many miles do you drive a day. Or the common, how many miles do you have left on your normal day of usage. Now that I have switched to percentage display; when asked these common questions; my reply would be - my daily commute I use about 20 percent of my battery. So if I have 80 percentage; I normally end up with 60 percent capacity. On cold months, I use about 35 percent of my battery. This leaves the ICE folks with a blank face.

Then you get the nerds who ask, so what does that equate to in terms of watts per miles blah blah blah. I would respond, I have no idea because depending on my mood that day; I may have lead feet and then some days I don't. To end the conversation with them; I just say, "all I know is that I leave with 80% charge, I come home with 60% charge. Tesla EV works great for my needs.

Then you get followup questions, well how many miles did you use to drive when you where in an ICE car. Well, I think I average around 50 to 75 miles a day in my daily commute. So then they equate 20% to that many miles etc.

I have ditched the idea of miles per gallon or miles per watts blah blah blah. My mind set is now, percentage per miles. Anyone else?

I tell the same thing to people, and coincidentally, my commute is also 20 percent! Seems to be easier for them to grasp the concept that I can go 4 days of commuting without needing a charge, which allows me to only require charging once a week if need be. (although i do charge every night to 89%) I can totally relate to this post! And my apartment building has a free charger blows their minds usually!

 

[KenC]

I tell the same thing to people, and coincidentally, my commute is also 20 percent! Seems to be easier for them to grasp the concept that I can go 4 days of commuting without needing a charge, which allows me to only require charging once a week if need be. (although i do charge every night to 89%) I can totally relate to this post! And my apartment building has a free charger blows their minds usually!

That makes sense. Your average person fills the tank once a week, so refueling with electrons once a week should make some sense.

 

[ngogas]

That makes sense. Your average person fills the tank once a week, so refueling with electrons once a week should make some sense.

nice saying. Refueling with electrons.

 

[jim0266]

To end the conversation with them; I just say, "all I know is that I leave with 80% charge, I come home with 60% charge. Tesla EV works great for my needs.

Then you get followup questions, well how many miles did you use to drive when you where in an ICE car. Well, I think I average around 50 to 75 miles a day in my daily commute. So then they equate 20% to that many miles etc.

I have ditched the idea of miles per gallon or miles per watts blah blah blah. My mind set is now, percentage per miles. Anyone else?

Under the category of "it probably doesn't matter one whit," in your case why not charge to 60%, arrive at work at 50%, and come home at 40%? Recharge back to 50% once home and charge back to 60% in the morning? Your battery will then be staying at 50% SOC for the longest duration possible.

 

[Uncle Paul]

Non owners worry that changing an EV will be more of an issue, than it really is.

Most owners fall into a rhythm for charging at home and on longer trips. Figure it out pretty quickly, and it mostly becomes a non issue, except for potential edge cases.

Non-owners seem to get all caught up in worst case scenarios and edge cases.

Would kind of be like asking a gasser, what would they do if a rock punctures their gas tank and all the fuel spills out.
What would they do if they pulled into a gas station, and their credit card did not work.
What would happen if the power went out, and the gas station pump would not pump.
What would happen if someone put a match down their filler.
What would happen if someone fell asleep in their gasser, still running, in their closed garage.

Guess it is just human nature.

 

[CharleyBC]

Then you get the nerds who ask, so what does that equate to in terms of watts per miles blah blah blah

Actually, the true nerd (I know of what I speak) will ask about watt-hours per mile.

For the most part my response is, with my old Jetta I would spend approx $200 a month on gas, now with having my Model 3 for a year and doing several more road trips, it typically adds about $25-30 or electricity to my bill per month.

And I also mention all the time I enjoy not going to gas stations. I fill up while I sleep.

 

[SwedishSTIle]

My response is usually "At current gas prices, its equivalent to driving a car that gets X mpg, but has 475hp". Or "depending on the price of gas its equivalent to driving a car that gets 35-65mpg" Or my favorite "Its like driving a Prius, only it looks good and does 0-60 in 3.2 seconds"

Currently in so-cal X=57mpg for me. ($4/gal divided by $.07/mi).

 

[RobRain]

Actually, the true nerd (I know of what I speak) will ask about watt-hours per mile.

Surely the true, true nerd (guilty) will ask about watt-hours per kilometre?

 

[NOLADriver]

@Uncle Paul
My fav comback to their "Well you cant drive if the power goes out"....is "Exactly what do you think powers gas pumps ?"

 

[CharleyBC]

Surely the true, true nerd (guilty) will ask about watt-hours per kilometre?

Yeah, we are a wee bit backwards here in the States.

 

[dryland]

Most people just ask me how far I can go on a single charge. Then the conversation usually goes into long distances and I have to educate them on supercharging.

 

[TomLee]

Yeah, we are a wee bit backwards here in the States.

Okay, I admitted I'm a nerd. The reason using km instead of mile is not because US is using miles. It is because it's 1.61 times of mile numbers, hence gives a little bit more accuracy when doing calculation.

 

[RobRain]

Yeah, we are a wee bit backwards here in the States.

I'm from the UK. We've been driving backwards for the last three years and I think we've overtaken you now. The Venn diagram of citizens saying "you'll take my imperial yard from my cold dead hands" and "get me out of Europe, it's scary and communist" has a pretty hefty intersection, IMHO.

 

[CharleyBC]

Every time my wife asks me something like, "How many teaspoons are in 3/4 cup?" I find myself longing for the base 10 world of SI units.

 

[ItsNotAboutTheMoney]

Surely the true, true nerd (guilty) will ask about watt-hours per kilometre?

Pffffffft.

Either use joules per metre or go sit with the watts per mile plebs.

Back on topic.

The key thing to get through to people is the paradigm shift of home charging.