I use miles because my daily commute is 30 miles each way and I have no charging at home. This lets me keep track of when I should plan to charge during the week (projecting from miles = number of commutes is more intuitive for me). I can imagine for others this may not be as helpful, but works perfectly for me.
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Percent or Miles & Why?
- Thread starter ofcorona
- Start date
miles is easier math; easier to guestimate.
especially when I'm trying to plan a route where charging or range comes into play, much easier to plan/guestimate with the miles remaining.
especially when I'm trying to plan a route where charging or range comes into play, much easier to plan/guestimate with the miles remaining.
Percent works best for me.
I just drove coast to coast to coast in 7 days. For me, it doesn't matter how many miles are perceived to be remaining.. but that percentage number definitely matters. Taking a long trip and learning the car, erased any type of range anxiety. You'll learn quickly what type of weather and terrain start to make a difference on available range. My experience with the on-board trip planning was that if I was within 10% of the speed limit I made it pretty close to what the car predicted. I also tried A Better Route Planner, but I think for me I learned that making more frequent stops took more time because I had to exit the highway more often and deal with local traffic to get to the superchargers. I ran ABRP concurrently and noticed driving predictions grew much longer through the trip, some days up to 2 additional hours longer, then if I had stopped less frequently.
I just drove coast to coast to coast in 7 days. For me, it doesn't matter how many miles are perceived to be remaining.. but that percentage number definitely matters. Taking a long trip and learning the car, erased any type of range anxiety. You'll learn quickly what type of weather and terrain start to make a difference on available range. My experience with the on-board trip planning was that if I was within 10% of the speed limit I made it pretty close to what the car predicted. I also tried A Better Route Planner, but I think for me I learned that making more frequent stops took more time because I had to exit the highway more often and deal with local traffic to get to the superchargers. I ran ABRP concurrently and noticed driving predictions grew much longer through the trip, some days up to 2 additional hours longer, then if I had stopped less frequently.
I’ve had my M3 for a month. I used % for two days then switched to miles.
I get that distance is often very inaccurate, but even with %, I’m often using that information to make an equally inaccurate guess of how far I can drive, so I just let the car do that. But this is a great thread because now I can see it both ways.
I think @jbcarioca said it perfectly. Whether you use % battery or distance, knowing what factors affect how many watt-hours you use per mile is the only way to give yourself peace of mind and combat range anxiety.
I get that distance is often very inaccurate, but even with %, I’m often using that information to make an equally inaccurate guess of how far I can drive, so I just let the car do that. But this is a great thread because now I can see it both ways.
I think @jbcarioca said it perfectly. Whether you use % battery or distance, knowing what factors affect how many watt-hours you use per mile is the only way to give yourself peace of mind and combat range anxiety.
M3BlueGeorgia
Active Member
Miles are based on either the EPA or WLTP standards, and are unlikely to provide useful information to most drivers.
Percent is useful. Especially when using the Navigator, which shows you the expected percentage on arrival.
Percent. Watching miles will drive you crazy.
percent all the way. the only advantage miles has is it's more granular....if you look at it as a fraction instead of actual miles.
MXLRplus
Active Member
How to use the % meter:
Drive 10% SOC and see how many miles you covered. Multiply get max range.
Example: Starting with 80% SOC, set Trip A (or just remember mileage). When it hits 70%, look at Trip A. Say it's 25 miles. Now you know how much range to expect assuming you don't make a major change in your driving. If you do make a major change, just do the 10% again. Now you have become a "Learning Range Estimator" that is far more accurate than the Miles gauge.
BTW - I started doing this when I used to drive cross country towing before intelligent range estimators were born. After awhile you learn what an 1/8th tank or 10% SOC should be at various speeds, terrain, or temps. It might sound complex at first, but it becomes second nature.
Drive 10% SOC and see how many miles you covered. Multiply get max range.
Example: Starting with 80% SOC, set Trip A (or just remember mileage). When it hits 70%, look at Trip A. Say it's 25 miles. Now you know how much range to expect assuming you don't make a major change in your driving. If you do make a major change, just do the 10% again. Now you have become a "Learning Range Estimator" that is far more accurate than the Miles gauge.
BTW - I started doing this when I used to drive cross country towing before intelligent range estimators were born. After awhile you learn what an 1/8th tank or 10% SOC should be at various speeds, terrain, or temps. It might sound complex at first, but it becomes second nature.
Hmmmm...you know what? This thread has changed my mind. I just went to the garage and set it to % battery. I’m legitimately curious to see if this leads to me thinking about it less.
Pollyphono
Member
Knightshade
Well-Known Member
Do you get most of the last 100+ years of gas cars where the fuel gauge reads E, 1/4, 1/2, 3/4, F?
because it's like that- except with an exact % given
(certainly some more recent ICE cars also gave an option for "miles" or km remaining- but that's recent compared to overall history of cars, and I've never seen it as the primary listing)
Pollyphono
Member
My last 3 normal class ice cars had the remaining km’s displayed, i kinda liked it.
Maybe i can shake the phone idea soon.
MXLRplus
Active Member
Your ICE car most likely had a Learning-Style range estimator. This are different than a Tesla Style range indicator.
Let's say in the winter your car gets 200 miles on a charge.
But in the summer your car gets 300 miles on a charge.
A learning range estimator will read 200 miles in the winter and 300 in the summer. A Tesla could read 330 all year long.
jrweiss98020
Tessa's Tesla
I worry more about range than I do the state of charge. On those few occasions where I need to see SOC, I can switch.
AlanSubie4Life
Efficiency Obsessed Member
because it's like that- except with an exact % given
With the caveat that the gas tank is also getting smaller over time. Then it's just like that.
AlanSubie4Life
Efficiency Obsessed Member
This. Tesla should just display both to end this discussion which has been going on for years.
the difference in ICE and EV....
the reason ICE gas gauges in % works so well, is because it's easy to fill up when you get low. you don't have to worry about how many miles you have left. However, if you were running low, and the next gas station was 30 miles, I'm sure you would like to know how many miles your tank has left, and not just 10%. Or more analogously, if you are taking a road trip, and you knew the next gas station was 200 miles away, i'm sure you would like to see 250 miles on your gas gauge.
you can use math to figure it out, sure. but if you don't have to.....................
the reason ICE gas gauges in % works so well, is because it's easy to fill up when you get low. you don't have to worry about how many miles you have left. However, if you were running low, and the next gas station was 30 miles, I'm sure you would like to know how many miles your tank has left, and not just 10%. Or more analogously, if you are taking a road trip, and you knew the next gas station was 200 miles away, i'm sure you would like to see 250 miles on your gas gauge.
you can use math to figure it out, sure. but if you don't have to.....................
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