hmmm
Member
Percentage. Because a percentage is a percentage, unlike a "tesla mile" (insert your favorite definition here: rated, actual, estimated, guessed with a finger up in the air...).
Plus, I like math.
Plus, I like math.
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Range or Percentage...a Simple Poll
- Thread starter SDRick
- Start date
JohnnyG
Weee!
I prefer percentage. I use percentage in all of my rechargeable devices. If I'm monitoring percentage, and I notice a significant deviation in the rate of change (this applies to all of my rechargeable devices), I'm alerted to said deviation, and can adjust to it.
That said, if the remaining battery could be displayed in "Estimated", instead of "Rated" or "Ideal", I would be more enticed to try it.
At this point, if I really want to know how many miles I can travel under the current circumstances, I just pull-up the energy graph and look at "Projected".
Like others, I'm less anxious watching a percentage, than I am watching miles tick down.
That said, if the remaining battery could be displayed in "Estimated", instead of "Rated" or "Ideal", I would be more enticed to try it.
At this point, if I really want to know how many miles I can travel under the current circumstances, I just pull-up the energy graph and look at "Projected".
Like others, I'm less anxious watching a percentage, than I am watching miles tick down.
kmistry1986
Member
steve841
Active Member
Nearly all BMWs dating back to 1997 and possibly earlier have had a range option. I'm certain all other luxury car brands have this feature as well.
As I had eluded to in my previous post, the percentage is simply not important to many of us as we can still gauge the approximate percentage just by looking at the green battery indicators. It's no different than reading an analog clock with out the numbers. As long as the clock is right side up most people should have no problem telling the time.
How fast are you driving?
What is the incline/decline of the driving surface?
What are the climate/weather conditions?
What temperature do you keep the interior of the vehicle?
How much cargo is in the vehicle?
What are the size of your wheels and the state of your tires?
How do the answers to these questions change over time?
Range includes none of these in its prediction (range is a prediction, not a measurement). It's a fixed number energy consumption (with a fixed set of assumptions of all the above questions) multiplied by the amount of measured/inferred energy in the battery at a given point in time. The actual energy consumption can easily vary +/- 50% over common driving conditions, and even in reasonable situations be 2-3x the "baseline" range energy consumption rate.
Percentage is subject to inaccuracy/inconsistency, yes. Battery degradation will affect total battery capacity. The time period over which this can occur is orders of magnitude longer (months/years) than inaccuracy/inconsistency can manifest for range (minutes/hours), and the amount of inaccuracy/inconsistency is easily an order of magnitude lesser.
People can prefer the display in range, but it is incorrect to assert that percentage is of lesser accuracy/consistency. Percentage is affected by far fewer variables and those effects are realized over a much longer period of time.
whitex
Well-Known Member
Ideal range and rated range are just higher resolution battery state of charge readings (rather than 0-100% you get 0-310 or whatever your rated range is). Not sure whether degradation is included in percentage (it might re-scale itself for 100% to be whatever the max state of charge is possible after degradation), but it is in range (hence people often reporting degradation in miles, not percentages).
GlmnAlyAirCar
Active Member
Yes, percentage is subject to fewer variables. But it doesn't account for the most fundamental piece of information that can be displayed to the driver, the amount of energy available for use in the battery. And that's what matters when deciding how far you can go.
And of course I realize range is just the number of kWh divided by a constant kWh/mi (for a given model). Yes it doesn't take into account speed, wind, elevation, etc. How could it? It doesn't know where you are going? That's what the trip planner is for.
But I stand by my assertion that range provides more useful information than does percentage. I am still trying to figure out what actionable information percentage is giving you.
Xenius
Active Member
I prefer range, because I know for my S they've assumed 300wh/mi. I can do enough basic math to know when I'm averaging higher than that, I'll get less, and if averaging less, I'll get more.
I in fact wish they had a "pro mode" or something that told me even more granular numbers, or had other data I could look at.
I in fact wish they had a "pro mode" or something that told me even more granular numbers, or had other data I could look at.
MacGreiner
5YJ
Reading some responses here you'd think people were flying F-35s and couldn't take their eyes off the HUD!
I'm a % guy. I suppose I could look up my commute in miles but for me is is 24% in Winter and 21% the rest of the year. I don't get range anxiety and I don't fret about how my battery is losing range capacity.
I'm a % guy. I suppose I could look up my commute in miles but for me is is 24% in Winter and 21% the rest of the year. I don't get range anxiety and I don't fret about how my battery is losing range capacity.
I prefer percentage as its a constant. The range is variable dependant on how fast your going, the temperature etc.
GlmnAlyAirCar
Active Member
kmistry1986
Member
Sounds complex at first, but it becomes second nature after about it week.
It also probably helps that I'm a "numbers" guy
mknox
Well-Known Member
On the fuel gauge in place of the normal Empty - Full fuel range? I don't think I've ever seen that.
Many of my past cars have had *separate* "Trip Computers" that predict range. That is the equivalent of the Tesla Energy App which does the same thing.
As I say, I prefer to keep my fuel gauge calibrated in units of empty to full, and to use the separate Energy App to accurately predict range. Switching the battery meter to range does not give an accurate number based on actual conditions like the Energy App does.
That;s right. And the linear range shown on the battery meter when you switch to distance does not take that into account on Tesla cars.
GlmnAlyAirCar
Active Member
Let me emphasize again that is not correct. Range is simply kWh / (kWh/mile) where kWh/mils is a constant based on the model of your car. It is not impacted by temperature, speed, etc.
So I guess it's good that Tesla gives each of us the option to see this information in whatever format makes the most sense.
From my perspective, percentage is exactly the most fundamental piece of information - it is the portion of energy remaining in the battery. To my mind, this is the important piece of data, how much "fuel is left in the tank".
mknox
Well-Known Member
I think I'm agreeing with you, only maybe I wasn't clear.
Lets say my car's EPA rating is 265 miles. If I switch my display from energy, which shows 0-100% based on SOC, to distance it will show 0-265 miles based on SOC. In other words, instead of counting down from 100, it counts down from 265. It has no bearing on temperature, speed or anything else. That's why I find distance not very helpful. Sometimes I may drive a mile and use a mile on the battery gauge, but other times I may drive a mile and use 3 miles on the gauge. The car's separate Energy App is a much better predictor of how far I can really go based on my last 5, 15 or 30 miles of driving.
EDIT: My mistake, I shouldn't have said I agree to the earlier post. I misunderstood. Switching to miles does NOT take into account those variables is what I should have said.
I'm a percentage guy no math involved for me. I usually drive less then 40 miles a day so percentage works for me as I just charge it up when I get home. If I do a long road trip I rely on the SuperCharger calcs on the MCU.
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