What Happens When You Run Out of Energy (on 6.2)

[Alexander]

So I unintentionally almost ran out of energy yesterday, lol

I was driving home from Las Vegas using the new 6.2 Navigation software. I REALLY like the new navigation, but after yesterday's experience I think it needs the ability to enter multiple destinations. I had to pickup my daughter and stop by my fathers house on the way home. The navigation was able to account for the drive from Las Vegas to the babysitters house, but it couldn't account for the drive from the babysitters house to my fathers place and then home. So at the last Supercharger I had to make an educated guess on how far to charge the battery in order to make it to my final destination (which didn't work out so well).

I made it, but drove a good mile with 0 Rated Range left on the battery. I documented what happened for you all to see. The warnings with 6.2 are a little different then the warnings I've seen in the past on other posts. So here you go:

This is where I knew I was in trouble. When I left the babysitters house I entered my dads address into the navigation and it said I wasn't going to make it. So I reduced speed to 20 miles under the speed limit and engaged cruise control to conserve what I had left.

Then with just 1 mile of range left, this warning popped up:

I tapped the "Show Chargers" option, and it listed two nearby place where I had charged in the past. A voltage icon with a warning sign also appeared in the top right hand corner.

I continued on to my dads place where I knew I could charge, then it went to 0 Rated Range. No other warnings came up after that.

Made it and plugged in immediately to a NIMA 14-50.

I really like the new 6.2 Navigation, but it made me take my guard down. In the past I would charge to 80% or 90% at every Supercharger regardless if I needed it or not. With 6.2 I got into the groove of "hey, I only need to charge to a state of charge that will get me there." So instead of blindly charging to 80% (just incase) I stopped at 51% because my fuzzy math said that's all I would need to make it to the babysitters, and then on to my dads place, and it was! But just barely.

So a navigation system that calculates multiple destinations would of helped me in this situation. I hope that's in the development pipe because where I'm navigating to is rarely my last desitnation.

At any rate. That's what it looks like when you almost run out of energy on 6.2

 

[AnOutsider]

Haha, had to be nerve-wracking, but cool to see for us sitting cozily at a computer

 

[mspohr]

The new Nav software really needs the ability to add waypoints (and to delete unneeded stops).
I had a route yesterday where I had plenty of charge to go to one SC which was 121 miles away but the software wanted me to stop at all three other SC stations which were on the route!

 

[Alysashley79]

The new Nav software really needs the ability to add waypoints (and to delete unneeded stops).
I had a route yesterday where I had plenty of charge to go to one SC which was 121 miles away but the software wanted me to stop at all three other SC stations which were on the route!

Mid you click on trips you can remove charging points that you don't necessarily need.

 

[dirkhh]

I think you should send a note to Tesla with your specific example.
They absolutely have to figure out waypoints. And I think your tale is a very very good one to illustrate that. Glad you made it and thanks for posting.

 

[mspohr]

Mid you click on trips you can remove charging points that you don't necessarily need.

I've tried to remove the extra charging stops but haven't been able to do it. Is there some trick that you know?
When I click Trips it shows me all the charging stops but there is no way to remove them. It would be nice if there was an "X" or something on the list.

 

[CHG-ON]

Great educational post. I haven't used it yet, though I have done some theoretical routes to see what it would do. I don't trust it either yet. So far, I have done the math out on EVTripplanner and then added a 25% buffer. I find I need at least that much extra headroom for every trip, as compared to rated miles the car calcs.

 

[krisg81]

Hey dude thanks for the post! Might want to edit the pic of the nav screen, in the search box it shows a home address.

 

[FredTMC]

Hey dude thanks for the post! Might want to edit the pic of the nav screen, in the search box it shows a home address.

Yeah, great post! Thx!

 

[rickgt]

This is very useful to see and understand

 

[Alexander]

Hey dude thanks for the post! Might want to edit the pic of the nav screen, in the search box it shows a home address.

As soon as I get in front of a computer I'm going to edit it out. Thanks for lletting me know!

 

[richrootes]

I 'Intentionally' did the same this the other night - didn't notice the ! sign on the charger button - good spot. I did get the other messages though

Here are the main screens in case anything else has changed....

The third image is the front of the car with the cooling fans running whilst Supercharging - lots of heat being dissipated there

 

[Khatsalano]

Thank you for an excellent post.

6.2 Nav is not to be trusted for energy consumption. evtripplanner.com is still where it's at.

6.2 Nav is also not be trusted for traffic-optimized routes. Waze is still giving me better results and doesn't lead my down ... closed streets.

 

[CHG-ON]

I totally agree. It needs lots of work. I just don't get why they don't hire the talent to get it right. My 2007 Acura had a much superior nav. Eight years old. Not in graphics, but certainly in functionality. This stuff has been out for years now.

Thank you for an excellent post.

6.2 Nav is not to be trusted for energy consumption. evtripplanner.com is still where it's at.

6.2 Nav is also not be trusted for traffic-optimized routes. Waze is still giving me better results and doesn't lead my down ... closed streets.

 

[TTT]

Totally agree with Nav 6.2 needing to be more conservative, just got back from a trip north and the Nav 6.2 initially showed arriving in Gilroy from Atascadero with 20% battery left but I anxiously watched that number go to RED 6% battery left.

 

[ecarfan]

Hm...in 6.1 I have found the energy use prediction graph to be remarkably accurate many many times, including on the 101 section you drove.

 

[mspohr]

Hm...in 6.1 I have found the energy use prediction graph to be remarkably accurate many many times, including on the 101 section you drove.

I've also found the energy graph to be very accurate. I always have it displayed on long trips. I've found it to have conservative estimates of energy usage and found that I can usually beat its estimates by driving carefully. The only problems I have noted with it is that short variations in elevation tend to throw it off. When you're going up and down steep hills, the estimate will sometimes move up and down (not always in the way you expect) but once things level off, it returns to an accurate estimate.
One of the first trips I took was through Death Valley from Lone Pine to Las Vegas which is a bit of a stretch. At the start it predicted 8% on arrival in Las Vegas but during the trip with lots of steep up and downhills (4000 ft to below sea level several times) the estimates fluctuated widely from +20% to -12% but on the final level leg to Las Vegas settled down to near the original 8% and I arrived at the SC with 35 miles. I think it doesn't have the detail to account for micro variations in elevation but over longer distances, it is accurate.