Nubo said:
The mileage estimate is not particularly useful. For example I can drive up a local mountain and when I get to the top it will tell me I have 13 miles remaining. What does that mean? It means if I drive up a mountain for another 13 miles I will be out of power. It has no idea that I have reached the top of the mountain, will now descend and gain 6 kWH of regenerated power. Furthermore when I do get to the bottom it will then tell me I have 70 miles remaining, which is equally ridiculous because it's assuming that I'll be descending for another 70 miles.
Now... if your driving conditions are consistent then yes the Guess-O-Meter can show the effect of other influences with some measure of validity. For example, cold weather usually results in less range. It takes battery power to run the heater, the battery stores less energy, the air is denser and the tires have higher rolling resistance. So all else being equal, 80% might take you 80 miles on a comfortable day and 50 miles on a cold day.
The bottom line is that most LEAF drivers learn to ignore the Guess-O-Meter. Some go so far as to simply cover it up so they don't have to witness it's delirium. Personally I find it somewhat useful in some ways, but not because of its accuracy in predicting the future. It's full of **** but I know the ways in which it's full of **** and thus compensate.
An excellent description of the Guess-O-Meter. Even though I know it's full of **** I have a time trying to keep my eyes off it. And it's tough to explain to a passenger just what it's worth is!
