Hyundai Kona Electric

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OrientExpress said:
Yeah, I had a Kona along with a Nexo earlier this month. I'm having a Kia Niro delivered today.
OrientExpress,
Sounds like you've had hands-on experience with a variety of new EVs, do they all have an easy to view SOC% meter or is that more the exception rather than the norm as I suspect? I personally can't see purchasing an EV without that feature but I guess if none really have it anymore I'll be forced to give up on that feature :(
 
jjeff said:
new EVs, do they all have an easy to view SOC% meter or is that more the exception rather than the norm as I suspect? I personally can't see purchasing an EV without that feature but I guess if none really have it anymore I'll be forced to give up on that feature :(

I'm not sure what you mean by a SOC% meter, can you give me an example of a car that has one and what information does it provide?
 
OrientExpress said:
jjeff said:
new EVs, do they all have an easy to view SOC% meter or is that more the exception rather than the norm as I suspect? I personally can't see purchasing an EV without that feature but I guess if none really have it anymore I'll be forced to give up on that feature :(

I'm not sure what you mean by a SOC% meter, can you give me an example of a car that has one and what information does it provide?

SOC stands for "state of charge." It's the percentage of remaining charge that the car displays.
 
Range-2019-Hyundai-Kona.jpeg


Do you mean the charge remaining, as in this image with the bar graph on the right hand side of the display?
 
The route that gave us 5.0 m/kWh was all state highway and was about 60 miles of downhill road at about 55-65 mph. The rest was interstate on essentially flat terrain at 65-70 mph. I used ProPilot Assist on the majority of the drive rather than trying to manually hypermile. The car is more responsible for this return than i was.

Going the other way which had the same 60 miles only uphill, the average return was 3.8 m/kWh. The rest of the drive was the same interstate and flat terrain.
 
LeftieBiker said:
Yes, except expressed as a percentage - like "95%."
Yes, this.
I'd personally really want a % number, not a crude bar graph.
In one of your images, it shows SOC% but I'm thinking that was the new Leaf, I've personally looked at a couple EVs/PHEVs and they did not have the percentage, just a crude bar graph or the GOM :(
 
OrientExpress said:
The Guess-O-Meters are much more accurate in these 2019 BEVs
Or maybe they are not GOMs like the LEAF has had in the past, but a real representation of the remaining battery capacity multiplied by a fixed efficiency (much like Tesla uses)?
 
The current LEAF still presents a numerical percentage, but most other manufacturers don't mainly because HMI testing has shown that this confuses most users since the actual percentage can vary up and down depending on how factors such as grade, temperature, and regeneration and a numerical representation highlights that variance which is found to be confusing for the majority of users. The preference has been overwhelming for a bar graph much like a gas gauge with a range to empty numerical display. While this numerical representation is also variable, it is preferred.

I just went through all the photos of BEVs that I have tested over the last three years and other than the current '18-'19 LEAF not a single one had a numerical percentage display of battery charge. That's why I needed clarification on your question.

jjeff said:
LeftieBiker said:
Yes, except expressed as a percentage - like "95%."
Yes, this.
I'd personally really want a % number, not a crude bar graph.
In one of your images, it shows SOC% but I'm thinking that was the new Leaf, I've personally looked at a couple EVs/PHEVs and they did not have the percentage, just a crude bar graph or the GOM :(
 
DougWantsALeaf said:
Many ICEs have range displays too. Miles to empty. Wonder if they also work on hiding a 10% reserve.

There is usually a one or two gallon reserve that either shows as a Red Zone on the gauge, or is hidden. I remember a Volvo 164 with a red zone, one that you'd best not run down to the peg. It was the only time I ran out of gas and had to push a car.
 
Yeah for ICE cars, the two items that are displayed with over conservative readings are the speedometer which are usually 5 mph high and gas gauges that are 1-2 gallons low.
 
OrientExpress said:
The current LEAF still presents a numerical percentage, but most other manufacturers don't mainly because HMI testing has shown that this confuses most users since the actual percentage can vary up and down depending on how factors such as grade, temperature, and regeneration and a numerical representation highlights that variance which is found to be confusing for the majority of users.

Guess I'm in the minority. For me theLEAF's percent display is the only non-BS battery metric on the car. Having it increase slightly on a long regenerative downhill run is not confusing -- it's expected. Certainly far more useful and better-behaved than the psychotic Guess-o-meter, or the "guess-a-width" battery bars. Give the rubes their DTE meter with big, friendly numbers, and the psychologically manipulated "bars", but please, PLEASE let me have a simple non-obfuscated representation of the remaining energy in the pack.
 
OrientExpress said:
The preference has been overwhelming for a bar graph much like a gas gauge with a range to empty numerical display. While this numerical representation is also variable, it is preferred.

Please:
1) I'd prefer a numerical display for SOC%.

2) I'd prefer a range to 20% capacity over a range to empty almost all of the time. Have it switch to range to empty only after passing 20%, and flash or change color or something.

3) I'd like a battery temperature readout in degrees C. Sure, all the F people can't read it. That's OK.

4) I'd like the charge location in the front, rather than the sides.

5) I'd like a charge to percentage setting. Or a "Hill top" setting. Or some other easy way to limit charging percentage


Reasons:
1) When doing a trip where I actually need to look at SOC%, I don't want to have to count bars to check if I'm on track to getting to my destination. Even a readout that counts by 5% would be better than a bar graph. Head unit display would be OK. Most days, I'm not going far enough to matter.

2) I don't plan on arriving below 20%, as the battery will last longer if not discharged beyond this far. Yes, I know there is a buffer.

3) When driving in mountains with lots of power and regen, or on a long trip with multiple DCQCs, I'd like to have a clue as to how hot my battery is getting. Also has an impact on DCQC time. Head unit display would be OK.

4) Side of car charging ports are a pain. Back side is worse.

5) I want regeneration leaving my house. I live on a steep hill, and don't want only friction braking leaving my house.
 
The current LEAF still presents a numerical percentage, but most other manufacturers don't mainly because HMI testing has shown that this confuses most users since the actual percentage can vary up and down depending on how factors such as grade, temperature, and regeneration and a numerical representation highlights that variance which is found to be confusing for the majority of users.

The SOC display rarely if ever varies by temperature, at least not by more than 1%, and the only time it varies by grade is when the latest Nissan Bug kicks in on a 40kwh Leaf. None of the previous Leafs get confused or deceptive about SOC when climbing a hill. I'm guessing that, having only just learned about this feature, you are throwing excuses at the wall, to see what sticks. ;)
 
You are right, the main reason nobody offers this SOC percentage is that it simply isn’t a useful parameter that is confusing to the vast majority of BEV drivers.
 
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