iEV iPhone EV simulator App

[mitch672]

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/iev/id413625707?mt=8" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Here is there support product page (FAQs): http://dottribes.com/electric-car-simulator-iev-faq/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

This is a $5.99 program for the iPhone that simulates EV trips. You can put in the "car type" as a basic starting point, or use the "advanced mode" (which I did), and put in the cars: weight: 3350 pounds, Air Drag Coeffiient: .29, Car Area (frontal area): 24.5 square feet (the numbers given are for a Nissan Leaf).

Then you simply start the app up, and let the GPS gather the data, when you reach your destination, hit the "stop" button, and the app shows you your KW consumed on the trip, the max and average speed, the total distance, and the time. Of course KW for accessories or heating/AC are not calculated...

It then can average these for each day, and you can see if the Leafs 24KW battery pack will work for *you*. You use a standard car, you don't have to own a Leaf.

It would be nice if some Leaf owners have it, and compare real world results with the computed KW from the app, I am curious. I spent $5.99 to try it out, and its impressive so far.

Credit: The author was heard on a recent podcast of "Transport Evolved" (hosted by Nikki Gordon Bloomfield), talking up the app.

 

[lpickup]

Sounds an awful lot like what I suggested in the Suggestions for Nissan board:

http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=7026

Seriously, Nissan ought to buy the rights to this app and give it away to potential customers. What a great marketing tool!

That reminds me, I hadn't posted my enhancement idea to the thread.

Too bad I don't have a smartphone or I would be tempted to try it out myself.

Oh, and I don't see any reason why it wouldn't be able to simulate Climate Control usage as well since it probably has access to local temperature and can simulate what level of CC would be in use if you virtually "set" it in the simulator.

 

[sparky]

Thanks for the heads up mitch672.
I bought the app and I'll try it out this week.

 

[tbleakne]

The support page says very little about the algorithm; perhaps little more than basic aerodynamics. If it uses the actual altitude profile of the route, the app could be useful. Otherwise it would only be useful for flat routes. Does it have any information on the regen efficiency, which is important for downhill?

 

[DrInnovation]

I was a beta-tester (never tied the final release) for the Volt (in fact the volt picture in the beta was my car).

I found it accurate to about 20% on average, some days it overestimated, others underestimated. My worst testing over was 30% overestimate of range for that charge, worst under was 25%. These were all fair weather driving with 0 climate control used.

Doest not really capture driving style at all. Beta did not capture climate setting (one of my feed backs to them).
It does not, but could, capture elevation changes which can be a big deal in CO.