GRA
Well-known member
This thread is intended for people to report what ranges mainstream drivers rather than EV enthusiasts can count on, in various conditions. As such, techniques which EV enthusiasts regularly use to maximize range, but which are impractical or unacceptable to mainstream drivers, such as hypermiling, use of surface streets instead of faster freeways, limited or no use of HVAC even when it's necessary for comfort and/or convenience, do not qualify. Drive your car as if you're one of the people who've never lifted their hood and have no clue (nor do you care) if your car's power is provided by fossil fuel, batteries, squirrels running on wheels, your personal fusion reactor (from Radio Shack), or a graduate of Hogwarts. In short, drive as if the car is just a transportation tool, not a piece of cool technology.
To qualify for posting here, trips should:
1. Start with 80% Charge - you must to be able to make the same trip when the battery is approaching replacement as when it's new. If you have/want to charge to 100% to get sufficient range for winter or while you're establishing the car's capabilities, see the note in #2.
2. Not get a Low Battery Warning. Delays and diversions happen; you should keep a reserve. If you wish, you may go past LBW to a Very-Low Battery Warning, if you are comfortable with less reserve. [Note: if you're charging to 100%, when you get down to three white bars remaining, treat that as Low Battery Warning range, and when you get to only two white bars remaining treat that as Very-Low Battery Warning range, i.e. you should never deplete the battery that far. If you drive past that point, just note the range at which you hit three or two bars remaining].
3. Not use pre-heating or pre-cooling (you forgot/the power went out/it's an emergency). For bonus points, don't use battery warming either.
4. Use your HVAC system as necessary to provide comfortable (not just tolerable) conditions for you and your passengers, while wearing the clothes you'd normally wear, and with no aftermarket heating accessories. You paid $35k for the car; it should keep you as comfortable as the cheapest ICE. Report ambient temps, outside and (initial) interior, and temp settings you used on the HVAC.
5. Use your defroster and windshield wipers as necessary for safety, and report use.
6. Use your lights ditto, and report whether low/high/fog lights were used.
7. Use your infotainment system as you do otherwise; if you just have to play 'Purple Haze' at maximum volume during your trip, do so. Report.
8. Not take surface streets when there's a quicker, more convenient freeway that you'd otherwise take.
9. Not cruise in the far right lane of a multi-lane urban freeway at a speed that may be legal, but is definitely less safe. You should be a lane or two over. Cruise at whatever speed is the flow of traffic, whether that's the speed limit or something more, as long as you're comfortable doing so. Report speeds.
10. No hypermiling (drafting semis, coasting in neutral, constant power/decreasing speed up hills, etc.)
11. Report elevation gain or loss.
12. Report number of people on board, their genders, and approximate ages (infant/child/teen/adult), or else the total payload weight. You get maximum brownie points for reporting a trip carrying the maximum load (860 lb.)
13. Report Special driving conditions, such as dirt/gravel/mud/snow/chain use.
To qualify for posting here, trips should:
1. Start with 80% Charge - you must to be able to make the same trip when the battery is approaching replacement as when it's new. If you have/want to charge to 100% to get sufficient range for winter or while you're establishing the car's capabilities, see the note in #2.
2. Not get a Low Battery Warning. Delays and diversions happen; you should keep a reserve. If you wish, you may go past LBW to a Very-Low Battery Warning, if you are comfortable with less reserve. [Note: if you're charging to 100%, when you get down to three white bars remaining, treat that as Low Battery Warning range, and when you get to only two white bars remaining treat that as Very-Low Battery Warning range, i.e. you should never deplete the battery that far. If you drive past that point, just note the range at which you hit three or two bars remaining].
3. Not use pre-heating or pre-cooling (you forgot/the power went out/it's an emergency). For bonus points, don't use battery warming either.
4. Use your HVAC system as necessary to provide comfortable (not just tolerable) conditions for you and your passengers, while wearing the clothes you'd normally wear, and with no aftermarket heating accessories. You paid $35k for the car; it should keep you as comfortable as the cheapest ICE. Report ambient temps, outside and (initial) interior, and temp settings you used on the HVAC.
5. Use your defroster and windshield wipers as necessary for safety, and report use.
6. Use your lights ditto, and report whether low/high/fog lights were used.
7. Use your infotainment system as you do otherwise; if you just have to play 'Purple Haze' at maximum volume during your trip, do so. Report.
8. Not take surface streets when there's a quicker, more convenient freeway that you'd otherwise take.
9. Not cruise in the far right lane of a multi-lane urban freeway at a speed that may be legal, but is definitely less safe. You should be a lane or two over. Cruise at whatever speed is the flow of traffic, whether that's the speed limit or something more, as long as you're comfortable doing so. Report speeds.
10. No hypermiling (drafting semis, coasting in neutral, constant power/decreasing speed up hills, etc.)
11. Report elevation gain or loss.
12. Report number of people on board, their genders, and approximate ages (infant/child/teen/adult), or else the total payload weight. You get maximum brownie points for reporting a trip carrying the maximum load (860 lb.)
13. Report Special driving conditions, such as dirt/gravel/mud/snow/chain use.