New e-Golf: range estimate jumping around wildly

[ColbyBrown]

Hi all, I just bought a white 2015 e-Golf last week and so far we love it! However we find the range estimates incredibly confusing. Sometimes, when we get in the car, it will say we have 100+ miles of range available, which I know is unlikely from a car that reportedly averages 85 or so (even in good weather), and then after driving around for a while the remaining range may actually go up, and then suddenly we will lose like 20 miles when we have only driven 5... has this happened to anyone else, or does anyone know why it is behaving this way (I assume something to do with learning our driving style)?

 

[forbin404]

Hi all, I just bought a white 2015 e-Golf last week and so far we love it! However we find the range estimates incredibly confusing. Sometimes, when we get in the car, it will say we have 100+ miles of range available, which I know is unlikely from a car that reportedly averages 85 or so (even in good weather), and then after driving around for a while the remaining range may actually go up, and then suddenly we will lose like 20 miles when we have only driven 5... has this happened to anyone else, or does anyone know why it is behaving this way (I assume something to do with learning our driving style)?

the 'Lie-o-meter' is an avg of previous driving habits. So if say you drive it slow and steady it will say something like you have 102 miles the next time you do a charge, if you drive it hard, then it will say you have 80 miles the next charge. (The lowest number I've ever got it to say at full was 81)

It's really there as an advisement, there is no way for the car to know exactly how many miles you are going to get except when you are driving it. And the Lie-o-Meter does adjust as you are driving.

Once you have driven it a few months, you will settle into your 'routine' and the meter becomes a proper 'miles to empty' meter.

 

[ColbyBrown]

Thanks; that's what I thought. Since this is VW though, I also wondered whether the range might be initially calibrated based upon the driving style embedded in the EPA drive cycles. Our commute is nothing like LA freeways so this might explain why it has to adjust so much.

 

[forbin404]

Thanks; that's what I thought. Since this is VW though, I also wondered whether the range might be initially calibrated based upon the driving style embedded in the EPA drive cycles. Our commute is nothing like LA freeways so this might explain why it has to adjust so much.

If you drive it really slow (like 25 in stop and go traffic) you will really see that number jump up over 100.

There's a thread here where basically someone figured out 'the slower you go the more miles you get' out of the eGolf.

 

[johnnylingo]

Thanks; that's what I thought. Since this is VW though, I also wondered whether the range might be initially calibrated based upon the driving style embedded in the EPA drive cycles.

I think the initial estimate is based on driving history, yes. Mine has been as low as 95 and as high as 125. I've noticed the higher numbers tend to come when the previous day was mostly city driving.

 

[Zeuser]

It's just like on gas cars. My current car, a 2007 Accord, shows me a range estimate as well. Based on the history of the last fill-up and current MPG, the range estimate fluctuates.

 

[JoulesThief]

Your car and it's remaining range is wildly affected by driving up in elevation and down in elevation, for obvious reasons. VW puts that in there to help with range anxiety. Look at your car as having 1/4 to 1/10 the range of various other versions of the VW Golf, from an R32, to the fuel sipping TDI models.

Watch the equilavent of your gas gauge, and accept the fact that you will now have to plan a lot more in advance for longer trips than you did in the past, due to changes in elevation from where you last recharged to where your next destination is. 2000 or 3000 change in vertical feet is going to put the hurt on reduction in range. You will use somewhere between 2 to 3 additional Kw per 1000 ft gain in elevation, on top of what you normally get for miles per kwh, depending on how fast you drive going up that grade or mountain.

This is a whole new concept with limited range, the car pretty much limits you to bicycle range driving distances between recharges. It's an urban vehicle, not really a suburban to urban commuter. Short hops and trips are what it does best.

This vehicle does best when your AVERAGE miles per hour sits at somewhere between 20 and 30 MPH, and you drive it nicely in the city, not racing red light to red light or stop sign to stop sign. It rewards you greatly if you accelerate and decelerate smoothly, at Grandpa rates of acceleration and deceleration. I drive mine in D almost all the time and shift to D1 only when coming up to a stop sign or red light, as soon as I can see it. This preserves the most momentum.

Using accessories too, AC, lights, seat heater, etc all reduce the remaining range the car will drive. Turn them off far in advance if you have a long stretch to the next recharge station and turn the AC there, once the car is recharging and you are inside waiting for it to finish.


Oh, and always leave some gas in the tank. Always. Try this exercise... you only have the range equivalent of 2 to 2.5 gallons of gas in a regular Golf, with a 2.5 to 3 hour fillup time between uses, if you run it really low. Don't make regular use of DC quick chargers, they should be used sparingly, the battery is passively cooled, it can't get rid of the heat a 20 minute recharge generates, and that shortens its range and useful life.