[gasbandit]

I'd have been way more impressed if GM had spent a few pennies and put an outside temperature read-out in the upper right hand part of the DIC. You know, that empty space where there's...nothing. The way it is now, can't know the temp when on Google Maps at the same time.

I'd prefer some sections of the instrument cluster to be blank where there IS something. For example, the pedestrian indicator. "HEY! LOOK DOWN HERE! TAKE YOUR EYES OFF THE ROAD SO I CAN TELL YOU I THINK THERE'S A PEDESTRIAN IN FRONT OF YOU THAT YOU SHOULD BE CAREFUL NOT TO HIT!"

 

[bisco]

i must be too busy watching the road to notice all the things the dic is trying to tell me

 

[md.]

Another little tidbit from that gauge, Max and Min are the middle range number +18% (118%) and -18% (82%). Nothing magical going on there.

 

[Voldar]

i must be too busy watching the road to notice all the things the dic is trying to tell me

I hope you look at DIC to at least check the speed you are going...

 

[liresong]

I hope you look at DIC to at least check the speed you are going...

Oh.....that ain't the american way!

 

[rudiger]

I tend to use the bottom number, on that part of the gauge, regardless of what the little green/yellow bar is doing.

I prefer "under-promise, over-perform" to the opposite. Rarely disappointed (or stranded), that way.

I realize that back in 2017, this was GM's first production BEV so they were throwing things at the wall to see what would stick. Even so, the marketing gimmick of having three ranges of 'MAX', 'MEDIAN', and 'MIN' was silly, even beyond dumb. I mean, were they expecting drivers to gauge their range on current conditions with the secure knowledge they'd have enough to make their trip, based on the higher shown ranges? I've always wondered how many new-to-EV-life Bolt owners ended up being stranded because they took it for granted that the MAX range was accurate and enough for their road-trip.

 

[pagrey]

I wish advanced just showed the battery percentage with a real number and let me do the math. I don't mind the gauge as it is at all because I can read the bars. For me, the max, min and range shown are almost always useless. After typing this, I should probably take a look at the other options because I don't use the range estimates so why bother?

 

[md.]

I realize that back in 2017, this was GM's first production BEV so they were throwing things at the wall to see what would stick. Even so, the marketing gimmick of having three ranges of 'MAX', 'MEDIAN', and 'MIN' was silly, even beyond dumb. I mean, were they expecting drivers to gauge their range on current conditions with the secure knowledge they'd have enough to make their trip, based on the higher shown ranges? I've always wondered how many new-to-EV-life Bolt owners ended up being stranded because they took it for granted that the MAX range was accurate and enough for their road-trip.

Pretty sure there will be quite a few people who disagree with you on this one. I don't often need to know exactly how far I can go, and I usually use ABRP when I am on trips, but I think that especially the low-ball guess keeps the middle number in perspective. Hang around some of the other EV forums and especially Facebook and you see how many people expect that middle number to be "accurate".

 

[mahlerrd]

But alas. We can't all be smart all the time.

Although! This thread pointed out there's more info on the dashboard displays than many folks had realized, so it still serves a purpose to at least a few folks!

Just goes to show you that everyone is important! Even if sometimes all you are is a cautionary tale of woe or an example not to follow.

 

[Robert Gwin]

Just glance at it as you are driving. It is actually helpful.

Or at least interesting.

I tend to use the bottom number, on that part of the gauge, regardless of what the little green/yellow bar is doing.

I prefer "under-promise, over-perform" to the opposite. Rarely disappointed (or stranded), that way.

I fully agree, that would really be a bummer to be stranded, since you can't simply get gas and be back on the road.

 

[rudiger]

I fully agree, that would really be a bummer to be stranded, since you can't simply get gas and be back on the road.

Well, the DCFC situation is much better today than it was just five years ago. But I wonder if any other plug-in does this sort of thing, i.e., show multiple range estimates. I guess the idea is so an EV driver can gauge their range (and charging stops) based on variables like weather, speed, etc. I've never done it that way, always using the 'MIN' number. The typical GOM is bad enough, but this seems like a marketing gimmick that makes the GOM that much worse.

FWIW, I don't think any of GM's new Ultium BEVs have three different range estimate read-outs.

 

[Robert Gwin]

Well, the DCFC situation is much better today than it was just five years ago. But I wonder if any other plug-in does this sort of thing, i.e., show multiple range estimates. I guess the idea is so an EV driver can gauge their range (and charging stops) based on variables like weather, speed, etc. I've never done it that way, always using the 'MIN' number. The typical GOM is bad enough, but this seems like a marketing gimmick that makes the GOM that much worse.

FWIW, I don't think any of GM's new Ultium BEVs have three different range estimate read-outs.

I would hope they are very accurate then. I don't even trust the minimum. I have at times covered 1 mile and it dropped 2.

 

[rudiger]

I would hope they are very accurate then. I don't even trust the minimum. I have at times covered 1 mile and it dropped 2.

They're not. There's a reason they're called the Guess-O-Meter. But if there's only one gauge, I would much prefer a pessimistic GOM over an optimistic one.

FWIW, the last time I read a test comparing EV GOM's, the Mach-E was the most accurate. Apparently, Ford had developed an algorithm that was superior to everyone else in combining specific factors to gauge real-world range.

I used to have a 2018, then 2020 Pacifica Hybrid. Interestingly, the 2018 was way better at guessing EV-range than the 2020, which typically had a much wider fluctuation, sometimes a difference of 10 miles after a very short period of driving. I don't know what Chrysler's software programmers did in those two years, but it wasn't for the better (at least in my experience).

 

[BehindBars]

They're not. There's a reason they're called the Guess-O-Meter. But if there's only one gauge, I would much prefer a pessimistic GOM over an optimistic one.

Be careful what you wish for. Equinox EV on screen Google Maps trip routing shows expected battery levels at charging stops and at destination. It is so pessimistic I find it rather worthless. I have to mentally apply a correction factor to the pessimistic estimate to obtain a prediction number closer to reality. I find it better to look at my efficiency and miles to go and do the math myself.

I set off on one 210 mile drive, with Google predicting 19% battery at arrival. When I got there I had 40% remaining. The car’s GOM was more accurate, fortunately.

 

[liresong]

From post #29:

Just goes to show you that everyone is important! Even if sometimes all you are is a cautionary tale of woe.....

I see you've been watching Wednesday on Netflix.

 

[mahlerrd]

From post #29: I see you've been watching Wednesday on Netflix.

I have not, but I think my just-turned-18 year old daughter does. Something might have rubbed off on me.

 

[md.]

I would hope they are very accurate then. I don't even trust the minimum. I have at times covered 1 mile and it dropped 2.

There's no such thing as "accurate" on a car's range. If you're looking for that, you're using it incorrectly. It's a guide based on previous driving and conditions. It's not possible for it to be accurate if it doesn't know where and how you'll be driving next. It doesn't even know for sure how much energy is currently stored in the battery.

 

[liresong]

I have not, but I think my just-turned-18 year old daughter does. Something might have rubbed off on me.

Nevermore Academy is supposedly for high schoolers? Many actors & actresses, playing high schoolers, are 22-25 years old. If they're good looking, they can get away playing younger. However, the black woman Joy Sunday, in the show is..... 27+years old! I really like her.

Oh, Woe to be young again. But, not really. I could have died 40 times over. I love being old. Much better than the alternative. No Woe needed.

 

[CanAmSteve]

Cool! I must say, having had a few vehicles now with digital displays (Honda, Volvo,VW) the Bolt display is a little bit of info in a lot of screen. No time, no outside temp. My regular commute requires me to switch NPR stations and I have to be on that screen to do this easily. The Big Screen is full of my Android Auto maps, which leaves a tiny bit of info (time, etc. ) just where it is hidden by the steering wheel (any way to change the layout?)

Other than the RTFM manual, is there some good YT explanation of the various Bolt driver display screens? They all seem to offer a little info in a lotta space, and switching between them is not something to do on twisty two-lane roads (IMO)

 

[atc98092]

I would hope they are very accurate then. I don't even trust the minimum. I have at times covered 1 mile and it dropped 2.

It is impossible for them to be "accurate", as it can't predict the conditions of a future drive. Terrain, temperature, weather conditions, speed, and more, there's just too many variables for the car to make any sort of accurate guess. The upper/lower limit shown in the Bolt DID (driver information display) is in general fairly close to what can be expected. But throw in some hills to climb or much faster speeds than previously and all guesses are out the window. When I climb the hill I live on (I'm about half way up) I lose a mile at exactly 0.5 miles traveled. But once I crest the hill and am on level ground, I might drive another 2-3 miles before I lose the next mile of range. Sure, I'm talking about my current PHEV, but my Bolt was pretty much the same.