I've never really understood the resetting of the trip counter. All you get is the factory default set under laboratory conditions, whereas leaving the trip counter alone gives an estimation based in real world conditions, determined by your driving style, which I think is much more useful.
This is very true, however like I said above, some new EV adopters COULD be fooled into believing that the inflated figure ( in this case was 347 ) was in some way a REALLY achievable / actual range.
Which I have to agree could be doable in some respects, maybe ?.
However, here is the big BUT, only IF you could 100% replicate every single aspect of the trips used, to comply / formulate that over inflated / predicted range, displayed on the GOM.
To reach that high figure of 347 miles, the car could have been conducting a lot of small slow speed town trips in ideal weather conditions, no HVAC used and over a number of weeks, even months.
Here is the danger point.
A new EV owner then bases a brand new long trip, done in poor weather conditions, with the HVAC in use, on that 347 prediction.
Almost viewing it as a piggy bank of saved up range / mileage that he / she has earned for driving more economical in the past few weeks or months.
Placing 100% total faith in that GOM read out.
Almost treating like the petrol fuel gauge they had in the fossil cars they owned for years.
Adopting the theory that when the petrol gauge states full, then the tank is full - right ???.
Same principle on a EV then ?.
Sorry - That will be a NO then in this case.
Your GOM is reading “over full”
if you get my meaning.
You would doubt this in a petrol car, so the same should apply in an EV.
If you had a 12 gallon tank and the gauge reported 14 gallons, do you actually have 14 gallons, of course not.
The more seasoned EV use is fully aware that this 347 is an impossible target to actually achieve and plans in some charging stops on route before setting off.
On the other hand, the new EV owner innocently sets off in full belief he / she will make the long trip in a single charge and makes no plans to stop, given the over inflated range.
This is where the danger arises, that is ALL I am trying to say here.
If as a new EV owner, you reset the trips, then this provides an instant reminder of what is MORE likely achievable.
Not 100% accurate of course, but just a little closer to a figure that is not going to catch you out looking for the charger you never thought you needed at the start ???.
Experienced EV owners have a better understanding of what the car is ACTUALLY capable of achieving ( regardless of the GOM ) on a long distance trip.
Starting with a factory base line, I find it easier to check my driving efficiency against my current driving style and find it easier to monitor my efficiency set against the target destination.
What ever method you find works best for your usage case, is absolutely perfect ?.
My concerns are offering caution towards once long time ICE owners, who are now making the move across to EV motoring.
Assume nothing and expect anything.
When covering trips outbound and inbound from home that can not be achieved comfortably on one single full charge within the TRUE full range / capacity of your battery pack.
Especially if you are going to really believe the over inflated range reported by the GOM and proceed onwards.
Then you better have a charging back up plan firmly in place.
