Has anyone experienced "increase" in projected miles?

Not that I am complaining,

It's just seems a little strange to me.

I charged my car at about 80% "full" and 252 miles on odometer, got "Battery Range" 92 miles. Thought, cool, more miles to go, but I thought the max is 82, but I'll take it

Then, next charge similar 20% left to charge, unplugging in the morning "Battery Range" 97 miles. I mean, I like the trend, but I am just curious what is causing the trend.

If the car has some fuzzy-logic built into the software that adjusts to my driving style and projects the distance based on that, I'd understand, but short of that -Why?

I charge every night since I bought the car using the 110V while I am waiting for my 220V.

I thought it was the warmer weather. I'm up to 115 miles, now, on indicated range.

This is because it's factoring in your energy useage according to your driving habbits. If you were to start going up big inclines, driving 75mph and braking harshly, your projected range would go down. Case in point, when I drive down a 3000 ft pass, then recharge, it tells me I have 92miles range. When I go back up, recharge, it then tells me I have about 85 miles. I suspect that this running average is reset if you clear your energy useage statistics on the central display.

NomadMac said:

I thought it was the warmer weather. I'm up to 115 miles, now, on indicated range.

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I actually thought that warmer weather is causing battery degradation and reduction in mileage. Of course it's relative "warmer", I am guessing around 70F a perfect San Diego weather is the best match for the battery. Too cold or too hot i.e. closer to 90-100, need more cooling and spends more energy. I will take the 115mi over 82 any day, hot or cold
Can't wait to see what the 2015 will offer as far as "real" battery range. I know they say lighter, but smaller and same range.... but, I'll believe it when I see it.

xylhim said:

This is because it's factoring in your energy useage according to your driving habbits. If you were to start going up big inclines, driving 75mph and braking harshly, your projected range would go down. Case in point, when I drive down a 3000 ft pass, then recharge, it tells me I have 92miles range. When I go back up, recharge, it then tells me I have about 85 miles. I suspect that this running average is reset if you clear your energy useage statistics on the central display.

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Tomorrow, I'll probably have the answer to this, just reset the energy usage this morning. So far it shows average of 4.4mi/kw usage, not sure if it's that good of "mileage". I don't remember what post I've seeing it in, but it was mentioned that close to 6mi/kw is what considered a "good" number.

It's too bad you can't have a "backup battery" to plug into if you actually TRY and drive those "miles" that it says you have.

I am thinking that you really don't have those miles.

But if you are Uber close to plugs in's... try it !

And let us know

tigger19687 said:

It's too bad you can't have a "backup battery" to plug into if you actually TRY and drive those "miles" that it says you have.

I am thinking that you really don't have those miles.

But if you are Uber close to plugs in's... try it !

And let us know

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You sort of do, press the On-star button and they will send someone out who can either charge or tow you to a charge station. It is my understanding that AAA also has the ability to provide a limited charge. You could also do like Tony did and have another vehicle with a trailer ready to pick you up.

One could drive a pattern that always keeps a charger station in range, staying closer and closer as you near the end of your range, maybe stopping just before you hit 0. A small portable generator could be used to charge if needed. That would get you as much range as you had patience and fuel for.

I think the Spark EV is like the Volt: It adjusts the mileage estimate according to your past driving and energy usage. If you drive surface streets and speeds, and drive gently, you will get way more miles per charge than if you hit the freeway and drive at 75. Drive a major part of one battery charge on the freeway, and next day, it will drop your estimated distance way down.

I am sure there is negligible change in the battery's capacity due to any degradation. That will take several years to notice.

Rembember, some guy drove a Spark EV almost 140 miles on a single charge. He used a test track, and ran at 25 mph (slowest cruise-control setting). ...I wonder what his mileage estimate showed after the full recharge.

I'm sure that part of this is the Spark learning one's driving style and habits. I'm equally sure that part is that having these big readouts right in your face gives one the incentive (even if subconscious) to adjust one's style to get higher numbers.

I like running with the range display in confidence mode. With maximum/current/minimum range numbers and trending indicators there's a wealth of information that helps you drive more efficiently.

The Sparks' range algorithm adjusts to your recent driving, but does a much better job of smoothing out the highs and lows than every other company's. That being said, hot air is lower density air, so there's less air drag in hot weather and your energy usage will go down under the same conditions (assuming you're not using the A/C). Depending on where you are, hot summer weather can make the air density at sea level equivalent to 2 or 3 thousand feet under standard conditions (29.92" Hg / 1013.2 mb, 15 deg. C. / 59 deg. F. @ MSL). While the heat will cause your battery to degrade faster if it's not cooled (the Spark's is), your energy usage at any given speed but especially at freeway speeds, will improve.

NomadMac said:

I thought it was the warmer weather. I'm up to 115 miles, now, on indicated range.

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That's awesome...that's even more than what I'm getting and I'm averaging about 5.5 miles/kWh.

What are you at?

AAA does not have this feature in New England I called.
And I wouldn't want to waste a tow from AAA

It is my understanding that, as someone else pointed out, it gives you a "general" idea based on your driving history.
That would be fine, but I travel 18 miles total to and from work during the week (MPH 30-45). I would not try and make it to Cape Cod in one charge because I am sure it will not make it going 65+ .

tigger19687 said:

AAA does not have this feature in New England I called.
And I wouldn't want to waste a tow from AAA

It is my understanding that, as someone else pointed out, it gives you a "general" idea based on your driving history.
That would be fine, but I travel 18 miles total to and from work during the week (MPH 30-45). I would not try and make it to Cape Cod in one charge because I am sure it will not make it going 65+ .

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Mapquest shows Boston to Cape Cod being 75.14 miles. Why do you think the Spark EV would not make that in a single charge? If desired, you could slow down to 60 or so and get a bit more range. I don't know the impact of very cold weather on my Spark EV (and I hope I never find out), but when the battery froze solid in one of my ICE cars, it didn't go very far either.

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Burlington,+MA/Osterville,+Barnstable,+MA/@42.0653428,-71.3775055,9z/data=!4m15!4m14!1m5!1m1!1s0x89e3f6f852edf93f:0xee1834ac5b81a90d!2m2!1d-71.1956205!2d42.5047161!1m5!1m1!1s0x89fb3284d40acc9b:0xdf79a4d2e51bb095!2m2!1d-70.3870055!2d41.6285902!3e0!5i2

Because I am further out then Boston, and there are no DC fast chargers on the way.
I only go during the Summer when my folks are there. That would be the furthest that I would have to go.
I could take the Truck but I hate their driveway as there is not much room.

Oh and I would get run off the road at 60mph on Rt 128 and Rt 495, but that is do-able when I actually hit the cape.

tigger19687 said:

It's too bad you can't have a "backup battery" to plug into if you actually TRY and drive those "miles" that it says you have.

I am thinking that you really don't have those miles.

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No, of course not. The mileage estimate is just that, a guess. Nobody *for sure* will get the "miles left" that their car indicates. They are a projection, a guess, an estimate. How could your car know, in advance, how hard you would push the car, whether you would use the A/C or heat, if you would hotrod the pedal, or drive up and down hills all day?

staying closer and closer as you near the end of your range, maybe stopping just before you hit 0. A small portable generator could be used to charge if needed.

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Actually, no. I thought of buying a small gasoline generator, maybe even a 220V one. But then I read that charging your car with a generator will make bad things happen. That makes sense, since the actual "charger" is under the hood, and the box on the wall is basically an adapter. So any dirty power you feed the car goes straight to the car's charger, which is expecting fairly clean mains power.

I'd rather invest in a tow bar.

Car Talk agrees: http://www.postandcourier.com/article/20120616/PC2107/120619349

Tdk408 said:

I'd rather invest in a tow bar.

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I'd rather plan better and never run out of power. :ugeek:

Today had to drive up and down the hills on I-15 and CA-78 to the Oceanside and back to CA-56 with small stops along the way. Started with 100 miles on the clock, drove about 66.5 miles, came home with 42 miles left on the clock. This proves that I could take the same route again, don't drive 60 mph on the freeway and still make it home with no problems.

blownb310 said:

Tdk408 said:

I'd rather invest in a tow bar.

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I'd rather plan better and never run out of power. :ugeek:

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Agreed. That is what we would all _rather_ have.

But wasn't the issue what to do when you are stuck without power? In that case, wouldn't a $70 towbar make more sense than a $500 generator that would take hours to charge and might damage your charger?

nozferatu said:

NomadMac said:

I thought it was the warmer weather. I'm up to 115 miles, now, on indicated range.

Click to expand...

That's awesome...that's even more than what I'm getting and I'm averaging about 5.5 miles/kWh.

What are you at?

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Believe it or not, I was only at 4.9 mi/kWh lifetime as it said on the "small screen" before resetting the trip odometer.... Granted that leg was somewhat of a "test trip" just to see what I can get, so it does not reflect my normal driving.
Here is the mpge for the trip:

Just curious if that "Charge Now" button in RemoteLink works for anyone? It works on my Volt but I get a message that it's "not supported by the vehicle" with the Spark...