I see some refer to the Volts range display as a Guess-O-Meter (GOM). My range display is pretty darn accurate, so why do some refer to theirs as a "GOM"?
I suspect the issue is based on the driver not understanding (or forgetting) things that affect car range. The car's range display is based on the drivers last few trips, and it is basically saying, "Based on the last few days of driving, you should get this range,
all things being equal."
That last part is important, if conditions change, the estimated range will be off. This is where people get tripped up.
Changes in condition include:
- Tire Pressure. Low tire pressure will decrease range. It's very easy to loose 2-3 or more PSI when the outside air temps drop.
- Weather. Cold, wet, snow will all decrease range.
- Heater/A/C. Cranking these up will decrease range.
- Aggressive Driving. The more aggressive the driver is in starts and stops, the more the range will be negatively affected.
- Speed. Speed kills ...battery range. The faster you drive the more it will negatively affect the battery range.
The effective range of the car can drop (or increase) based on changes in the above compared to the previous days driving record. I think some people forget that, leading to calling the range display as GOM.
