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There are two important things you're missing: 1. Tesla's estimates are not "highly accurate". They are alleged to use a deliberately optimistic estimate when

There are two important things you're missing: 1. Tesla's estimates are not "highly accurate". They are alleged to use a deliberately optimistic estimate when the battery is near full, then gradually switch to a more realistic estimate as the battery drains. In particular they are alleged to incorrectly account for the weather. This means the car will always display nearly the advertised number at full charge (and on a test drive). Supposedly Tesla used to use a more accurate estimate but then got orders from on high to fudge the numbers. 2. For other car manufacturers, the range estimates are not terribly inflated. The report from Edmunds claim that most EV models meet or exceed their range estimates, and cars that miss their estimates don't miss by anywhere near as much as Teslas.

lsaferite 3y ago
I know we are talking about EVs here, but my ICE has an estimated range display and _it_ isn't super accurate _and_ it doesn't take potential weather (or other factors like elevation) into account either. Why would you expect it to factor in _potential_ weather when giving a range estimate?
- maxerickson 3y ago
  It's not the potential weather, the one mode for the range estimator apparently isn't taking the current ambient conditions into account. So it's not factoring in the likely load from the heat or AC when it's cold or hot and they need to run to keep the vehicle comfortable.
- sdfignaionio 3y ago
  Allegedly, 1. Other companies have more accurate estimates than Tesla. 2. Tesla uses a different and more accurate algorithm when charge is low. 3. Tesla's estimates used to be more accurate. It doesn't make sense to argue the problem is intractable when it has supposedly been solved by many companies, including Tesla itself. >Why would you expect it to factor in _potential_ weather when giving a range estimate? I wouldn't expect that. The cars have thermometers.
brandonagr2 3y ago
One important thing you are missing, there are two different estimates being referred to. The "miles remaining" display on the battery charge gauge (which can be toggled to show percentage instead) and the trip planner / navigation estimate. The trip planner is very accurate, you can view a burn down charge of realtime estimate as it changes while you drive and it says what component contributed what % to deviate from the initial estimate. The "miles remaining" display is an imaginary number that is only meaningful if you are driving the same highway mix as the EPA test in the same climate conditions
- twarge 3y ago
  This is correct. If you tell it the destination the range estimate is astonishingly accurate. And it will list all the reasons it turned out to be wrong down to what fraction a headwind impacted range.

lsaferite 3y ago

I know we are talking about EVs here, but my ICE has an estimated range display and _it_ isn't super accurate _and_ it doesn't take potential weather (or other factors like elevation) into account either. Why would you expect it to factor in _potential_ weather when giving a range estimate?

maxerickson 3y ago
It's not the potential weather, the one mode for the range estimator apparently isn't taking the current ambient conditions into account. So it's not factoring in the likely load from the heat or AC when it's cold or hot and they need to run to keep the vehicle comfortable.
sdfignaionio 3y ago
Allegedly, 1. Other companies have more accurate estimates than Tesla. 2. Tesla uses a different and more accurate algorithm when charge is low. 3. Tesla's estimates used to be more accurate. It doesn't make sense to argue the problem is intractable when it has supposedly been solved by many companies, including Tesla itself. >Why would you expect it to factor in _potential_ weather when giving a range estimate? I wouldn't expect that. The cars have thermometers.

brandonagr2 3y ago

One important thing you are missing, there are two different estimates being referred to. The "miles remaining" display on the battery charge gauge (which can be toggled to show percentage instead) and the trip planner / navigation estimate. The trip planner is very accurate, you can view a burn down charge of realtime estimate as it changes while you drive and it says what component contributed what % to deviate from the initial estimate. The "miles remaining" display is an imaginary number that is only meaningful if you are driving the same highway mix as the EPA test in the same climate conditions

twarge 3y ago
This is correct. If you tell it the destination the range estimate is astonishingly accurate. And it will list all the reasons it turned out to be wrong down to what fraction a headwind impacted range.