LA auto show driving times

[Sranger]

First the volt can be driven in the HOV lanes in California so this is not about the HOV lanes. It is about ZEV credits. BMW will get more ZEV credits for the i3 that will not manually let you engage the REx early. That is the ONLY reason for them to do this.

Since it is just a software issue, I see NO reason to force this on the rest of the US....

As for the state of charge, I think most people will realize that this is very useful information for many reasons... I can't for the life of me see why BMW would not make this available. It's omission is not a requirement of any ZEV issue in the US... It is just silly to omit it because it happens to be on the REx control screen.

It is a SIMPLE software change. Obviously BMW HAS to have a software version for the US and Europe so why omit it? It is just silly...

 

[Yiiikes]

I am sorry - but I can't realy see the trouble with the display. I have been so lucky to drive the i3 for a day yesterday, in realy hevy snow conditions for a day. I found the range given extremly exact, and when I enterede my destination in the navigation system it managed to calculate the estimated consumtions - and range exactly - even with heavy weather conditions. After driving 45km the range differed 1 km from the start of the drive.

Off course it is neat to se the % remaining - and this should be an option , but I think BMW has done a fantastic job in the calculation, and how the range is estimated.

The handeling of the car in theese conditions was also good. I normaly drive an 4x4, in adition to an A2 (that the i3 is going to replace). I found the i3 superior to the A2, and had no problems - even in getting over large snow drifts. I think the combination of low weight, large weels, and a good electronic drive support system helps a lot.

It must be noted that I drove an european version - and this might be different from the American

Absolutely, the display is excellent. Once people use it and find out, the whole discussion will go away.

 

[Yiiikes]

Yiiikes wrote:

Actually I have been driving EVs probably before most people on this forum even knew that EVs existed. I had possession of a GM EV1 in 1998 for some time. I worked for a company that designed and built many EV prototypes for all of the OEMs. I can tell you an SOC indicator is only there to make us feel more comfortable in our transition from ICE to EV so that they look and feel like what we are used to. EV can be a new paradigm if you let it be. With the BMW range assistant available, using SOC is like using pencil and paper to do math.


I've never driven an EV but on my ICE I find the "range" function much more useful than the fuel needle.

Totally agree, my wife and I both only look at the range, that is all that matters, who cares how many gallons we have left.

 

[Yiiikes]

As for the state of charge, I think most people will realize that this is very useful information for many reasons... I can't for the life of me see why BMW would not make this available.

It really isn't that useful at all, you must perform a number of estimations in your head to use it to get what you really want which is miles. We measure distances in miles not %charge.

more here

http://insideevs.com/op-ed-to-soc-o...-and-it-is-called-the-bmw-i3-range-assistant/

 

[Yiiikes]

"The point that resonates on this forum, however, is that we shouldn't need to be limited to just one of these displays when it is easy enough for BMW to provide both. I think we would all be okay with having the miles remaining displayed prominently on the main display (as it is now), with the SOC indicator buried but accessible in the iDrive menu structure."

Bingo!

Hey Tom,
Check out the last post
http://www.mybmwi3.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=397

 

[Sranger]

As for the state of charge, I think most people will realize that this is very useful information for many reasons... I can't for the life of me see why BMW would not make this available.

It really isn't that useful at all, you must perform a number of estimations in your head to use it to get what you really want which is miles. We measure distances in miles not %charge.

more here

http://insideevs.com/op-ed-to-soc-o...-and-it-is-called-the-bmw-i3-range-assistant/

I disagree and what possible reason would there be to omit it?

 

[Yiiikes]

What is SOC useful for?

 

[Sranger]

What is SOC useful for?

I can do the math in my head and see how various driving situations affect the rate of discharge... Human intuition is often better and predicting range than a computer because we have significantly more information available to us...

For example we might know that we are going to climb a particular hill and by watching the gauge before we can estimate how that will affect that draw. The computer cannot possible know that...

 

[Yiiikes]

Range assistant absolutely knows that, it knows the topography of the road you're driving on and all roads. Topography for every direction from your current position is incorporated into its prediction. And it knows the topography way better than you ever well even if you have driven the road many times. Additionally it knows the topography of roads you have never driven on before.
Range assistant has access to every piece of informational technology known to man through its online connection. It even knows the traffic conditions on all of the possible routes from your current position. Did you read my article about how the range assistant prediction is evaluated?

 

[Sranger]

Range assistant absolutely knows that, it knows the topography of the road you're driving on and all roads. Topography for every direction from your current position is incorporated into its prediction. And it knows the topography way better than you ever well even if you have driven the road many times. Additionally it knows the topography of roads you have never driven on before.
Range assistant has access to every piece of informational technology known to man through its online connection. It even knows the traffic conditions on all of the possible routes from your current position. Did you read my article about how the range assistant prediction is evaluated?

How in the world would the computer know where I intend to go? I a fairly sure it does not read minds.

I am sorry but I am not going to use the navigation every Time I go some where.

Also what happens if the data link is malfunctioning? A state of charge would be darn useful as a backup to the computer would it not?

Again, just because you do not find it usefull does not mean others will. And I'll ask again. What possible reason could there be to not include it?

 

[i3me]

Uhmm... what has discussing the SOC gauge to do with the LA auto show driving times? :roll:

 

[Yiiikes]

How in the world would the computer know where I intend to go? I a fairly sure it does not read minds.
I am sorry but I am not going to use the navigation every Time I go some where.
Also what happens if the data link is malfunctioning? A state of charge would be darn useful as a backup to the computer would it not?
Again, just because you do not find it usefull does not mean others will. And I'll ask again. What possible reason could there be to not include it?

Really? Sranger, really? I continue to respond to your challenges to Range Assistant capability and you still cannot accept that it is an amazing informational technology that possibly supercedes SOC. You clearly haven't read my article because all of the answers to your questions are in there and more with pictures. Why would you not at least want to learn the other POV before arguing from ignorance?

What if I told you Range Assistant can make the i3 fly, would you still tell me you are concerned you don't have your SOC? To quote GeorgeB (out of context)

"some hardcore old EV drivers don’t want to see the Range Assistant for what it is, don’t appreciate its awesomeness, and somehow fail to migrate away from their ancient habits and methods, while insisting on anachronisms such as an SOC meter being included in this cool new EV."

Your Thing conversion is amazing and you are clearly an EV pioneer and warrior, and I definitely appreciate the effort, commitment and purpose it took to fly in the face of ICE convention and forge a trail for everybody else. I respect you for it. But be careful with your blind attachment to your ancient habits and methods, technology will leave you behind.

 

[Yiiikes]

Uhmm... what has discussing the SOC gauge to do with the LA auto show driving times? :roll:

Sorry i3me, we got off on a tangent on this thread, I have moved the conversation to a new thread.