Tesla’s new energy app gives you range tips and more

Tesla has updated its in-car energy app to provide a comparison between actual energy use and projected range, and even gives you range tips to get closer to the optimal range.

Range calculations are difficult regardless of the type of powertrain: electric or internal combustion engine.

There are so many factors that can affect a vehicle’s efficiency on the road that it’s hard to determine how far you can go on a full battery or tank of gas.

But it is important. I would even say that accurate range prediction is better at curbing range anxiety than longer range.

Tesla has been a leader in long-range, efficient electric vehicles for a long time, but despite that, it still struggles to predict the energy consumption of a trip.

When entering a destination into the navigation system, Tesla gives the driver the expected range remaining at the destination, but Tesla drivers know that most of the time it will be much lower than estimated.

In 2018, Tesla added more environmental factors (elevation changes, weather, etc.) into the calculation.. It helped, but it’s still far from accurate. You put a destination into the system and Tesla’s trip advisor tells you how much power you’ll have left when you get there, but it’s not uncommon to see the amount of power drop off quickly while driving.

Earlier this year, Tesla put a renewed focus on range prediction using “crosswind, headwind, humidity, and ambient temperature” in a software update.

Back in July, Tesla released a new update that went even further by adding several other factors into its range calculations, including tire pressure and even phone charging.

These changes now lead to a more detailed in-car power application for Tesla vehicles:

As you can see, the new app provides a more detailed overview of how and when you’re deviating from the projected range:

It even gives you “range tips” to get closer to your optimal range projection. The examples above are the most obvious, which are usually “slow down” and “keep climate control low”.

Tesla’s new energy app now also breaks down energy consumed into “miles” from more sources, including sentinel mode and screen time:

This additional information about where your car’s power goes in addition to propulsion can help you make better decisions to optimize range rather than comfort when needed.

Subscribe to Electrek on YouTube for exclusive videos and subscribe to the podcast.