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Why No "Miles to Empty" Readout

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by johnnieliu, Jan 29, 2006.

  1. johnnieliu

    johnnieliu New Member

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    Why no "miles to empty" readout? With all the techno wizbang gadgetry in this thing, I'm surprised there is NO "miles to empty" readout. Is it becuase of the bladder? Does the bladder prevent an accurate guage of what's left in the tank? Even if the "miles to empty" readout changes day to day, It would still be nice to have a quantitative measure of "miles to empty".

    JL
     
  2. TonyPSchaefer

    TonyPSchaefer Your Friendly Moderator
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    I know we've bounced this question around. If I remember correctly, it's extremely difficult to calculate the number of miles remaining on a tank of gas based solely on one fuel source. Since the purpose of the car is to reduce or eliminate the use of the ICE, predicting the number of miles before you need a fill-up based solely on ICE useage fails to consider the amount of stealthing you will do.

    So let's say that Toyota incorporates EV into their calcualtions. After the engine warms up, the number of miles until empty will increase because the stealthing potential increases. First thing in the morning, though, the number of remaining miles will decrease because stealthing isn't going to happen until the engine warms up. Based on that thinking, a bunch of short trips will always return low "remaining miles" numbers whereas long, coasting driving will always return higher numbers for the same amount of fuel. And since the car doesn't know the type of driving coming up, it can not make accurate guesses.

    In my head that made sense. I hope it came across.
     
  3. johnnieliu

    johnnieliu New Member

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    Understand, but my wife's RX330 has a "mile to empty" readout, and the readout usually stays static when we coast down a relatively long downhill road since the engine is using almost no fuel. Those same calcs can be made in the Prius. When you are NOT using any fuel, the "miles to empty" reading will stay static. Although these calculations are NOT the the exact range of the vehicle, it still is usefull since I now have a planning tool to use for my next fill up instead of gustimating how much I have left in my tank.

    JL
     
  4. brandon

    brandon Member

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    I would challenge the usefulness of that readout for precisely the reasons Tony explained above. The inaccuracy would only be exaggerated by the additional variables introduced by the way the Prius works.

    You'd be better served by the fuel guage, which also has a certain level of inaccuracy.
     
  5. cwerdna

    cwerdna Senior Member

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    My 02 Nissan Maxima (now sold) and my 04 350Z have distance to empty indicators. I believe it's based on on the mpg over a fairly long period of time and can vary quite a bit when running low on gas. To me, on the Prius they could base it on the amount used for calculating gas mileage (not the instantaneous mpg on the screen w/the arrows).

    To hijack this thread, it's a bit odd/annoying that the Prius is also missing some features my Nissans have/had like a count up timer/journey time and average speed along w/the non-trip computer related feature of automatically shutting off the interior lights and map lights if the car if they're left on for 30 minutes.

    FWIW, my Maxima was a GXE, which was the cheapest trim and where you couldn't get any options other than floor mats.
     
  6. johnnieliu

    johnnieliu New Member

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    I guess what I'm looking for is a NUMBER and not just a bunch of bars. At least with a "miles till empty" reading I know that I can at least go that many more miles till I need to fill up. 2 bars on the gas guage is what....2 bars on the gas guage. So what if the "miles to empty" remains at 50 miles for a distance of 150 miles, at lest I'll know that I still can go at least 50 miles till empty.

    JL
     
  7. kdmorse

    kdmorse Member

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    Fine then - if miles to empty is too problematic - give us a Digital Gallons Remaining readout. Or give us a Miles To Empty assuming 35MPG (or any other low number), you may do better.

    Setting aside the 'why would you care' argument, is it really so much to ask to give us an accurate readout of how much gas is remaining? (Instead of or in addition to a nonlinear undocumented set of bars?)

    (Minor pet peeve about an otherwise extraordinary car)

    -Ken
     
  8. tomdeimos

    tomdeimos New Member

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    Whether it is miles to empty or gallons to empty, it can't work. To work Prius drivers would have to fill their tanks, and from this web site it looks like very few do.

    Theres's only two ways to get an accurate readout. Run to empty and then measure the fuel added to set the display. Or fill completely full and have an accurate handle on how much fuel is there.

    So to work they would have to remove the bladder or else make it not shrink with cold temperatures, and then each driver would have to fill up till the fuel was visible.
     
  9. kirbinster

    kirbinster Member

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    OK here is one. Even if the bladder does not let it know exactly how much gas is in the tank and the fact that you can coast or use EV prevents it from precisely calculating the distance to go, why not at least give a digital readout of the gallons of fuel used since last fill/reset? That would let you know how much fuel has been used and the rate of consumption. A lot better than the bars on the fuel gauge that are non-linear at best.
     
  10. Sufferin' Prius Envy

    Sufferin' Prius Envy Platinum Member

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    I've got a great idea!
    When you are on your last fuel gage pip, and it starts to flash – within the next 25 miles or so, pull over and get gas.
     
  11. aaf709

    aaf709 Ravenpaw of ThunderClan

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    Works for me. I generally fill up when there's 2 pips left. My 1990 Ford Probe also had a "Miles to Empty" gauge, but I didn't rely on it. I zeroed one of the trip odometers when I filled up and looked at that to see how far I could go.
     
  12. Salsawonder

    Salsawonder New Member

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    Bravo!!!
     
  13. 2Hybrids

    2Hybrids New Member

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    though I had one in the Caddy, I never really saw the point in the "miles to empty" gauge.

    Just use the fuel gauge. It's not too hard to read.
     
  14. tullynoon

    tullynoon New Member

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    "Miles to empty" is a little shaky unless you have an electronic capacitance fuel system like a jet aircraft has. The Prius probably uses a float like most cars do so the readout would be far more definitive than the information backing it up. That would add up to someone taking a hike with a red can. You can readily see how accurate the information is by measuring how long a pip lasts. On my car the pips between full and 3/4 last far longer than the pips near empty. If you digitize that in a display it would only highlight the inaccuracy of the system. Since fuel in a car usually isn't as high a stakes game as fuel in a jet, we get a cheaper system to measure it. So, like everyone else, I pull over when it blinks.
     
  15. HybridMotion

    HybridMotion New Member

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    No "Miles to empty" because that's the way it IS. There's plenty of info to tell you to get some gas. I don't understand why it's necessary to waste all these electronic vapors on this subject (post after post after post.) Same stuff over and over since '04.
     
  16. tomdeimos

    tomdeimos New Member

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    If you want a miles to empty just add the scan gauge. It has one. But I trust the gas gauge more myself. When the light flashes I fill up within 30 miles. Less if the car is cold.
     
  17. johnnieliu

    johnnieliu New Member

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    I guess one doesn't really appreciate the "miles to empty" readout untill one has experienced being in a car with one.

    People usually make due with what they have, and usually make excuses for known deficiencies or the ingnorance of not knowing how great it would be to have those options.

    I guess I'm just spoiled wanting to have those options that are usually available on higher end vehicles. I'll accept the Prius for what it is and not hope for options only available on a different class of vehicle.

    Apologies for wasting your time, but like many others have recently bought an 06 Prius and have not had the luxury of reading, searching thru posts since 04.

    JL
     
  18. DaveinOlyWA

    DaveinOlyWA 3rd Time was Solariffic!!

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    would you feel the same way if the miles to empty went from 50 to 5 miles in 5 minutes? inaccuracy is inaccuracy. so your statement is based on sudden accuracy as the tank empties...dont think that is gonna happen
     
  19. andyman68

    andyman68 Member

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    Anyone ever here of the old Volkswagen Beetles didn't have gas gauges? You let them run out of gas. There was a switch that you flipped that had a special reserve supply of 1 gallon of fuel to get you to the gas station.

    An estimated miles to empty would be a nice feature, but I would think it woudn't be very accurate most of the time.

    Andy
     
  20. johnnieliu

    johnnieliu New Member

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    That is not my experience in the RX330. It does not go from 50 to 5 miles in 5 minutes. Just want the same type of algorithms in the Prius.

    All I'm saying is that a NUMBER can augment the blips. For those that like the blips, look at the blips. I would rather have more information than less or lack thereof.

    JL