Defining the accuracy of real-world range estimations of an electric vehicle

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Defining the accuracy of real-world range estimations of an electric vehicle

Birrell, Stewart A. / McGordon, Andrew / Jennings, Paul A.

Range anxiety is a major barrier for the mass adoption of electric vehicles (EVs), a contributing factor to this is the variability of the predicted range remaining presented to the driver in the vehicle. This study aims to better understand the causes of potential inaccuracies and how ITS can help resolve these issues. Eleven participants completed 141 logged journeys, with results showing that range (as predicted by the EV and presented to the driver) was overestimated by approximately 50% in comparison to journey distance. Driving style had the most significant impact on range prediction accuracy, where a more aggressive driving style led to greater inaccuracies. However, journey distance and type of road driven, which can be calculated from Satnav systems, were factors which were correlated with having a significant effect on range accuracy. Therefore incorporating these into future range prediction algorithms has the potential to increase the accuracy of information and subsequently increase driver trust.