Electric vehicles (EVs) may be the next wave in personal mobility, but many people are understandably hesitant to own a battery-powered car. It isn’t because the technology hasn’t been proven yet.
The main issue with anything that draws power from an onboard battery is that you never know when the juice will run out. That paranoia is enough to mar an otherwise uneventful journey with frequent (and inconvenient) charging stops.
Electric cars like the Ford Mustang Mach-E are dependent on battery estimates
Even cars with conventional engines suffer from this problem, with maintenance-free batteries depleting their charge at the most inopportune times. Given that charging stations are not as plentiful as filling stations, it’s no surprise that EVs have yet to become a mainstream offering among car brands.
Ford wants to change that, by introducing Intelligent Range on its all-electric Mustang Mach-E sport utility vehicle (SUV). The feature computes for the vehicle’s range based on previous driver behavior, as well as taking weather condition forecasts into account. The vehicle battery system reports the remaining energy levels, measuring it against actual usage tracked by the powertrain module.
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Ford's Intelligent Range display gives a more accurate estimate of range based on remaining battery power
Intelligent Range also includes changes to ambient temperature in its calculations, enabling it to update the estimated range as the vehicle moves. The system utilizes cloud technology to predict future energy usage, with crowdsourced data from other connected Ford EVs helping to improve range estimates even more.
A Ford Mustang Mach-E is capable of monitoring energy consumption across a variety of scenarios – such as varying terrain and climate conditions – so a fleet average can be derived across all roadgoing units, even for routes and conditions a customer has yet to experience. If the estimated range is significantly affected by any real-time factor, Intelligent Range will notify the driver of the new range estimate and why the projection changed.
No more guessing when you'll need to pull over to charge
Intelligent Range will receive over-the-air updates, to keep range estimates as accurate as possible. Future versions will have the capability to factor in real-time traffic conditions, road grades, even the temperature at the final destination.
“Electric vehicle customers need to be able to trust their range estimates,” says Darren Palmer, Ford global director for electric vehicles. “Our new Intelligent Range helps ensure Mustang Mach-E owners around the globe know where they stand ahead of time, freeing them up to enjoy the ride.”
More accurate battery technology means greater peace of mind
The system isn’t completely faultless, which is why Ford has a fallback. Its Roadside Assistance program offers free towing services to customers' preferred destination within a radius of 35 miles (56 kilometers) - be it home, the nearest public charging station, or an EV-certified Ford dealership.
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