Why No "Miles to Empty" Readout

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.

 

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.

 

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

 

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.

 

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.

 

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.

 

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.

 

Bravo!!!

 

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.

 

"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.

 

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.

 

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.

 

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

 

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