Using NAV to locate e-Fuel

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garygid

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 21, 2010
Messages
12,469
Location
Laguna Hills, Orange Co, CA
If one has 30 miles of LA4 range remaining, showing all the "known" charging stations within a 30-mile radius on the map will be helpful.

However, many will be beyond reaching, because the road-miles are often a lot more than the direct "air" miles, and there might be hills, or other energy-consuming "obstacles" in the way.

One might want to try for an e-fuel point that is not too far out of the way, and likely to be "operational", and less busy (lower wait time).

Presumably selecting any e-fuel point would calculate the route there (giving the real mileage). It might even make an estimate, based on recent-driving energy usage, of your chances of making it.

Of course, one might not be able to use these NAV functions when the LEAF is moving.

Is there likely to be voice-command input to the NAV, Phone, etc. functions?
The speaker and microphone are already there, to support bluetooth cell phone connections.
 
Gary...

I'm not certain, but I assume the GPS will take into consideration the actual route you will take (not air-miles) PLUS traffic conditions.

The reason I say this is that my nav unit on my Ford Escape Hybrid will show an ETA of 12 minutes after the hour to my house (for example). If I'm coming from LA, I actually have to go past my neighborhood and then backtrack to get to my house. Now keep in mind that this ETA of 12 minutes was made while I'm 60+ minutes away from home. After traffic and backtracking, I pull into my driveway usually ON or within 1 minute of the ETA made 70+ miles ago.

I'm certain that whatever charging stations inside your "I can reach that one" ring will be reachable. Now, whether it's usable (not vandalized) or if there's a waiting line.....THAT is the big question.

Personally, I will only be using public charging stations either out of convenience (I'm at the mall and there's a station there) or as emergency. Aside from that, I'll plan my routes so that I don't need a public charging station. I'm guessing I'll probably hit a public station no more than 3-5 times a year.
 
any navigation system designed to let you know where charging stations are in relation to what range you have remaining that does not take into consideration the actual route u have to take would not be a navigation system at all. it would simply be a map
 
However, I saw on a Nissan LEAF animated video that if you program into the nav system the place where you want to travel, a distant mall for instance, it will calculate the shortest route, tell you the driving mileage, and then show you the charging stations close to that destination. If you do this at home you will be able to plan your trip and charges necessary. I agree with Jimmy, I'll probably only charge at a station if there is one where I am going. The only trips where I would plan out my charges would be to drive to Phoenix, about 100 miles away. They plan to put fast charge stations at about 3 or 4 locations along the interstate. If I want to go to some of the scenic, smaller towns in southeast Arizona, I'm afraid it will be the ICE. Hopefully, that will be replaced with a hybrid at some point.
 
I'm wondering if the charging stations themselves will have telemetry, so that you'd be able to drive towards an available charger instead of one already occupied by a vehicle whose owner may not return for hours. Or are only fast-charge stations to be represented?
 
Nubo said:
I'm wondering if the charging stations themselves will have telemetry, so that you'd be able to drive towards an available charger instead of one already occupied by a vehicle whose owner may not return for hours. Or are only fast-charge stations to be represented?

Yes. The nav show occupied status.
 
garygid said:
If one has 30 miles of LA4 range remaining, showing all the "known" charging stations within a 30-mile radius on the map will be helpful.

However, many will be beyond reaching, because the road-miles are often a lot more than the direct "air" miles, and there might be hills, or other energy-consuming "obstacles" in the way.

One might want to try for an e-fuel point that is not too far out of the way, and likely to be "operational", and less busy (lower wait time).

Presumably selecting any e-fuel point would calculate the route there (giving the real mileage). It might even make an estimate, based on recent-driving energy usage, of your chances of making it.

Of course, one might not be able to use these NAV functions when the LEAF is moving.

Is there likely to be voice-command input to the NAV, Phone, etc. functions?
The speaker and microphone are already there, to support bluetooth cell phone connections.

Sounds like you want to have Karen's program in your car.
 
In the UK, there are Points of Interest (POI) files for sat nav systems to identify the nearest charging points. I also experimented with developing a mobile phone application that identified your approximate location and listed the nearest available charging points.

Rather than identifying everything in a thirty mile radius - or whatever - what is more useful is a system that will identify charging points closest to your planned route. I've seen prototype systems from a couple of manufacturers that do exactly that.
 
I have explored many of the popular GPS navigation devices over approximately the last 10 years. I have about 20 devices, from about 8 manufacturers. As a EE with a software and hardware background, I worked on some of the first computerized maps and computer-attached displays in the 1970's.

It has been wonderful to see the technology mature, with the map and POI databases, display capability, position-location, and route-calculation all grow to the point where one can have almost all the roads in North America (or USA, or Europe) in a small battery-operated, pocket-sized, hand-held unit, for as little as $100.

Where we are now:
1. The map data is generally improving, but some few expensive units do not contain the "full" available coverage (notably the Nav in the Prius). Generally, the manufacturer pays for use of the map data.

2. The GPS receivers have gone from "you need a clear view of the sky" to "you can use it indoors" or "it can lay on the seat of the car". The best GPS receivers in common use, like the SIRF III, have reliable reception (except for areas with strong reflections ... generally amoung tall buildings), fast start-up times, and virtually "instant" re-aquire times.

3. A 12 to 16 million POI (Points of Interest) database can cover most businesses in the USA, but many units only offer 1 to 2 (or occasionally 6) million POI. Some have older (presumably less expensive to license) POI databases, but things are generally improving.

4. The displays, now "higher" resolution with good color and brightness (except in direct sunlight), are often only limited by the software and the Processor speeds.

5. Routing is a non-trivial calculation. Significant variations from assumed speeds still hinder accurate time estimates. Handling of turns, lack of sufficiently detailed traffic and signal light information also hinder accurate estimates. Occasionally, bad or incomplete map data is significant locally.

---- CAUTION ----
Remember, all GPS info and routing should be considered only as ADVICE or SUGGESTIONS from a wandering gypsy who might have been there some years ago, and might have forgotten, been mistaken, or ... things might have changed. When it says "Turn Left", you should check to see if there is a suitable road there, AND that it is SAFE and legal to make the turn.

More later.
 
The data at www.EVChargerMaps.com seems to be old, incomplete, and/or almost useless without visits to the sites to verify "charger" connection type, vehicle access, user restrictions, and the functionality status. Between reports of broken, locked, restricted access, and "unknown" ("other") type, only the locations seem to be useful.

This data is apparently used by the nice-looking iPhone app mentioned above.
 
Correct. And EVCN/EVCM does need some work. Yet it is still the most comprehensive database available for California, based on the second wave of EVs (late 1990s). And it's a nice iPhone App ( I don't have an iPhone ). I can see this data base ( and its locations, which are based on comprehensive research and planning 10+ years ago of where to place them for vehicles with an approx 100 mile range (sound familiar?) ), when merged with newer technology (for example ChargePoint network (real time status) ) really take off.
 
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