I think the 3.5 mi/kWh is based on the EPA rating (109 mpg-e for the FWD which converts to about 3.3 mi/kWh). If it was based on your actual travel, at the very beginning, depending if you live on top or bottom of a hill, the reading would be ridiculously low (like near zero) or high (like near infinity - smaller denominator, larger value).

So the EquinoxEV starts with the 3.5 and adds in the data from the miles traveled and battery usage, making the 3.5 go up/down/stay the same; i.e. the formula probably starts with a constant of 3.5 and adds (miles traveled/battery consumption) as a secondary term.

In the Bolt, the real-time efficiency graph would auto-scale and sometimes the peaks would be way high, near a value of 99 mi/kWh (going downhill with lots of regen). I notice the EqEV graph just plateaus above a certain value inferring the high peaks are meaningless in the grand scheme of things. Better to see how close you are to the average value of about 3.7 mi/kWh (for the FWD).

 

Appreciate the explanation, but the whole purpose of a trip meter is to determine values starting from the reset point. I understand, for example, going down hills initially would raise values to some ridiculous number, but then driving for several miles beyond that point on level ground will reduce that number. When it starts out with a value, the data is skewed to start with. Makes no sense to me.

 

Resetting to 0 would make sense to me, but the Equinox EV starts a trip with a default 3.5 m/kWh every time the trip meter is reset.

 

Not unusual for GM. Bolt default 3.9.

 

The AWD resets to 3.4 I believe even on the immediate trip upon turning on and off...forget that meter name.

 

I like what the volt did on full charge and that is reset the base meter that is besides one and two. When I travel say to and from I lose the total miles without resetting a trip meter and relying on it. On the volt it kept the total until the charge was at 100 again. I got so use to that. Now I have to keep remembering to reset one of the trip meters for the days outing.

 

It starts at 3.5 because that's the EPA efficiency. It quickly increases or decreases based on your driving, HVAC, outdoor temps and all the things that go into that. If you remote start your car 15 min before you get in to drive it will immediately drop your efficiency to reflect.

 

It still stays off and unreliable while you drive and the remaining range in miles don't reflect.

 

I have no idea where GM is getting the 3.5 mi/KWh number. It certainly doesn't match the EPA numbers:

Converting the numbers below:
2025 FWD: 3.2 mi/KWh
2024 FWD: 3.2 mi/KWh
2025 AWD: 3.0 mi/KWh
2025 AWD with 19 KW charger: 2.6 mi/KWh
2024 AWD: 2.6 mi/KWh

To do the conversion, simply divide the 100 miles by the KHw shown. I suspect GM and the EPA are reporting different numbers. GM is reporting battery to wheel and the EPA is reporting wall to battery to wheel.

 

So...if you take 319mi/90kWh = 3.54
For 2024, you use 315/90 = 3.5

I know GM says you have an 85kWh battery, but reality is that you have 90kWh usable.

 

What did Chevy do to increase the AWD efficiency from 2.6 to 3.0 mi/KWh?