The 2012-2014 Toyota Rav4 EV range estimate (the “86 miles” shown below on the left side of the dashboard) gives you a rough idea of how far you can drive.

However, the Toyota range estimate can vary a lot. It is influenced by your driving style, the weather, driving conditions, etc. If you drive like a bat out of hell you’ll get a lower range estimate. Driving in cold weather: lower range estimate. Driving in warm weather over flat terrain will give you a much higher range estimate. The estimates can vary widely. This can be useful information for the driver, but it can be confusing for new drivers who might think the capacity of their battery has decreased when they get a lower range estimate.

Since the range estimates vary so much, it is usually called the GOM, for Guess-O-Meter. Several years ago I put together a little GOM primer for those new to the car. The primer shows you three real-world GOM range estimates I got after a full charge in just 2 weeks. These examples demonstrate just how much the GOM can vary in a short period of time.