Reachable range calculation apparatus, method, and program

A reachable range estimation method for computing a range that a vehicle traveling on stored energy is able to reach, the driving range calculation method comprising the steps of:

• storing beforehand information on a required amount of energy consumed when the vehicle moves, using each of a plurality of areas into which a map has been divided as a unit;
• integrating, with respect to movement of the vehicle from a specified origin to a surrounding area, a required amount of energy on the basis of the recorded required amount of energy, by adding a required amount of energy of an area each time the vehicle moves between areas;
• and
• determining, on the basis of an amount of remaining energy in a battery mounted in the vehicle and an integrated required amount of energy obtained by integrating required amounts of energy, a reachable range, which is a range of areas that the vehicle is able to reach using the amount of remaining energy.

A reachable area display method for displaying an area that a vehicle traveling on stored energy is able to reach, the reachable area display method comprising the processes of:

• acquiring information on an origin of the vehicle;
• using each of a plurality of areas into which a map has been divided as a unit, using a required amount of energy necessary for the vehicle to move from a certain area to an adjacent area, and on the basis of the acquired origin information, determining for each area an integrated required amount of energy necessary for the vehicle to move from the origin by adding a required amount of energy of an area each time the vehicle moves between areas, and calculating a state-of-charge of the vehicle in the area;
• and
• displaying, on a map, a reachability based on the state-of-charge of the vehicle in each of the areas on the basis of the calculation result.