Heat vs. Cold -- does the AC cool have a bigger or smaller impact?

[Pod]

So… with all this talk of how kWh is affected by the heating temp, does the ac cool have a bigger or smaller impact? Anybody been able to gage the summertime? Is it offset by the warmer temps increasing range and such? Have not seen any of this discussion lately.

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[Amps]

Anecdotal, but I have observed that the A/C has much less impact on mi/kWh than opening the roof and windows at highway speeds. Makes sense, mpg in my ICE Fusion was real sensitive. I still like to drive with windows and sunroof open, but won't on a trip when needing more range and less charging.

 

[metroshot]

I can tell you living in the hot desert southwest, the A/C gets used a lot more than cabin heating.

Heating definitely draws a lot out of the battery but cooling is a lot less.

Thanks to the ventilated seats + A/C = comfy ride in the spring, summer and fall.

 

[Pod]

This is good news. Just waiting for weather to warm up. Todays trip in 35° with a brutal headwind was brutal on my averages. 1.5 kWH. Booooooo. Did have a cool 166kWh charge at Electrify America near a Sheetz. Bonus.

 

[MTBAZ]

I did a few longer trips the first week I had the truck in Aug. 1.7 kWH in 90-105 deg heat at 75 MPH + highway driving.

 

[Maquis]

Look at it this way. All else being equal, the amount of energy required to heat or cool the cabin is a function of the temperature difference between the cabin and outside temps. If you want a 70F cabin, you have a 30F difference when it’s 100F in the summer. In the winter when it’s 0F, you have a 70F difference. So it’s going to take way more energy in the winter.

But all else is not equal. The sun adds heat, your body adds heat, the AC is likely more efficient than the heater. But the sheer level of temp differences is the primary factor.

 

[biers]

AC is much more efficient as you're using the compressor vs resistive heating. In our Pacifica Hybrid it shows us how much power is big used by HVAC (from what I can tell, rounded down to full kW). When we use AC it typically says 1 kW, if the cars been sitting in the sun and it's 100+ when we get in and we crank it to low, it shows 2 kW. When we use the heater it will run 7-kW until it finally levels off around 4-5 kW. So at least from my 8 years with the Pacifica, I'd say heat uses 4-5x as much power than cool. My eGolf didnt give me power pull, but the GOM would immeadeatly drop when I trust he heat or AC on and was very similar, not quite as much for the heat as its a much smaller cabin.

I would place a decent bet that the lighting is similar, heat 4x as much energy as cool (at least until you reach desired temp).

 

[RickLightning]

This ^^^

 

[IdeaOfTheDayCom]

On the hottest days last year, my Standard Range with a 230 mile range got me 300 miles in warm weather, so the A/C didn't have much impact at all.

 

[viennaxmas]

To be fair: these days Ford should have just used a reversible heat pump (cools in Summer, heats in Winter). Using resistive heating is just plain stupid in a car where you want to be as efficient as possible. Hopefully in the next generation. Maybe I could add a mini split system using the ProPower

 

[shutterbug]

Using resistive heating is just plain stupid in a car where you want to be as efficient as possible

Having lived in South Florida and Central Arizona for 43 years, I might have used heater in any car 3-5 times total. So for me, heat pump is beyond useless.

 

[viennaxmas]

Having lived in South Florida and Central Arizona for 43 years, I might have used heater in any car 3-5 times total. So for me, heat pump is beyond useless.

I am so glad Ford builds this truck for you and only you. I guess everyone should move to Florida?

 

[Pod]

On the hottest days last year, my Standard Range with a 230 mile range got me 300 miles in warm weather, so the A/C didn't have much impact at all.

Really? Wow good to know the summer brings the range.

 

[shutterbug]

I am so glad Ford builds this truck for you and only you. I guess everyone should move to Florida?

It's not my fault that I don't live in a frozen tundra, festooned with moose droppings

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