Warm vs cold miles/kwh

[husky10101]

We finally hit 55 - 60 degrees a few days ago and drove 200 miles @ 65PH and was happy to see 2.3 - 2.7 miles/kwh. But drove the same distance very early this AM, back down to 19 degrees (Set a record) and back down to 1.8 - 2.1. Interesting how the cold affects it. Did not precondition because truck was in garage this AM.

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[detansinn]

Yes, cold does have an impact. Leaving the truck plugged in keeps the pack warm.
Wait until you get to the 70s. My local runabout stuff average goes north of 3 miles/kwh.

 

[husky10101]

Yes I do keep it plugged in. 70s is a ways off. I ski in the winter and going this Sat. but looking forward to warm weather.

 

[RickLightning]

Temperature, hills, rain, snow, wind. Yup.

 

[TMcGee]

We finally hit 55 - 60 degrees a few days ago and drove 200 miles @ 65PH and was happy to see 2.3 - 2.7 miles/kwh. But drove the same distance very early this AM, back down to 19 degrees (Set a record) and back down to 1.8 - 2.1. Interesting how the cold affects it. Did not precondition because truck was in garage this AM.

Temperatures here in BC (Canada) dropped to - 12 C for a couple weeks.

I didn't have a home charger and I was shocked how fast the battery was draining.

What I found is that on cold days, even if I had enough %, I would stop at a public charger for 5-10 minutes before I traveled, and it go my range back to a little under normal.

I bought this truck Dec. 2023, so It wasn't a great start for me. Looking forward to summer and a home charger installed before fall.

 

[FirstF150InCasco]

Temperatures here in BC (Canada) dropped to - 12 C for a couple weeks.

I didn't have a home charger and I was shocked how fast the battery was draining.

What I found is that on cold days, even if I had enough %, I would stop at a public charger for 5-10 minutes before I traveled, and it go my range back to a little under normal.

I bought this truck Dec. 2023, so It wasn't a great start for me. Looking forward to summer and a home charger installed before fall.

Having a home charger makes a huge difference.

 

[RickLightning]

Temperatures here in BC (Canada) dropped to - 12 C for a couple weeks.

I didn't have a home charger and I was shocked how fast the battery was draining.

What I found is that on cold days, even if I had enough %, I would stop at a public charger for 5-10 minutes before I traveled, and it go my range back to a little under normal.

I bought this truck Dec. 2023, so It wasn't a great start for me. Looking forward to summer and a home charger installed before fall.

Stopping at a public charger for 5 to 10 minutes to make the range number go up was/is wasting your money. What happens at a DC fast charger is that when it starts charging, a significant amount of energy is devoted to heating the battery. That warmth changes the projection. The question is at what cost.

Simply driving the vehicle warms the battery, and range increases. And of course the projection isn't what matters, it's the actual miles per kilowatt hour you are achieving.

 

[potato]

Stopping at a public charger for 5 to 10 minutes to make the range number go up was/is wasting your money. What happens at a DC fast charger is that when it starts charging, a significant amount of energy is devoted to heating the battery. That warmth changes the projection. The question is at what cost.

The battery heater is < 9 kW. I usually see 8.6 or 8.7 IIRC. So it's wasting a little energy but unless the DCFC is really slow, like 25 kW, it's not a huge amount compared to the amount being added. If you're charging at 90 kW it would only be 10% of the cost wasted.

Definitely agree it's best to ignore the displayed range number though. LOL. It cannot know what speed and weather you will encounter in future so it's impossible for it to be accurate.

 

[RickLightning]

The battery heater is < 9 kW. I usually see 8.6 or 8.7 IIRC. So it's wasting a little energy but unless the DCFC is really slow, like 25 kW, it's not a huge amount compared to the amount being added. If you're charging at 90 kW it would only be 10% of the cost wasted.

Definitely agree it's best to ignore the displayed range number though. LOL. It cannot know what speed and weather you will encounter in future so it's impossible for it to be accurate.

I think you missed where he said he was stopping solely for the purpose of warming the battery to gain range.

 

[TheWoo]

Looking forward to summer and a home charger installed before fall.

As big an advocate for EVs as I am, at-home charging is almost a necessity to have a great experience IMO. I'd have a hard time recommending an EV to someone who doesn't have that option.

I haven't visited a public charging station anywhere but on a road trip, and it's fantastic to never think about adding fuel other than that.

 

[TMcGee]

Stopping at a public charger for 5 to 10 minutes to make the range number go up was/is wasting your money. What happens at a DC fast charger is that when it starts charging, a significant amount of energy is devoted to heating the battery. That warmth changes the projection. The question is at what cost.

Simply driving the vehicle warms the battery, and range increases. And of course the projection isn't what matters, it's the actual miles per kilowatt hour you are achieving.

Maybe you're right because in those cases I never used a lot of energy before I went back to charge. The battery temprature gauges did go back to normal position when I did this and they stayed there even when I used the cabin heater.

When I didn't do that I could not use the cabin heater and heat the battery at the same time. If i used the cabin heater I was losing about 3-5k. Of estimated range for every km I drove.

So I concluded the heat pumps were not powerful to heat a battery that had been left overnight to freeze and heat and maintain temp in the cabin at the same time. When I turned cabin heat off, then the battery temp increased and I was increasing Km range for long time as I drove, but my body was freezing doing that.

That's why I went to the public charger first because it got my battery temp gauges to normal and i could run the heater full and lose the estimated range so fast.

I know the battery % was better to track but wasn't easy to do and calculate as it was to track my trip odometer/range on my dash cluster.

 

[TMcGee]

As big an advocate for EVs as I am, at-home charging is almost a necessity to have a great experience IMO. I'd have a hard time recommending an EV to someone who doesn't have that option.

I haven't visited a public charging station anywhere but on a road trip, and it's fantastic to never think about adding fuel other than that.

Let's just say it drove me from a renter to a home owner at peak price and interest rates... just to properly use the truck.

So far I'm into this truck for 900k and I haven't even upgraded my electrical panel or installed a charger yet.

I'm not complaining. I love the truck but you have to be able to charge at home

 

[FirstF150InCasco]

As big an advocate for EVs as I am, at-home charging is almost a necessity to have a great experience IMO. I'd have a hard time recommending an EV to someone who doesn't have that option.

I haven't visited a public charging station anywhere but on a road trip, and it's fantastic to never think about adding fuel other than that.

I agree. I LOVE my Lightning, but I tell folks not to get an EV unless they have a charger at home and another one at their frequent distention (such as work or second home.) Public charging really sucks. Access to the Tesla network will be great for road trips. But not for every day (every week) use. Just my opinion.

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