Winter range dropoff

[sotek2345]

Yep. My last trip it went from ~1.8 mi./kWh @ 74 mph to ~2.1 mi./kWh @ 64 mph with BlueCruse and temperatures at ~50 degF…..anecdotal observation….

I see about the same. It is a trade off for range vs. travel speed. However, since charging is so much faster than driving and chargers aren't always located at ideal locations, I find it best to drive as fast as I can to allow range to get to the next stop (of course being safe for the road and conditions). Just don't push it so much that you have to add a stop! I usually start a little conservative with the speed and then ramp up when I see I have sufficient buffer.

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[Firestop]

I see about the same. It is a trade off for range vs. travel speed. However, since charging is so much faster than driving and chargers aren't always located at ideal locations, I find it best to drive as fast as I can to allow range to get to the next stop (of course being safe for the road and conditions). Just don't push it so much that you have to add a stop! I usually start a little conservative with the speed and then ramp up when I see I have sufficient buffer.

I generally set my speed to 4 mph over the posted speed on freeways and divided highways…most PD’s & troopers will give you that leeway. I find it a good compromise as not to get run-over by many of the aggressive drivers. From there, I’ll titrate the speed down as needed to hit my ABRP SoC estimates used to plan my trip.

 

[RickLightning]

You'll find that once you hit 75 and up, you'll see a significant difference. 4 over is a good rule of thumb.

As far as driving fast vs. charging, IF you hit an area where there is a higher density of EVs, and you have to wait to charge, you will likely change your tune. People constantly complaining on the west coast of waits.

 

[sotek2345]

You'll find that once you hit 75 and up, you'll see a significant difference. 4 over is a good rule of thumb.

As far as driving fast vs. charging, IF you hit an area where there is a higher density of EVs, and you have to wait to charge, you will likely change your tune. People constantly complaining on the west coast of waits.

Fair enough. I haven't hit a charging spot I have had to wait for yet. Most of the time I am the only one there.

That said, I am not sure how that really effects things. If you arrive there in 2 hours at 20% SOC or 1:50 hours at 15% SOC (random numbers) and you have to wait - you are still waiting.

 

[lightspeed]

Yup - this sounds about right and shows why many make too big a deal about running the heater to stay comfortable. You took about a 20% hit, which is normal for those temperatures.

People way overestimate how much the heater impacts a long drive. After the initial warming of the cabin, that heater is only going to use 1500-2000 watts or less to keep it warm. That's maybe 4.5kWh to 6kWh after a 3 hour drive which is only ~5% of battery at most.

Most of the hit comes from cold battery.

 

[Maquis]

People way overestimate how much the heater impacts a long drive. After the initial warming of the cabin, that heater is only going to use 1500-2000 watts or less to keep it warm. That's maybe 4.5kWh to 6kWh after a 3 hour drive which is only ~5% of battery at most.

Most of the hit comes from cold battery.

Be careful….there are a couple people on here who will take you to the woodshed for speaking this truth!

 

[lightspeed]

Be careful….there are a couple people on here who will take you to the woodshed for speaking this truth!

It's ok. I'm used to it.

It is funny though because the math is extremely simple and clear on this point. If you ran the heater (5kW) at MAX for 3 straight hours, it would use 15kWh which is 11.5% of the battery, but you'd melt your face off. (I guess you could run it at max in very cold weather if recirculate was off and you were constantly trying to warm outside air, but why would you do that?)

I wish someone who had a good OBD reader would post how many watts the battery heater was using during a cold drive.

 

[Akbrian]

Speed kills your battery faster than running heat or warming battery on longer/higher speed drives.

using some gross area assumptions to calculate wind loading due to speed.
20mph=1lbf
40mph=4lbf
60mph=9lbf
70mph=12lbf
80mph=16lbf

It’s takes 33% more force(energy) to overcome wind resistance at 70mph versus 60mph. And a whopping 78% more at 80mph versus 60mph.

what I am consistently finding in cold weather 0f-20f is 1.5mi/kWh whether around town or on the highway. In town I am driving less distance and paying more for heat 30-40% energy goes to climate and battery. On longer drives my distance travelled is extended but more speed = more battery usage for driving and only 10% energy goes to climate and battery.

 

[JBauer]

Fair enough. I haven't hit a charging spot I have had to wait for yet. Most of the time I am the only one there.

That said, I am not sure how that really effects things. If you arrive there in 2 hours at 20% SOC or 1:50 hours at 15% SOC (random numbers) and you have to wait - you are still waiting.

Maybe that’s the difference waiting with your heater on or off? XD

 

[sotek2345]

Maybe that’s the difference waiting with your heater on or off? XD

Heater on to keep the cabin warm would take over around 10 hours to draw the battery down from 15 percent (figure 1kw to 1.5kw heater draw). That would be a heck of a wait!

 

[LightningShow]

It’s finally gotten cold in New England. The last two days were in the upper 20s when i left for work. My commute had usually been about 2.3mpk up to this point. Yesterday was 1.9 but that included the energy to pre heat the cabin. I wasn’t plugged in. Today, i restarted the truck to reset the trip meter before leaving and didn’t run any accessories. Final today was 2.1mpk. The battery was a tick below center on the temp gauge for the entire trip.

 

[greenne]

I generally set my speed to 4 mph over the posted speed on freeways and divided highways…most PD’s & troopers will give you that leeway. I find it a good compromise as not to get run-over by many of the aggressive drivers. From there, I’ll titrate the speed down as needed to hit my ABRP SoC estimates used to plan my trip.

FWIW I found out in NYS that 6 over is too fast and cause for a traffic stop. Although in retrospect he may have been bored out of his mind as EVERYONE is at least 5 over.

New York State is one of the worst for pulling people over for minor infractions. I've been pulled over now once for going 6 over(71 in a 65) and an alleged expired safety inspection sticker(it wasn't).

 

[webspoke]

Here in TX even some of the rural 2 lanes are 75mph limit. 4-over is moving briskly

 

[jimfigler]

FWIW I found out in NYS that 6 over is too fast and cause for a traffic stop. Although in retrospect he may have been bored out of his mind as EVERYONE is at least 5 over.

New York State is one of the worst for pulling people over for minor infractions. I've been pulled over now once for going 6 over(71 in a 65) and an alleged expired safety inspection sticker(it wasn't).

Never seen that in NYS. Going 69 on the NYS thruway will easily make you a slow driver in the right lane.

 

[PV2EV]

Does remote starting equate to preconditioning? If not is there an easy way to set a one-time departure? If you miss the departure time, does it keep preconditioning?

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