Electrical draw of Mach-E when charging is complete

[Bradn]

After owning my first EV for ~10 months, I'm a little surprised comparing my electric usage from last year to this year. My usage has essentially doubled, on average. I have a dumb charger (Grizzl-E).

The app's charging history appears to just provide made-up kWh numbers based on how long the vehicle has been plugged in. Without a smart charger, is there any way to get accurate information on real energy used from the vehicle, by charging and by sitting "idle" after charging is complete?

How much power does this thing draw when it's just sitting there, plugged in but charged?

Edit: Forgot to mention, no crazy mileage being driven, I'm on track to be just under 10k for the year.

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[AliRafiee]

Doubled from $50 to $100? Or double from $500 to $1000?

 

[Bradn]

For instance, my bill for July 2023 was 486kWh and July 2024 was 1104 kWh.

Average temperature for July 23 was actually a degree higher than July 24. Granted, I have two teenagers who didn't really get summer jobs this year...

 

[devmach-e]

Don't trust the Ford app to give you accurate kWh numbers. If you want that, you'll need to get an EVSE that reports such a thing. Or install a whole-home electricity monitor that lets you track specific circuits, like an Emporia Vue 2 or 3.

To answer your specific question: the car/EVSE uses very little electricity once the car has reached its target charge level. There may be some periodic draw for thermal management of the battery as needed if it is very hot or very cold out, or just after the charging session has ended, but it is relatively minor and short term.

 

[devmach-e]

For instance, my bill for July 2023 was 486kWh and July 2024 was 1104 kWh.

Average temperature for July 23 was actually a degree higher than July 24. Granted, I have two teenagers who didn't really get summer jobs this year...

How many miles did you put on the car in July of this year? Do you exclusively charge at home?

 

[Bradn]

The July bill was 6/18 - 7/18. 100% charged at home. Only took one short road trip Milwaukee to Madison and back, approx 160mi. Otherwise driving to work and back (literally 3 mi) and around town. I would estimate I put on around 500mi during that period.

 

[AliRafiee]

For instance, my bill for July 2023 was 486kWh and July 2024 was 1104 kWh.

Average temperature for July 23 was actually a degree higher than July 24. Granted, I have two teenagers who didn't really get summer jobs this year...

I haven’t looked at my Kw usage. But my electric bill went up by about 30-40 dollars a month per EV.

 

[Blue highway]

• I've had the car 3 years... 1000 miles a month is ~$40 where I live. The kWh used is seasonally consistent, the rates from PGE have gone up.
• The ford pass Kwh numbers make sense to me in terms of kWh and percent charge added as well as miles driven...
• when the car is left plugged after charging, it doesn't use any appreciable power
  

Is it possible the teenagers spent a lot of hours on gaming PC's this summer? My electric bill went down by a third when my kids moved out.

 

[devmach-e]

The July bill was 6/18 - 7/18. 100% charged at home. Only took one short road trip Milwaukee to Madison and back, approx 160mi. Otherwise driving to work and back (literally 3 mi) and around town. I would estimate I put on around 500mi during that period.

So you probably used about 200 kWh max. That leaves some ~400 kWh unaccounted for. It's possible the AC ran more often. Or the aforementioned teenagers spent a lot of time gaming instead being outside.

 

[Bradn]

Too much gaming this summer, indeed. Also more use of the electric mower, blower and trimmer due to my son doing work for the neighbors. Still, that’s a lot more of usage so I must have a vampire somewhere, time to track it down.

Thanks for the insight.

 

[B177y]

There is this TSB for some 2023 MME's where the car doesn't completely turn off the charging power once the set point has been reached:

https://www.macheforum.com/site/thr...-charge-target-percentage-has-been-met.36309/

Mine pulled about 250 watts after "shutting off". 250 watts doesn't seem like it could account for your usage, but it might be a contributing factor?

The TSB service solved the problem for me.

 

[Mach-Lee]

How much power does this thing draw when it's just sitting there, plugged in but charged?

Zero watts. If the car continues to draw power after the charge target has been reached, you have a software glitch and you need to visit your dealer for a software update. Reference the TSB 24-2141 posted above.

 

[Bradn]

There is this TSB for some 2023 MME's where the car doesn't completely turn off the charging power once the set point has been reached:

https://www.macheforum.com/site/thr...-charge-target-percentage-has-been-met.36309/

Mine pulled about 250 watts after "shutting off". 250 watts doesn't seem like it could account for your usage, but it might be a contributing factor?

The TSB service solved the problem from me.

Mine was built within that timeframe. Calling the dealer. Thanks!

 

[Murse-In-Airy]

Zero watts. If the car continues to draw power after the charge target has been reached, you have a software glitch and you need to visit your dealer for a software update. Reference the TSB 24-2141 posted above.

Honest question Sir (not challenging you). Won’t the car use power to cool the battery on a hot summer day as well? I know it pulls power to warm the battery in the winter time. Is it possible OP kept the car plugged in and the car used power to keep the battery temp reasonable?

 

[OH2AZ2OH]

I have a 21 and GrizzlE charger. I can confirm that after charging is complete, there is essentially zero additional draw. Does the GrizzlE show a steady green light when charging is done or does it continue to blink? If it is a steady green light, then your extra electrical usage is from something else. If the light keeps blinking, then you need to get the car in for the TSB mentioned earlier.

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