Heating in Winter - Your opinion

[Phil_Gtown]

Hi,
As we are slowly bracing for colder weather, my MME is my first EV and I know we don’t have a heat pump (yet). I would like to get your input on the car’s heating system as I anticipate winter cold in the National Capital Region. For those who’ve already went through a Canadian winter, how’s the cabin heat with the resistance heater ?

i just want to set my expectations ?

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[AliRafiee]

Even though I live further north, our temps don’t get too cold. I set mine to auto at 68F. Any warmer and I’m sweating.

 

[flapjake314]

no issues

 

[E. Shore Farmer]

Phil, Maryland winters are nothing like Canada, but cold is cold. The heater just gobbles power, which is already diminished by the cold. I set mine on 65F and use seat and wheel heat to make up the difference. But mostly, I dress warmly, park in the sun when I can, and pay close attention to power consumption. Often after getting going, I shut off the cabin heat altogether. And, yes, I’m cold. But on low mileage days, I splurge, and set the heat on 70F, and enjoy the 2.0-2.3 kWH knowing my mileage for the day. will top out at 75. Ben

 

[ChasingCoral]

I live in Maryland and heating in my 2021 has been fine for the past three winters.

 

[4sallypat]

Desert Southwest - never use cabin heating.

Sometimes when temps drop to a nippy 50 degrees, I turn on the seat heater and steering wheel warmers.

No range loss either.

 

[rreddy3]

Desert Southwest - never use cabin heating.

Sometimes when temps drop to a nippy 50 degrees, I turn on the seat heater and steering wheel warmers.

No range loss either.

That’s rough! I think you’re just trying to rub it in!??. (Just joking around)

Seriously, my experience with the car only starts in March and I live in northern Virginia. While we can get some very cold days it’s nothing like temps around Ottawa. I’m sure other Canadian owners will chime in for you Phil_Gtown.

In their absence I’d second thoughts already expressed above…steering wheel heat on, seat heater on, dress reasonably warm, no bermudas, flip flops and tee shirts in the dead of winter and maybe cabin temperature of 17-20 C and see how that feels.

As others noted, daily distance and charging convenience are factors too. Experiment with cabin, and battery, preconditioning with departure set times for those days when you can set a schedule.

I have only dabbled in those features…including this morning when it was a frosty 45-50 F when I rolled out of the garage at 10 or so.

If all else fails, where a nice warm ski cap/toque and glove liners if your hands are prone to getting cold!

But most of all, enjoy the ride, enjoy the car, the car is great in my experience.

 

[HuntingPudel]

I have driven through a snow storm but it wasn’t that cold (~20F). I had my duck hunting parka on and blue jeans. Heat was going to the battery and the vents were blowing outside air. Seat and steering heat were on. No issues and range wasn’t an issue since I was driving very slow due to having Summer UHP tires on the car. My feet were a tad cold. Definitely not a typical experience. ?‍?

 

[Thunderbuck]

Whitehorse, Yukon here (i.e. above the 60th parallel), and we see -40 at times. Down at that temp it was a concern and I found that sometimes the resistive heat wasn't keeping up with the defrosting on the move but warmer than that was passable. Seat/steering wheel heat are very helpful.

 

[canuck1975]

I'm down in the armpit of Ontario. You'll probably be fine with the seat & staring heater until it's around freezing then will need the heater ti defog. Around -3 or so you'll want the heat on. Sometimes when it's frigid the heat struggles to keep up but it won't brick the car or freeze you or anything line that.

Really the biggest problem is the roughly 30% loss in range.

 

[canuck1975]

Desert Southwest - never use cabin heating.

Sometimes when temps drop to a nippy 50 degrees, I turn on the seat heater and steering wheel warmers.

No range loss either.

I laughed. Thank you.

 

[MellowJohnny]

Same as my friend from The Hammer - 20% to 30% loss of range depending on outside temp. My only experience where the heater could not really keep up was at -15c early morning (still dark out so no help from the sun).

Don't forget that resistive heater is 5,000 watts of power drain on the battery (at least in my '22 it is).

I also find the car is pretty drafty - at highway speeds in below 0C I find the cold just seems to leak in from the outside....maybe it's just me.

Pre-heating before you leave (setting a Departure Time while plugged in at home) really really helps.

 

[Womps]

I have had consumption as high as 35 kWh/100km at -25C. That is traveling at 110 kph on a calm winter day. Wasn’t concerned about range as return trip was only 100km. Heater not able to maintain comfortable cabin temperature but heated seats makes a big difference. Had to switch to max defrost a few times to keep windshield clear. The same trip at +20C would consume about 22kWh/100km.

 

[AKgrampy]

Fairbanks Alaska - driven to -35F. Was comfortable but heat barely keeps up. You have an additional 2kW of heat so from a heat perspective you should be fine. That also means you may use more battery for climate so from a range loss perspective not so good. As others have mentioned I take about a 40% loss in the winter.

 

[MUSTGLFR]

I’m in the greater Toronto area. Precondition while parked in a garage, if possible. I drive 40 kms to the office, so I don’t use the heater, as I find the car stays comfortable for the trip. Window fogging becomes an issue at times requiring a defrost now and then. I’m fortunate that I have access to an L2 charger at the office. For longer trips, map out some fast chargers where your MME can slurp some electrons. In addition to the induction heating sucking down the battery, the faster you drive, the greater the draw down.

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