Impact of climate control on winter range question

CB1234

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As it's gotten colder and the range has dropped, I was wondering - if I want to increase my winter range, is simply lowering the temperature and keeping climate control on auto enough? Or do I have to go into the settings and turn off e-heat to really see a noticeable difference? In other words, will just lowering the climate control temperature reduce the e-heat usage significantly or is it kind of an "always on" situation where I won't see a difference unless I kill it completely.

For example, I'm perfectly comfortable with the heat set at 60 and the seat heater on - is doing that instead of 68 degrees going to make a noticeable difference in my range? Or should I get the temperature to a comfortable range then go in and turn off E-Heat until I get cold?
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Not using heat will improve range, but likely not as much as a lot of people think. Battery capacity suffers as well. Start looking at "This trip" in the car under different conditions. It will give you some idea of just how much energy the climate control system used on that trip.

If E-Heat is off, where you set the temperature doesn't matter.
 

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As it's gotten colder and the range has dropped, I was wondering - if I want to increase my winter range, is simply lowering the temperature and keeping climate control on auto enough? Or do I have to go into the settings and turn off e-heat to really see a noticeable difference? In other words, will just lowering the climate control temperature reduce the e-heat usage significantly or is it kind of an "always on" situation where I won't see a difference unless I kill it completely.

For example, I'm perfectly comfortable with the heat set at 60 and the seat heater on - is doing that instead of 68 degrees going to make a noticeable difference in my range? Or should I get the temperature to a comfortable range then go in and turn off E-Heat until I get cold?
Yeah, I second the advice above. Leave the heat on, just turn it down as low as you can tolerate and use the AUTO 1 setting. If you have it set real low it doesn't use much power at all.

Driving 10 MPH slower also make a big difference in the range due to the cold, dense air.

If you are running into issues having enough range, make sure you plug in and set a depature time to warm the battery. A warm battery can have up to 20% greater range.
 

Maquis

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Yeah, I second the advice above. Leave the heat on, just turn it down as low as you can tolerate and use the AUTO 1 setting. If you have it set real low it doesn't use much power at all.

Driving 10 MPH slower also make a big difference in the range due to the cold, dense air.

If you are running into issues having enough range, make sure you plug in and set a departure time to warm the battery. A warm battery can have up to 20% greater range.
Good point about the density of colder air.

Another point: Preconditioning will definitely improve range, but the total power consumed won't be less considering the energy used while plugged in. I only precondition if I'm going a long distance and need the range.
 
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CB1234

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Thanks - good points. I have been checking out "this trip" and it seems to me the worst is when I start the car cold and go for a short 6 mile trip. If I'm going 20+ miles it doesn't seem as bad (I assume the battery and cabin have warmed up, and it takes less energy to keep them warm then to start cold).

Good idea to plan to precondition if I need the range. Day-to-day around-town driving it's probably not worth it.
 


Maquis

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Thanks - good points. I have been checking out "this trip" and it seems to me the worst is when I start the car cold and go for a short 6 mile trip. If I'm going 20+ miles it doesn't seem as bad (I assume the battery and cabin have warmed up, and it takes less energy to keep them warm then to start cold).

Good idea to plan to precondition if I need the range. Day-to-day around-town driving it's probably not worth it.
Exactly right. If I drive 5 miles to the store, I'll get 1.6-2.1 MPK. On the return trip home, 2.4-.3.0.
 

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Old thread but 32F outside temperature, 75mph, E-Heat on, About 0.68kWh/Mi. Yep, you read that correctly.
E-Heat off, About 2.4kWh/Mi.
Heat was set to 69F.

Heated seats and wheel aren't enough in those temperatures. You need cabin heat so plan your route accordingly.
 

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In Fairbanks the heated seats, wheel and e-heat come on in October and stay on until May. Range drops from ~300 miles to about ~120, and that's with preconditioning and plugged in as often as possible.

Still, I've been daily driving this thing since we got it, and that won't change. Not a good winter roadtrip car yet, at least not in places that experience real cold.
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