Mileage issues!!

[MAK NAHID]

I have been using my Mach E RWD extended range for the last 4 months. I knew I would never get 379! as they advertised but when I bought the car it was showing 311 on full charge. The retailer said it will go up once I started using it.
However, it’s going down day by day!! They updated my software twice and after update it shows >300 but once I recharged it goes just over 200 -250!! I don’t know what to do now. I am not happy at all, as I barely getting 200!! where I paid for extended range.
Is there anyone having the same issue? Or anything to solve the problem? TIA

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[TRP]

It's cold. Plenty of posts about cold weather shrinkage

 

[ChasingCoral]

Welcome to winter. Someone has come on here and posted that question about once a week. Rather than answer, I encourage you to get to know the forum posts by browsing around and using the search feature. Start with a search on cold weather and see what you find out.

At least you didn't conclude they gave you the wrong battery like some have!

 

[breeves002]

@Mach-Lee 's range post copy paste:
Hello, it looks like you are new and might be complaining about your cold-weather range decrease without having referenced the numerous threads on this subject. Due to high volume of questions, this is a pre-written response to help alleviate your concerns. Remember to use the search function before creating a new thread, as forum members are fatigued with new users asking this same question over and over again almost daily.

TL;DR - Range decreases due to cold weather, the range display is a highly pessimistic guess not to be taken literally, and you might update your software if you want to see a higher number.

First, understand that some range loss in cold weather is normal due to the laws of physics. Chemical reactions in the battery are more sluggish, the air is more dense to push through causing more drag, and your heater takes more electricity to run than A/C. The colder it is, the less your range will be because of these factors.

Second, know that the range you see on your display is just a guess. It can be off 40% or more from reality on some software versions. Do not take the number literally or you will be upset, nothing is wrong with your car, it is not the true range. Unlike other brands like Tesla, Ford has made the reading extremely conservative and sensitive to cold temperatures on purpose, so that you don’t strand yourself in cold weather. Expect a sharp decrease in the reading below about 50ºF/10ºC that is greater than reality.

Third, be aware that software updates have been released that increase the accuracy of the range display in cold weather significantly. If you haven’t had software updates done at your dealer yet, you should consider doing so because you are missing out on a lot of improvements (CSP 21P22 released Nov 22, 2021). After the update, you may see up to 30% more range displayed even though your actual range is unchanged.

You can calculate your actual range yourself by simply noting the battery percentage before and after a trip greater than 20 miles. For example, if a 25 mile trip took 12% battery, 25/.12 = 208 mile range at full charge. Another method is to multiply your mi/kWh efficiency by your battery capacity, either 88 kWh for extended range or 68 kWh for standard range. For example, if you are getting 2.6 mi/kWh in an extended range, 2.6*88 = 229 miles of range. Please note that in cold weather, the actual capacity of the pack will temporarily decrease some, so 80/62 kWh may be a better capacity figure to use for an estimate in cold weather. Full capacity will return next summer with warmer temps.

The amount of actual range loss may vary due to many factors, but to provide a generic reference, a loss of 35% at 20ºF/-7ºC would be typical in average driving. This would equate to a range of approximately 176 mi / 137 mi for extended/standard packs. The percentage range drop compared to summer is also inversely proportional to the speed you drive due to the heater’s percentage of total energy use. If you drive in a city you may see a 40% drop in range, vs. a 25% drop driving on the interstate.

In summary, remember the range display is always a pessimistic guess, and your actual range will be greater than indicated. Remember to get those dealer updates done to increase your satisfaction. Parking in a garage, plugging in, and using departure times will help keep the battery warm and increase your actual range. Enjoy driving your electric car after gaining an understanding of normal cold weather range loss and the pessimistic guessing of the range display, affectionally called the GOM (Guess-O-Meter).

 

[nvabill]

I have been using my Mach E RWD extended range for the last 4 months. I knew I would never get 379! as they advertised but when I bought the car it was showing 311 on full charge. The retailer said it will go up once I started using it.
However, it’s going down day by day!! They updated my software twice and after update it shows >300 but once I recharged it goes just over 200 -250!! I don’t know what to do now. I am not happy at all, as I barely getting 200!! where I paid for extended range.
Is there anyone having the same issue? Or anything to solve the problem? TIA

Ok, since you have taken the time to post this to yet another thread about this subject on the forum I have a question. Is this the range showing on your instrument cluster once you are charged up or are you driving the car and actually getting only this reduced range?

 

[83girl]

I have been using my Mach E RWD extended range for the last 4 months. I knew I would never get 379! as they advertised but when I bought the car it was showing 311 on full charge. The retailer said it will go up once I started using it.
However, it’s going down day by day!! They updated my software twice and after update it shows >300 but once I recharged it goes just over 200 -250!! I don’t know what to do now. I am not happy at all, as I barely getting 200!! where I paid for extended range.
Is there anyone having the same issue? Or anything to solve the problem? TIA

temperature greatly effects the battery. I have a premium awd standard range. I was thrilled last May when I bought it, would routinely have 250 miles if range throughout the summer. It's 9 degrees today, and my range was 150 this morning. So it goes....spring is on its way, right?

 

[MAK NAHID]

Ok, since you have taken the time to post this to yet another thread about this subject on the forum I have a question. Is this the range showing on your instrument cluster once you are charged up or are you driving the car and actually getting only this reduced range?

TBH. This is what showing after full charged and I am getting less in reality!!

 

[RickMachE]

TBH. This is what showing after full charged and I am getting less in reality!!

Have you read the other replies? Where is Ashford? England? Alabama?

is it cold there?

If it's in the UK, there are numerous posts that the UK mileage estimate is from different measures than the US one, and basically fiction.

 

[MAK NAHID]

Have you read the other replies? Where is Ashford? England? Alabama?

is it cold there?

If it's in the UK, there are numerous posts that the UK mileage estimate is from different measures than the US one, and basically fiction.

Ashford, Kent, UK.
it is cold temp less than 10c most of the day now. However, thanks for the advice.

 

[RickMachE]

Ashford, Kent, UK.
it is cold temp less than 10c most of the day now. However, thanks for the advice.

At that temp, your range will drop. The GOM adjusts. Use departure times with the car plugged in, and minimize use of the heater (using heated seats and steering wheel) to maximize range. Many threads discuss this.

 

[Cm12]

I missed seeing these posts. A week is too long to wait.

Also, I manage as little as 100 miles of actual range for a premium SR. Just the nature of EVs and the current battery tech.

 

[mkhuffman]

Ashford, Kent, UK.
it is cold temp less than 10c most of the day now. However, thanks for the advice.

Blame the EU government who mandates the range test used by Ford. You will almost never, even in ideal situations, get 379 miles of range. The same car you own is rated using the US EPA test cycle at 300 miles of range.

The EPA test cycle is also in ideal conditions, not winter, and not at true highway speed. In the summer you will probably be able to get 300 miles of range but I would give up on the 379 idea.

 

[TheVirtualTim]

Also... to improve range in cold weather, pre-condition your battery. There are heaters in the battery packs. Pre-conditioning the car uses those heaters to pre-warm the batteries up to a temperature where the battery chemistry can work much better.

How?

1. Ideally you park your car in a garage. The garage temperature will always be a bit warmer than the outside temps. My garage is usually nearly at least 10°F warmer (~6°C) compared to outside. Not strictly required, but it does help.

2. The ONLY way to pre-condition the car is to create a "scheduled departure" time. You can do this in-car or via the FordPass app. Make sure the car is plugged in (even if it doesn't need to charge) and something like an hour before the scheduled departure time, the car will start heating the batteries using your AC mains power. The exact time varies based on how much it needs to raise the battery pack temp. I've seen it start around 45 minutes before departure; I've seen it start 1hr 15mins before departure.

Doing a 'remote start' does NOT pre-condition ... that will warm the cabin, but will not heat the battery packs.

This means, unfortunately, that even if it is not a recurring trip -- just a one-time thing -- you still have to create a recurring schedule ... and then delete it after you complete your trip if you don't want it to be recurring.

This massively increases the range. I've posted elsewhere some of the differences I saw driving with a preconditioned battery vs. not and it was significant.

 

[Raymondjram]

Have you read the other replies? Where is Ashford? England? Alabama?

is it cold there?

If it's in the UK, there are numerous posts that the UK mileage estimate is from different measures than the US one, and basically fiction.

Come to Puerto Rico. It is closer than Hawaii and we are in "spring" since October 2021. We had 85 a few days ago. Today it dropped to just 78.

 

[Motomax]

You just need to break-in the battery. A drive down to Florida should be enough miles. Once you’re down there you’ll get maximum range for sure.

well I guess that won’t work in the UK… ?

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