Non-scientific cold driving range analysis

RickMachE

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So, had to make an early morning 21 mile jaunt, with temps in the 20s. Roughly 25% local, 75% highway. What better way to experiment and understand the impact of the cold on my range?

In warm weather, my GOM has shown as high as 282. In highway driving at ~73 in September, from Michigan to Florida and then Michigan to Massachusetts, we settled in pretty much at about 2.9 miles per kWh efficiency. Trip 1 would show as high as 3.1.

I set out with 179 miles of range, at 90% charge, with the car preconditioned (no heat, no seat). Temp of 23 degrees. I ran the heat, set on 68 degrees, and briefly had the seat and steering wheel heaters on. My 20.4 miles of driving, on Trip 1, came in at 2.3 mi/kWh with 15% climate use, and 6% blamed on external temperature. Battery was at 78% and 151 miles, so I used roughly 12% (roughly due to rounding and the fact that I was at 88% on my driveway). Calculating - .12 x 88 = 10.6kW, 20.4 miles = 1.93 mi/kw vs. Trip 1 saying 2.3. Used 28 miles of range to go 20.4 miles.

I was in the store for 15 minutes, so I didn't remote start. On the way home, I only used the heated seats (turned on the passenger one also), and the steering wheel, I did not turn on the car heater.

When I parked, I was at 151 miles of range. When I came back in 15 minutes, I was at 149, but still 78% charge. Temp was 24, so basically the same. When I got home, I had used 8% of battery (at 70%), and range was down 18 miles after driving 20.4. Trip 1 showed 2.7 mi/kWh, 17.4% better than the way up, which ran the heater. Showed 0% from climate use, and the 5% (vs. 6%) from temperature. Car displayed a warning when I arrived home, "Outside Air Temperature Low Plug Vehicle In When not in use." For the grammatically correct, the words in, not, in, and use were not capitalized for some reason...

So, it appears that I can drive, at speed on the highway, in cold weather, and lose 10 - 15% as compared to my September driving. Instead of planning my routes at 2.6 mi/kWh to be conservative (and getting 2.9 or higher), I will plan on 2.2 and hope to get 2.6, which would be closer to 20% down.

At 88kW, and using 70% between charging stations (80% of battery, going down to 10% at the most), that's 136 miles of range, maybe as much as 160. If I'm driving 600 miles in a day, that's 4 charging stops leaving the house with 100% and charging at a hotel. One more than in the warmer weather.

However, it doesn't bode well for trips. While I can do the math and figure out leaving the house at 100% and headed south, and making it to the first EA chargers, I can't make it home from them at only 80%. I'd have to detour and get on the Ohio State Turnpike, driving 40 miles out of my way, to hit another EA charger, and I'd be at 152 miles with a range of 160.

Looking more and more like taking the ICE F-150 with 700+ mile range is more likely.
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JamieGeek

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So, had to make an early morning 21 mile jaunt, with temps in the 20s. Roughly 25% local, 75% highway. What better way to experiment and understand the impact of the cold on my range?

In warm weather, my GOM has shown as high as 282. In highway driving at ~73 in September, from Michigan to Florida and then Michigan to Massachusetts, we settled in pretty much at about 2.9 miles per kWh efficiency. Trip 1 would show as high as 3.1.

I set out with 179 miles of range, at 90% charge, with the car preconditioned (no heat, no seat). Temp of 23 degrees. I ran the heat, set on 68 degrees, and briefly had the seat and steering wheel heaters on. My 20.4 miles of driving, on Trip 1, came in at 2.3 mi/kWh with 15% climate use, and 6% blamed on external temperature. Battery was at 78% and 151 miles, so I used roughly 12% (roughly due to rounding and the fact that I was at 88% on my driveway). Calculating - .12 x 88 = 10.6kW, 20.4 miles = 1.93 mi/kw vs. Trip 1 saying 2.3. Used 28 miles of range to go 20.4 miles.

I was in the store for 15 minutes, so I didn't remote start. On the way home, I only used the heated seats (turned on the passenger one also), and the steering wheel, I did not turn on the car heater.

When I parked, I was at 151 miles of range. When I came back in 15 minutes, I was at 149, but still 78% charge. Temp was 24, so basically the same. When I got home, I had used 8% of battery (at 70%), and range was down 18 miles after driving 20.4. Trip 1 showed 2.7 mi/kWh, 17.4% better than the way up, which ran the heater. Showed 0% from climate use, and the 5% (vs. 6%) from temperature. Car displayed a warning when I arrived home, "Outside Air Temperature Low Plug Vehicle In When not in use." For the grammatically correct, the words in, not, in, and use were not capitalized for some reason...

So, it appears that I can drive, at speed on the highway, in cold weather, and lose 10 - 15% as compared to my September driving. Instead of planning my routes at 2.6 mi/kWh to be conservative (and getting 2.9 or higher), I will plan on 2.2 and hope to get 2.6, which would be closer to 20% down.

At 88kW, and using 70% between charging stations (80% of battery, going down to 10% at the most), that's 136 miles of range, maybe as much as 160. If I'm driving 600 miles in a day, that's 4 charging stops leaving the house with 100% and charging at a hotel. One more than in the warmer weather.

However, it doesn't bode well for trips. While I can do the math and figure out leaving the house at 100% and headed south, and making it to the first EA chargers, I can't make it home from them at only 80%. I'd have to detour and get on the Ohio State Turnpike, driving 40 miles out of my way, to hit another EA charger, and I'd be at 152 miles with a range of 160.

Looking more and more like taking the ICE F-150 with 700+ mile range is more likely.
As it was pointed out in the brutal -35F Alaska thread you may not be able to use 88kW as the total battery size in cold weather.

Granted in +20F degress you'll likely have more than what was calculated for -35F (I believe that thread said something like 74kWh instead of 88) still you may have to knock it down a little...

Simply due to a cold battery just doesn't deliver as much charge.
 

timbop

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My 20.4 miles of driving, on Trip 1, came in at 2.3 mi/kWh with 15% climate use, and 6% blamed on external temperature. Battery was at 78% and 151 miles, so I used roughly 12% (roughly due to rounding and the fact that I was at 88% on my driveway).
I get that you don't want to drive your Mach E on long drives, and that is perfectly fine. To each his own and you should only do what you're comfortable with.

With that said, I think your math is off: I don't understand where you got 12% from? Are you assuming at the start it was 88.49% actual and at the end it was 77.5%? That would still only be 10.99% so you rounded UP to 12%? Given that the REAL initial reading could have been 87.5 and the second reading could have been 78.49 for a difference as small as 9.01% you should stick with the reported difference of the 2 being 10% (ie the median of the min/max).
88% - 78% = 10%
88 * .1= 8.8
20.4 mi / 8.8 kwh = 2.31, which is what the tripometer reported
 

mkhuffman

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I can't make it home from them at only 80%. I'd have to detour and get on the Ohio State Turnpike, driving 40 miles out of my way, to hit another EA charger, and I'd be at 152 miles with a range of 160.

Looking more and more like taking the ICE F-150 with 700+ mile range is more likely.
I bet if you maintain your tires at 41 psi, set your climate at 67 (or maybe even 66) with fan on 1 (lowest speed), and drive the speed limit you will be close to your faster (above the speed limit) summer drive efficiency. Still lower, but maybe high enough to make it home. And you really only have to drive the speed limit for the leg that you think you cannot make - the trip home.

I assume you speed? ;-)
 
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RickMachE

RickMachE

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Tires are at 39 cold, which was 41 when I was driving.

As I noted, climate was off for the higher efficiency.

I was doing 73 in a 70 zone. If I slowed to 55 and hugged the right lane, I suspect I would get that last leg more efficient, yes.
 


mkhuffman

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If I slowed to 55 and hugged the right lane, I suspect I would get that last leg more efficient, yes.
No way I would do that. Good point. Charge it up higher! The battery will be fine. ;-)
 

DrSteveBrule

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Looking more and more like taking the ICE F-150 with 700+ mile range is more likely.
Who cares about ICE range? Are you driving where there isn't gas?

Also, who is out there cross-shopping MMEs and F-150s?
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