Range decrease due to cold weather / winter! -- Explanation & how to calculate actual range

[Snakebitten]

What's the difference between an old thread and a new one if the subject matter is exactly the same?

Especially if the information regarding is still accurate and applicable.

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[Jimrpa]

Why is this thread from 2022 a “new story”?

 

[dbsb3233]

Why is this thread from 2022 a “new story”?

It looks like the Admin pinned it to the top of the Charging, Battery, Electrical forum. I guess that must give it a new notification bell, which is why I clicked on it.

Another new thread on the topic was posted a few days ago, and someone in there said we really need a sticky just to reply with the link of rather than repeating the same responses (and same mocking) over and over. Which makes sense. Looks like he picked this thread.

 

[dabois89]

And you also are replying to a comment three years old, too funny! ?

Sorry i thought i was replying to a newer part of the threat, again im sorry.

 

[nvabill]

Sorry i thought i was replying to a newer part of the threat, again im sorry.

I’m totally messing with you in good fun. ?

 

[nvabill]

Ha. No, the thread showed up in the notification bell as new, for some reason. (And no, I don't verify the date of every post before I reply to make sure it's in "acceptable" range.)

Just messing with you, carry on. ?

 

[SpeedRacer72]

@Administrator

This has been suggested previously, but I am making the request again.

The below needs to be added as a sticky. If I misattributed it please correct the attribution.

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. 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).​

Credit: Mach-Lee

I have said it before and I will say it again. EPA rated mileage on the window stickers for EV's should be rated for both Summer & Winter, just like ICE's are rated city & highway.

That would go a long way in clearing up this issue

 

[mkhuffman]

I have said it before and I will say it again. EPA rated mileage on the window stickers for EV's should be rated for both Summer & Winter, just like ICE's are rated city & highway.

That would go a long way in clearing up this issue

In addition, highway range is much worse than EPA range, usually. But as people who grew up in ICEVs, we expect the opposite.

So not only do we need a winter range, we need a real highway range. Like how C&D tests them at 75 mph. That would be a good test. 75mph range in the summer, 75 mph range in the winter, with climate set to 70F in the cabin, and some standard exterior temperature: 30F?

For now, I just look for the C&D test, as it seems to be the most relevant to what I care about.

 

[luckie]

In addition, highway range is much worse than EPA range, usually. But as people who grew up in ICEVs, we expect the opposite.

it’s funny how gasoline cars have bad highway mpg and just horrible in city traffic mpg, only good mpg in between.

 

[dmc23]

@Administrator

This has been suggested previously, but I am making the request again.

The below needs to be added as a sticky. If I misattributed it please correct the attribution.

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. 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).​

Credit: Mach-Lee

Unnecessarily condescending but helpful

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