Simple Question : Climate Control

[bbulkow]

I have what seems like a simple question - after two years of ownership.

Why does climate control bias so hard to outside air?

My other (ICE) cars don't.
When the temp outside is 30 degrees lower than setpoint - outside air
When the humidity outside is so high the air needs drying - outside air
When the inside is nice and toasty warm and outside is nippy - outside air

If I set to recirc, after about 15 minutes it changes to - outside air
I can tell because my legs start getting cold when they were perfectly happy before.

I'm starting to believe this is why my long-term average %range spent on climate control is about 15%.

Just.... why?

UPDATE:

I am now saving EIGHT PERCENT (8%) range after switching to RECIRC.

This has been measured now for about 1500 miles.

Comfort is BETTER than "Auto", because the car heats and cools faster. The heater has a chance to keep up with the temperature.

The financial savings is low. Maybe 4 to 5 bucks a month given my 2k miles a month and 0.28 per kwh typical electricity price.

This is comparing - in Trips - the climate percentage long term (which has been 14%) with the climate percentage in the last 1500 miles (which is been 6%, or lower). first-half 2023, premium (before the fancy 8 way valve).

Yes, YMMV, but ... it's a real world number. In california, doing short-ish trips (often about 30 miles, sometimes around town). Usually one person in the car sometimes two (I've had it get stuffy with 4, and turn on AC). Maybe in places with more weather the savings are more? Maybe with long trips is more or less? I have no idea.

Gained by just keeping pressing the recirc button, and having the car set to "manual" (no auto, vent and floor in the climate page, heat on, AC off, heat set to whatever comfortable level, not trying to be less comfortable!) Recirc is always reset when the car powers on.

I think the answer is clear. Ford's bias toward Outside Air + Heat works great if you have an ICE car with an engine you're trying to blow heat from, and TERRIBLE when you have an EV and the energy comes out of your battery. There is *no* (almost no!) gas milage penalty for outside air heat on an ICE! For our vehicles it's really high!

EPA numbers don't include Climate.

Ford needs to consider the EV a *different beast* and switch over to Recirc primarily, or at least have a setting. I just want AUTO set and forget.

8% is a lot!

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[brob]

UPDATE:

I am now saving EIGHT PERCENT (8%) range after switching to RECIRC.

This has been measured now for about 1500 miles.

The financial savings is low. Maybe 4 to 5 bucks a month given my 2k miles a month and 0.28 per kwh typical electricity price.

This is comparing - in Trips - the climate percentage long term (which has been 14%) with the climate percentage in the last 1500 miles (which is been 6%, or lower). first-half 2023, premium (before the fancy 8 way valve).

Yes, YMMV, but ... it's a real world number. Gained by just keeping pressing the recirc button, and having the car set to "manual" (no auto, vent and floor in the climate page, heat on, AC off, heat set to whatever comfortable level, not trying to be less comfortable!)

I think the answer is clear. Ford's bias toward Outside Air + Heat works great if you have an ICE car with an engine you're trying to blow heat from, and TERRIBLE when you have an EV and the energy comes out of your battery.

Ford needs to consider the EV a *different beast* and switch over to Recirc primarily, or at least have a setting for that. 8% is a lot!

that is really interesting. Have you had problems with condensation by using the recirculated air constantly? I noticed a little of that, although I suppose that could be solved by turning off the recirc for a few minutes periodically.

 

[Tomm]

I would be happy with an easy to get setting that lasted 10 to 20 minutes for when I’m stuck in traffic with a bunch of diesel trucks.

 

[Mach1E]

I would be happy with an easy to get setting that lasted 10 to 20 minutes for when I’m stuck in traffic with a bunch of diesel trucks.

If removing the smell is the goal, you can at least fix that with a better interior air filter.

 

[Sally's Own]

I actually now have the solution.

Set to recirc.
Set some vents (eg floor and mid)
RECIRC STAYS

What if most of the complaints about cold weather range are really about climate?

Wonder what the impact on mileage between charges is in the summer (N FL)?

I started a post on kWh/Mi measurement and my first results. So, I will be able to tell at least my summertime impact. Would like to hear yours.

 

[bbulkow]

Wonder what the impact on mileage between charges is in the summer (N FL)?

I started a post on kWh/Mi measurement and my first results. So, I will be able to tell at least my summertime impact. Would like to hear yours.

I live in coastal California. We don't really have summer the way you do. Will be interested in your results.

 

[bbulkow]

that is really interesting. Have you had problems with condensation by using the recirculated air constantly? I noticed a little of that, although I suppose that could be solved by turning off the recirc for a few minutes periodically.

Occasionally, usually with more people in the car.

I find myself using ac in those situations. It's still less power than outside air. The ac button is easy to reach.

 

[Sally's Own]

UPDATE:

I am now saving EIGHT PERCENT (8%) range after switching to RECIRC.

This has been measured now for about 1500 miles.

I think the answer is clear. Ford's bias toward Outside Air + Heat works great if you have an ICE car with an engine you're trying to blow heat from, and TERRIBLE when you have an EV and the energy comes out of your battery. There is *no* (almost no!) gas milage penalty for outside air heat on an ICE! For our vehicles it's really high!

EPA numbers don't include Climate.

Ford needs to consider the EV a *different beast* and switch over to Recirc primarily, or at least have a setting. I just want AUTO set and forget.

8% is a lot!

My logic was (in winter/spring) to use outside air, no heat settings. No forced settings or as few as the vehicle allows, IOW. My vehicle has options for auto control that vary by the temp settings with the above.

In the display it'll show green for AC cooling, red for heat as conditions change. The fan speed can be set to auto or varied "on the fly" by its soft-key. However, it's not easy to see what's going on and difficult to change. It's three button presses on AC and a button with adjustment for fan. CUMBERSOME.

Understand that this is different from older models. Not sure, but on hot days, the AC does come on and quickly cool the interior down in this above mode when I start from a hot interior, esp. with a window cracked open.

My default temp setting @75°. My energy (in Trip) yesterday shows 3% climate, 2% accessories. Will compare to recirculate settings first. Yesterday, during this trip, the outside temp was in the high 70's.

I would prefer full manual settings instead of this, semi-automatic type AND MUCH CLEARER indication of what's actually going on with AC/Heat/Fan.

 

[bbulkow]

My logic was (in winter/spring) to use outside air, no heat settings. No forced settings or as few as the vehicle allows, IOW. My vehicle has options for auto control that vary by the temp settings with the above.

In the display it'll show green for AC cooling, red for heat as conditions change. The fan speed can be set to auto or varied "on the fly" by its soft-key. However, it's not easy to see what's going on and difficult to change. It's three button presses on AC and a button with adjustment for fan. CUMBERSOME.

Understand that this is different from older models. Not sure, but on hot days, the AC does come on and quickly cool the interior down in this above mode when I start from a hot interior, esp. with a window cracked open.

My default temp setting @75°. My energy (in Trip) yesterday shows 3% climate, 2% accessories. Will compare to recirculate settings first. Yesterday, during this trip, the outside temp was in the high 70's.

I would prefer full manual settings instead of this, semi-automatic type AND MUCH CLEARER indication of what's actually going on with AC/Heat/Fan.

What has been your energy use for the last some thousand miles?

And you had that number of percent, with HEAT and AC disabled? I wonder where the power went!

I like keeping the heater enabled if the outside temp is below about 55F. Call me a thin skinned californian.

 

[Sally's Own]

What has been your energy use for the last some thousand miles?

And you had that number of percent, with HEAT and AC disabled? I wonder where the power went!

I like keeping the heater enabled if the outside temp is below about 55F. Call me a thin skinned californian.

Hey B,
Based on trips my results run average about 3.3mi/kWh over 3400 mi and 3mo time, since breaking in. Typical long trips are 50-60m, short vary from 10-25m.

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