Only the fan and control , the HVAC components are fed directly from the pack.
I'm on Boston as well and the range really took a hit as soon as it got below freezing. I'm seeing approximately 200 miles on the GOM now (a far cry from the ~300 miles I was getting in warmer weather when I didn't need heat or AC).
There are a few things you can do:
https://insideevs.com/features/378569/cold-winter-electric-car-tips/
Pre-warming the car, while it's plugged in, is a good way to get the car to a comfortable temperature before setting off. The initial power consumption of the electric heater is very high when the car is cold and will take a lot out of your range.
The heated steering wheel and seats pull power from the 12V battery and they have a minimal impact on range compared to using the heater. They definitely will help you feel more comfortable even if the cabin is still on the cool side.
Select "Driver Only" mode, if you're the only one in the car.
If you can handle the reduced heater effectiveness, Eco drive mode reduces energy consumption by the heater.
Raise the tire pressures above the normal pressure.
My recipe is:
1. Always pre-condition the car to a comfortable level (it's a great de-icer!) with the charger connected
2. Turn on seat heat and heated steering wheel on getting into the car (I wish pre-conditioning would do this!)
3. Select Driver only mode
4. Select recirculate mode
5. Only use Eco drive mode unless the car isn't staying warm enough. In that case, switch to Normal and then back to Eco.
6. Drive less aggressively, lower your highway cruising speed, and regenerate as much as you can
7. Wear a warm coat!
Although I don't need the full range for my usage, I've taken to charging more frequently just so I'm not dealing with a surprise reduction in range when I really need the heat.
Does the sunroof have a shade? That might reduce heat loss a little.
I suppose you could fill the car with passengers - humans bodies are hot
I'm on Boston as well and the range really took a hit as soon as it got below freezing. I'm seeing approximately 200 miles on the GOM now (a far cry from the ~300 miles I was getting in warmer weather when I didn't need heat or AC).
There are a few things you can do:
https://insideevs.com/features/378569/cold-winter-electric-car-tips/
Pre-warming the car, while it's plugged in, is a good way to get the car to a comfortable temperature before setting off. The initial power consumption of the electric heater is very high when the car is cold and will take a lot out of your range.
The heated steering wheel and seats pull power from the 12V battery and they have a minimal impact on range compared to using the heater. They definitely will help you feel more comfortable even if the cabin is still on the cool side.
Select "Driver Only" mode, if you're the only one in the car.
If you can handle the reduced heater effectiveness, Eco drive mode reduces energy consumption by the heater.
Raise the tire pressures above the normal pressure.
My recipe is:
1. Always pre-condition the car to a comfortable level (it's a great de-icer!) with the charger connected
2. Turn on seat heat and heated steering wheel on getting into the car (I wish pre-conditioning would do this!)
3. Select Driver only mode
4. Select recirculate mode
5. Only use Eco drive mode unless the car isn't staying warm enough. In that case, switch to Normal and then back to Eco.
6. Drive less aggressively, lower your highway cruising speed, and regenerate as much as you can
7. Wear a warm coat!
Although I don't need the full range for my usage, I've taken to charging more frequently just so I'm not dealing with a surprise reduction in range when I really need the heat.
Does the sunroof have a shade? That might reduce heat loss a little.
I suppose you could fill the car with passengers - humans bodies are hot
You actually did pretty good at -20 with consumption average of 25Kw/100 km . I find at -32C that consumption goes up to 28-33 Kw/100 and the range on a full charge is only around 250 km or 150 miles. Short trips( less than 10 km) are brutal on consumption. The restive heater at that temp its drawing 6+Kw/hr all the time. I find preheating helps alot if the car has been sitting outside for several hours. If your going on a longer trip and its -30C or colder its worth preheating up to 30 minutes which will consume around 2-3 Kw of shore power, at that temp the default 10 minutes on bluelink app won't do enough as the car is still quite cold soaked. Basically i have found if you preheat appropriately you can reduce your consumption from 30 to 25 kw/hr in extreme cold. If your trip is at least 30+ minutes in duration its worth burning up the 2+kw/hr of shore power to get better consumption as your PTC heater won't have to work as hard once you are on the road. If the trip is short I probably wouldn't even bother with preheat other than for initial comfort as your consumption is kinda screwed no matter what. One more cold tip is to make sure you empty any snow, water or ice that has collected on you all weather mats, that stuff eventually evaporates in your cabin and your constantly getting your HVAC to deal with freezing interior window condensation.
So your getting 360-380 miles per 100% charge at 79F (26C)? That is some wicked hypermiling vs my paltry 150 mile per full charge at -32C(-25F).
Yes, I'm getting consistently over 330 mile range except for road trips. No crazy hypermiling. I'm going about 65 mph on the highway on my way to work, mostly driving behind other cars or trucks.
Is there a setting for winter mode??
I just ordered one - my legs get really cold when the outdoor temps are below 50. In another 6 weeks or so, I would likely no longer need it until the fall.
