This is our first winter with a 2018 Clarity Touring model in WI and we have found it takes longer to heat the interior than other vehicles we have owned. We often had to turn the temperature up to 80+ and it still seemed to take too long to warm the car. We finally used trial and error experimentation to find the most efficient way to heat the interior. With outside temperatures ranging from 3 to 30 degrees and the car parked in an unheated attached garage, here is the formula that gives us the most efficient heating so far this winter:
1. Precondition the vehicle. This is the most important factor in the list. 15 minutes is more than enough.
2. Set temperature to your personal preference. For us it starts at 70 degrees and we often reduce it after 15 minutes.
3. Turn off the green lit “auto” setting in the driver side temperature control button.
4. Set vent mode to defrost/floor.
5. Select button for “fresh air” setting. Using the “recirculation” option increases window fogging.
6. Set fan speed to your personal preference. For us, it is the second lowest setting but a higher speed might be needed if there are passengers in the back seat. Preferential fan speed is also affected by where you the direct air flow from your air vents.
7. Use front and rear window defrosters as needed. This need will vary with the number of passengers humidifying the air with respiration, whether anyone has wet hair from showering (a major factor in window fogging), and the temperature/dryness of outside weather conditions. Most days we’ve only needed defogging briefly if at all.
8. So far we have not felt the need to use the seat heaters, but that could change with subzero temperatures.
Given this formula, you might ask how it affects the EV mileage estimate. So far this winter we typically start with about 32 EV miles after Level 2 charging. Using the trip odometer for our usual daily driving circuit of 40-50 miles, our actual obtained EV miles have ranged a lot. The worst we did was lose 4-5 miles, but we often gained 1-2 miles. As is often reported in this forum, EV miles obtained will vary with mph, road conditions, weather conditions, feathering acceleration and other idiosyncratic factors among drivers.
1. Precondition the vehicle. This is the most important factor in the list. 15 minutes is more than enough.
2. Set temperature to your personal preference. For us it starts at 70 degrees and we often reduce it after 15 minutes.
3. Turn off the green lit “auto” setting in the driver side temperature control button.
4. Set vent mode to defrost/floor.
5. Select button for “fresh air” setting. Using the “recirculation” option increases window fogging.
6. Set fan speed to your personal preference. For us, it is the second lowest setting but a higher speed might be needed if there are passengers in the back seat. Preferential fan speed is also affected by where you the direct air flow from your air vents.
7. Use front and rear window defrosters as needed. This need will vary with the number of passengers humidifying the air with respiration, whether anyone has wet hair from showering (a major factor in window fogging), and the temperature/dryness of outside weather conditions. Most days we’ve only needed defogging briefly if at all.
8. So far we have not felt the need to use the seat heaters, but that could change with subzero temperatures.
Given this formula, you might ask how it affects the EV mileage estimate. So far this winter we typically start with about 32 EV miles after Level 2 charging. Using the trip odometer for our usual daily driving circuit of 40-50 miles, our actual obtained EV miles have ranged a lot. The worst we did was lose 4-5 miles, but we often gained 1-2 miles. As is often reported in this forum, EV miles obtained will vary with mph, road conditions, weather conditions, feathering acceleration and other idiosyncratic factors among drivers.
. My mandarins, lemons, and grapefruit are getting ripe. Winter is citrus season in Southern California.
