When this car is fully charged (but still plugged in) and you remotely access the climate control system to heat (or cool) the car, does power for that "come from the outlet"? Or does it merely come from the batteries just as if the car wasn't plugged in (which then get recharged as the battery heats/cools the cabin)? I'm guessing this is a distinction without a difference, but just curious....
I guess from the battery. The current coming from the plug can only go to the battery and not to any other place IMHO.
Not true. It uses "shore power" for heating and cooling purposes. So when connected you don't drain the battery. Very useful in the winter to pre-heat the car and not loose range.
Well, I believe you're both right. As I understand it, the electrons flow from the battery, but the car pulls the equivalent amount of power from the wall. So my understanding is that if you're using 3kW to heat the cabin, that power comes from the battery, but the car will also pull 3kW from the wall to replace it.
...with another caveat: If you are on a lower power connection or have your charging current lowered below the amount that the heat needs, it will take what it can from the wall and the rest from the battery.