Winter Performance

[Alan]

In my experience range goes UP in cold weather. The increase in power consumption for heating is small - esp if you use the heated seats. On the other hand if its cold / icy / wet you drive more slowly / smoothly which has a much bigger effect reducing consumption.

Its the dry / warm days when you "drive it like you stole it" that reduces the range.

 

[Doug_G]

I don't think percent is the right way to look at it. My recent test at -26C indicated that I lost about 10km at the beginning of the trip. Once the battery pack warmed up it no longer lost range. After that you only "lose"'what you need to run the cabin heater, which is negligible.

If the Roadster was plugged just before your trip, so the battery pack was warm, you wouldn't even see that much loss.

 

[donauker]

In my experience being in the second winter and with 23,000 miles on my Roadster I would put my winter range at 25 to 40% less then summer range. My usage is daily driving with most trips under 5 miles and 98% under 30 miles and on secondary roads with frequent stops.

 

[cinergi]

There is probably also a difference between what your estimated range is if all you're doing is short commutes in the cold vs. Long trips. I know my estimated range goes from 150 mi to 100-110 mi (plugged in in morning so battery is warm, not plugged in at work so regen is off, 16 miles each way). When it's significantly below freezing outside. If I were to compare a 150 mile drive in both circumstances, however, the numbers may look different.

 

[Doug_G]

In my experience being in the second winter and with 23,000 miles on my Roadster I would put my winter range at 25 to 40% less then summer range. My usage is daily driving with most trips under 5 miles and 98% under 30 miles and on secondary roads with frequent stops.

That is entirely consistent with my test, as long as you're doing short trips (5km as you say) and allowing it to "cold soak" in-between. You're losing a lot of range until the regen re-enables.

If you took a long trip you wouldn't see anywhere near that loss.

 

[donauker]

That is entirely consistent with my test, as long as you're doing short trips (5km as you say) and allowing it to "cold soak" in-between. You're losing a lot of range until the regen re-enables.

If you took a long trip you wouldn't see anywhere near that loss.

No, this is without loss of regen. I have had only one loss of regen this winter and no case of battery heating for charging. Home garage rarely goes below 45F and unheated garage at work keeps the battery warm enough for regen on all but our one 0F day when I lost regen for about the first mile of driving.

 

[Doug_G]

No, this is without loss of regen. I have had only one loss of regen this winter and no case of battery heating for charging. Home garage rarely goes below 45F and unheated garage at work keeps the battery warm enough for regen on all but our one 0F day when I lost regen for about the first mile of driving.

Interesting. I don't recall noticing any loss of range when the temperature was above freezing. Perhaps the "threshold" for regen disable is lower.

 

[Jaff]

Same here Doug.

When I'm parked outside at work (still no place to plug in, but I'm working on it), I don't seem to lose regen (when parked for hours) until under about -3C, usually with wind.

Interesting. I don't recall noticing any loss of range when the temperature was above freezing. Perhaps the "threshold" for regen disable is lower.

 

[Doug_G]

Using my new Graphical Log Parser, I've reviewed the power loss during the time my car was in Storage mode. My first guesstimate was pretty accurate; my calculations show that it loses 315 Wh of charge per day, or 1.7 estimated kilometers (about a mile). At that rate, the car could last almost 6 months without power. Of course this is in cold conditions.

 

[vfx]

Nissan released a chart on the Leaf that gave mileage losses in all sorts of driving conditions including cold.

 

[Doug_G]

Nissan released a chart on the Leaf that gave mileage losses in all sorts of driving conditions including cold.

Link?

 

[LST]

Last year, 10'000km av. consumption 170Wh/km. i measure wall to wheel. this winter, with temp often in the range -10C to 0C the consumption rises to 200Wh/km. i always have the heater and seat heating on. winter tires affect range / consumption most. so 20% is a fair guess.

 

[Eberhard]

i did today at -6 Celsius 132km and 20,4kWh consumption = 155Wh/km with Wintertires but heater off using seat heating + heated floorpad against cold feet. speed average was little about 80km/h

 

[vfx]

Link?

Couldn't find it.

 

[TEG]

Related:
http://www.nrel.gov/vehiclesandfuels/vsa/pdfs/49252.pdf

 

[TEG]

Expecting to see EVNOW show up in this thread soon...

http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=562&start=90

http://theeestory.com/topics/6031

 

[bolosky]

After that you only "lose"'what you need to run the cabin heater, which is negligible.

This has not been my experience. I've noticed much higher energy/mile usage in the winter than the summer. Last year, I measured the draw from the cabin heat and did a little math, and it's all explainable by the heater. I posted my results here, and if I were les lazy I'd find them and provide a link to them. Anyway, the bottom line was that the heater on full blast drew somewhere in the 3.5-4KW range, meaning roughly 15 ideal miles/hr. Since most of my commute is at 35 mph, this is a percentage increase for me. Of course, if you're driving 70 you'll notice it much less (for roughly the same reason that ICE cars are more efficient at speed).

 

[dsm363]

Finally! I can get in on this thread. It's going to be 19F here tonight but no snow. Does that count?=)
Everyone stay safe. Sounds like this storm is going to be a big one.

 

[doug]

Was intrigued by this:

...heated floorpad against cold feet.

 

[TEG]

http://www.teslamotors.com/forum/forums/cold-feet-roadster

eberhard | December 17, 2010 - 3:39am
I am plan to put a heating-film unter the foot-map like the seat-heater.
i am really tired of getting icy-feet.

eberhard | December 21, 2010 - 1:25pm
i am going to order one of the heating pads or heating films. the heating pad comes as foot-carpet, the heating-film has no cover. maybe best to place underneath the exitsting carpet. the consumption is around 35W and shall reach 30°C

http://www.heizgewebe.de/