Cold weather / EV range

[NS66]

Not long replaced my 64Kwh Kia Niro EV with the latest model but got to say this cold weather really is affecting the range. My old Niro would show a range between 260-285 had for 3 years.

New model which I also opted for the heat pump? no idea what benefit I am getting apart from my range currently on 100% charge is above 220 and cant get above 2.8 miles per kw.

I dont drive fast, have in eco mode and consider myself and sympathetic driver.

Anyone else experiencing this particularly Niro EV with heat pump?

[SWoll]

Have you confrmed estimated range v actual range achieved? Is your usage cycle the same as previous (more short trips etc.)? Is the current weather colder in your region than it has been for the past few years?

Lots of factors to consider, and wouldn't always believe what the OBC tells you regarding range as you may find the new car is just more accurate in reality than the old one?

[NS66]

SWoll said:

Have you confrmed estimated range v actual range achieved? Is your usage cycle the same as previous (more short trips etc.)? Is the current weather colder in your region than it has been for the past few years?

Lots of factors to consider, and wouldn't always believe what the OBC tells you regarding range as you may find the new car is just more accurate in reality than the old one?

I dont think its any colder than previous years really and not calculated accurately just whats showing on the OBC. Journeys are all the same just use it to commute the same journey as previous car. I guess will have to see how it goes in the summer months but just such a stark difference jumping from old to new model really.

[McAndy]

While I don't have first-hand experience of the Niro, that's not inconsistent with the winter range I've seen reported by owners and testers elsewhere.

For what it's worth, my wife's 28 kWh Ioniq has dropped from nearly 6 mi/kWh in normal conditions to struggling to break 4 mi/kWh over the last week. 160+ mile range dropped to 110 mile. "Normal" winter has seen us around 115-120 miles. It is particularly cold at the moment! Down to -9 °C on parts of my commute through north Wiltshire this morning.

[dmason]

I think that once you get well below freezing, the lost range is almost certainly attributed to the effort required to maintain cabin temp.

I do a weekly 100 mile round trip cross country and last night was the first time that I ran out of battery in my 94ah i3S.

Its a REx and it kicked in 2 miles short of home @6%. That's about 3.3m/kw.

The journey was -2.5def to -5.5deg, cabin at 19deg (no airpump).

I'm usually home with about 15% remaining.

[hepy]

It's not just you, my 2020 E Niro has had range of around 220 (not indicated, this is actual mileage I managed) all due to this cold snap.

Last winter it never dipped below 240, but this year it takes a run of at least 20 miles before the miles per KWH shows above 2.6

Again, using Eco mode (not sure it makes a difference but it's makes it easier driving in icy conditions) and heating set at 19 degrees.

Still loving the heated seats and steering wheel though!!

[mrkipling]

I am currently running a 2023 model Niro EV with heat pump and have noticed the same. This morning in ECO with heating off 209 miles. This is a lot worse than I ever saw with the old model Niro and Soul EV in similar temperatures. They were around 230, one major difference is that the battery pack is now supplied by CATL instead of SK Innovation and I wonder if this is a contributor.

[sherbertdip]

Is the current ENiro heat pump arrangement the same as the EV6 ie used for heating batteries rather than the cabin?

Watching youtube vids by the Norwegian chap recently showed up to 6kw being drawn for heating the cabin.

[ingenieur]

It's not just down to use of heaters. The batteries don't perform as well in cold weather... by a significant margin.

[dvs_dave]

Are you pre-conditioning the vehicle whilst it’s plugged in before you leave? That makes a big difference as it uses grid power to warm the cabin and battery beforehand. Otherwise it’s sucking up battery power.

[tamore]

range has been battered in my vauxhall combo e life. reckon it's down to just over 2 miles to the kWh. warm weather was 3.5.

don't think they really get EVs at stellantis, but the vehicle shape was what we needed so were hamstrung.

[5s Alive]

Our Konas range got hammered on last weekend's 60 mile round trip in -13°. 3.6 miles/kWh with heated seats and steering wheel on for a fair part of the trip. Cabin set to 23° and preheated for 10 mins but not plugged in. First time I've seen (or been aware of) less than 4.5 miles/kWh on a 50+ miles run. That's with the heat pump but I imagine it doesn't help much in these temperatures.

[Boomroasted]

My colleague has an ionic 5, which is circa 280 miles in the summer, last week he wax getting less than 100 miles from a full charge. Dreadful range... needless to say it’s booked to go back to Hyundai next week.

[SpeckledJim]

Boomroasted said:

My colleague has an ionic 5, which is circa 280 miles in the summer, last week he wax getting less than 100 miles from a full charge. Dreadful range... needless to say it’s booked to go back to Hyundai next week.

Somethings definitely up with that.

[BMR]

My Vivaro E in the last week has only been achieving 80-100 miles per charge.

Almost half the summer range.

[thebraketester]

Boomroasted said:

My colleague has an ionic 5, which is circa 280 miles in the summer, last week he wax getting less than 100 miles from a full charge. Dreadful range... needless to say it’s booked to go back to Hyundai next week.

We are seeing ~220. But the range plummets if you have the heating on furnace levels.

Edited by thebraketester on Sunday 18th December 07:32

[raspy]

The below is from Whatcar's recent tests on a number of models (although their winter driving was in temps between 3-7C)

Hence, if folks reporting on here have been driving in sub zero weather, I'm not surprised to see drops of up to 40-50% compared to warmer months.

BTW - how come so many people appear to be shocked/surprised at the effect of really cold weather on efficiency and range of their EV? Did the salespeople promise that range would be the same all year round, no matter the weather?

"So, based on our tests, you can expect around 15-20% fewer miles from an EV in the winter than in summer. An even bigger drop in range is inevitable in snowy and icy conditions."

Source: https://www.whatcar.com/news/range-test-how-far-ca...

[TheDrownedApe]

I posted elsewhere but drove 150 miles to Harlech from the Midlands recently and it was -8 over Eyrie. Just made it with preconditioning and Airton off. That's in a 58kwh id3. The way back 2 days later around 4 degrees warmer and had about 20 miles to spare.

[SWoll]

Boomroasted said:

My colleague has an ionic 5, which is circa 280 miles in the summer, last week he wax getting less than 100 miles from a full charge. Dreadful range... needless to say it’s booked to go back to Hyundai next week.

I'd guess he's doing a lot of short trips where he needs to keep warming up the cabin and battery from completely cold every time. Does he live somehwere that hs been particularly cold recently?

Even with pre-conditioning the cabin we've been seeing our range halved in the past week or so for daiy duties, and whilst it's been cold here in the Midlands it's been a lot worse elsewhere.

[paradigital]

I tend to average 3.5~ mi/kwh from my Model 3 Perf throughout the warmer (>10c) months. The last week of sub-zero temperatures (anywhere from -2c to -8c) has seen me averaging 2.78 mi/kwh for the same usage. That’s a 21% drop in efficiency.

I can live with that.