-20% loss in battery capacity due to outside temperature drop.

[DennisB]

I received my TT last May and only experienced the higher temperatures of +15 degrees Celsius since then. Right now over here it's between 5 and 10 degrees and I'm already seeing a big loss in my range. Before I could drive 360-370 km with a 100% full battery, but it has already dropped to 303 km and it's not even that cold outside.

I know the outside temp. does affect the battery capacity, but already 20% less, is that normal?

Sponsored

 

[McgR]

I received my TT last May and only experienced the higher temperatures of +15 degrees Celsius since then. Right now over here it's between 5 and 10 degrees and I'm already seeing a big loss in my range. Before I could drive 360-370 km with a 100% full battery, but it has already dropped to 303 km and it's not even that cold outside.

I know the outside temp. does affect the battery capacity, but already 20% less, is that normal?

Do you pre condition before you leave and is your car parked outside? It seems like a big difference. Judging the app on the website it should only be 20-25 km difference.

 

[Doc B]

I received my TT last May and only experienced the higher temperatures of +15 degrees Celsius since then. Right now over here it's between 5 and 10 degrees and I'm already seeing a big loss in my range. Before I could drive 360-370 km with a 100% full battery, but it has already dropped to 303 km and it's not even that cold outside.

I know the outside temp. does affect the battery capacity, but already 20% less, is that normal?

From my experience, 20% is normal. I have found big drop-off between 20C and 10C, but then a slower drop-off as you go below 10C. It is a shame there is no real way to heat the battery unless it is actually charging (so if you are already at 100%, or 85% if you are limiting charge, you can't pre-heat the battery).

 

[Skier]

I received my TT last May and only experienced the higher temperatures of +15 degrees Celsius since then. Right now over here it's between 5 and 10 degrees and I'm already seeing a big loss in my range. Before I could drive 360-370 km with a 100% full battery, but it has already dropped to 303 km and it's not even that cold outside.

I know the outside temp. does affect the battery capacity, but already 20% less, is that normal?

Also check your tire pressure. An under-inflated tire reduces range significantly.

 

[daveo4EV]

20-30% drop in range is common/normal once prevailing temps approach 40F or lower…the reason is there are multiple “hits” to battery consumption:

• some amount of power will be used by the vehicle to maintain optimal battery temp
  • most EV’s will spend battery power to “heat” the battery to increase battery longevity
  • LiON batteries last longer if you charge/discharge them in certain temperature ranges (40F ambient temp is _NOT_ in the batteries ideal range)
• road conditions as it gets colder tend to be worse for efficiency - it take more power per-mile to move the vehicle
• weather contiions as it gets colder tend to be worse for efficiency - it take more power per-mile to move the vehicle
• battery discharge efficiency is worse when it is colder - less power is available from the total capacity when battery temp is near the lower end of ideal…
• aero-dynamic drag increases in colder/denser air - it takes more power per-mile to move the vehicle
• more power is directed/requested to cabin heating to keep the human more comfortable inside the vehicle
  • heating the cabin uses more power than AC in the summer

so the combination of factors listed above conspire to sap 20-30% of overall range as more of the batteries total fixed capacity is redirected to overcoming the factors listed above…

slight improvements in can be had by making sure to pre-condition the cabin while the vehicle is plugged in so that less of the battery is used to heat the cabin initially in the morning when you leave home.

 

[schad]

Do you pre condition before you leave and is your car parked outside? It seems like a big difference. Judging the app on the website it should only be 20-25 km difference.

The best thing is to pre-condition the car while it's still plugged in. That lets it get up to temperature without using any juice. That initial warmup is the single biggest cause of reduced cold-weather range, so removing it as a factor is a big deal.

If you can't do that, the second-best thing is to park in a garage. It was about -1C outside this morning, but in my non-climate controlled garage it was 14C. The car will still have to use energy to warm up, but not nearly as much as if it were outside.

If you can't do either of those, you are unfortunately going to lose a lot of range in cold weather.

For what it's worth, 20-25km is exactly what the guess-o-meter is currently estimating I lost based on my drive this morning (-1C when I left, 2C when I got back). That's with being plugged in, pre-conditioning, and parked in a garage: close to ideal circumstances.

 

[W1NGE]

I received my TT last May and only experienced the higher temperatures of +15 degrees Celsius since then. Right now over here it's between 5 and 10 degrees and I'm already seeing a big loss in my range. Before I could drive 360-370 km with a 100% full battery, but it has already dropped to 303 km and it's not even that cold outside.

I know the outside temp. does affect the battery capacity, but already 20% less, is that normal?

I'd say normal for this part of the Northern hemisphere. I'm back to 204 miles at 85% SOC and expect no more than 225 at 100% for the rest of the winter.

 

[McgR]

From my experience, 20% is normal. I have found big drop-off between 20C and 10C, but then a slower drop-off as you go below 10C. It is a shame there is no real way to heat the battery unless it is actually charging (so if you are already at 100%, or 85% if you are limiting charge, you can't pre-heat the battery).

Isn’t it possible set a departure timer in order to pre condition the battery? It was possible in a BMW phev I had before but the command needed to be given several hours before departure.

 

[W1NGE]

Isn’t it possible set a departure timer in order to pre condition the battery? It was possible in a BMW phev I had before but the command needed to be given several hours before departure.

Yes it is but it won't help with the reduction in range due to lower ambient temperatures. As soon as you switch on the AC (to heat) range will drop by a few miles.

 

[DennisB]

Do you pre condition before you leave and is your car parked outside? It seems like a big difference. Judging the app on the website it should only be 20-25 km difference.

My car is parked in a (heated) garage at night and even during the day when I'm at my company.

 

[DennisB]

Also check your tire pressure. An under-inflated tire reduces range significantly.

Filled the tires last week. Thanks

 

[f1eng]

I received my TT last May and only experienced the higher temperatures of +15 degrees Celsius since then. Right now over here it's between 5 and 10 degrees and I'm already seeing a big loss in my range. Before I could drive 360-370 km with a 100% full battery, but it has already dropped to 303 km and it's not even that cold outside.

I know the outside temp. does affect the battery capacity, but already 20% less, is that normal?

The range calculator on the Taycan web site shows a drop in range of around 15% in general mixed driving (town, country, motorway) between 5C and 30C. This will depend on how mixed your driving is too amongst other things like wet roads too, I suppose.

 

[Gareth Swain]

I plan to drop to 20inch winter wheels to compensate. Think I will end up 10% down. Maybe worse if we hit the Alps as planned.

 

[PanameraFrank]

My range drops from 260-280 actual highway miles in 70ish degree summer to 210-230 in 30ish degree winter.

So yes, it's normal.

 

[Kingske]

I received my TT last May and only experienced the higher temperatures of +15 degrees Celsius since then. Right now over here it's between 5 and 10 degrees and I'm already seeing a big loss in my range. Before I could drive 360-370 km with a 100% full battery, but it has already dropped to 303 km and it's not even that cold outside.

I know the outside temp. does affect the battery capacity, but already 20% less, is that normal?

Sounds about right.

Sponsored