How to get longer range in the winter

[hfeb]

I have been bothered by the range lost in cold weather. I regulary make a trip that is 150 km and in the summer it only uses ca. 80% of the battery. In the winter, I always have to use Range+ and when the temperature comes down to zero, I will have stop for a 30m charge, ie. the trip is using 130-140% of the "normal" batterycapacity.

I tried some experimenting, and found out, as some of you also have, that the heater is using a lot of power. If I ran the trip without the heater on, it was possible to do the whole trip with Range+, that means that the heater is using almost 30% of the battery capacity, and that is a to much.

After som very cold trips, and a lot of hot tea, I decided to fix the problem myself. The solution was simple, I went to the local plumber shop and bougt three lengts of pipe insulation, I think it was 12mm, 24mm and 32mm. It was last summer, so I can't remember it exactly, but you can easily measure it on the pipes and hoses. Then I just insulated the hoses and zip-tied. You can feel which ones to insulate by feeling if they are warm after a short trip with the heater on.

The result is fantastic. I am now able to make the trip in the winter in one go, and still have a decent heat in the car. It's not like Ibiza heat, but I makes it comfortable to drive in normal winter clothes. The trips now uses ca. 110% of capacity with zero degrees C and even less at 8C that most winter days are here.

I have some pictures to show the end result. Be sure to get the 2 hoses furthest back in the middle properly insulated the whole way back. I did it by putting the insulation on the hose, and sliding it on the hos until it stuck. You could probably get under the car and do it better, but I don't have a lift.

 

[JeffRay]

HFeb,

Welcome. Where have you been hibernating all this time. This is an interesting post as I lose about a third of my range in the winter. No question the heater is the main culprit so this will help. The other is a cold battery which my only solution is to park it in a paid garage overnight vs. on the street when it is really bad. Any ideas on this would be helpful.

 

[rrattie]

This is an awesome "hack" to getting better winter range. I'll definitely be looking into this as I just started a new job that would definitely tax the range on the B in colder months.

 

[mr250e]

Thanks so much for this awesome work-around. I've been wearing my warmest Canada Goose parka and mittens, so this will be a great improvement during cold weather driving.

If anyone has the U.S. diameter and length measurements, I will be looking to purchase the pipe insulation and ties right away!

Jeffray, years ago I owned a Subaru with a cold-weather package that included a heater for the battery. I never used it, but maybe you could find something like that that you could use outside while your B is parked and plugged in overnight.

 

[JeffRay]

Keep the great ideas coming. Am going to insulate the hoses and look online for portable unit to keep the battery warm overnight.

 

[Mzteaze]

This is a GREAT idea. Thanks for sharing.

 

[FordAnglia]

Jeffray, years ago I owned a Subaru with a cold-weather package that included a heater for the battery. I never used it, but maybe you could find something like that that you could use outside while your B is parked and plugged in overnight.

I think that heater was for the lead-acid battery in the Subaru. The High-Voltage battery in an EV has to be warmed up if the outside temp is too low (zero degC)

This is done by passing heated coolant through the High-voltage battery, presumably that heating energy comes from the lead-acid battery. In warm weather, and due to self-heating of the High-voltage battery under electrical load, the same coolant is used to remove heat from the High-voltage battery. Same for the electric motor and inverter in an EV, which requires coolant flow for cooling. In an ICE vehicle there is an abundance of waste heat!

Years ago, while living in Rockford, Illinois, I had a "summer car" and a "winter 4x4" which was outside (the single stall garage being used for the summer car)

I had an engine block heater installed by the dealer (it was a factory option that was not on this used vehicle) Plugging it in to a regular 120V outlet at night enabled the engine to catch on the first start, and the defroster to work almost immediately.

It would be possible to warm the High-voltage battery coolant with a similar device, or rig the existing electric coolant heater to do the same job on an EV. The main advantage would be to save the High-voltage battery energy for traction, and not waste it on auxiliary heating. High-voltage battery energy would still be used to heat the seats and run the cabin heater while driving, however.

Peter,

 

[arthurmartineau]

I have my home charger set to start charging so that the battery will be full right before it's time to leave in the morning. I haven't analyzed the improvement but it appears to make a difference in heating the battery. I also always preheat the car before I leave.

 

[Marcin]

Thanks guys for idea.
I've done insulation like this.
Did I miss something?

https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipMZU2ZzTNXaTwctoQkil0WsET7OSx17rp1zoOJbfNOPDxn7lD4IOIFx9hfpikt9dw/photo/AF1QipOqh1fg2unrhDkpO6nkOr2yQpLAb6v4nbZrLA1v?key=X0l0WER5R1lPRXBYUFhYa0pSZ2JVRVVDcWZvcXR3


Regrards,

Marcin
Poland

 

[cblankespoor]

Hi Marcin,

Very impressive! What insulating material, the red stuff in your photos, did you use?

Thanks in advance.

Curt

 

[Marcin]

Just ordinary foam insulating covers plus black electric stripes. aprox 10 USD and 1,5 hour working time.
I'll check because I suppose the heating/cooling system tank should be insulated the same.
I've got the IR camera so I'll check it out and let you know.

Regards,

Marcin

 

[arthurmartineau]

I love this ideas. Am I going to have to remove it in the summer when it 100 degrees outside? :shock:

 

[user 1812]

Thanks for the guys sharing the photos. They are very good.

Has anyone used grill block to achieve the same results? Electronics would like it cool, but they have water cooling anyways. So I am considering a full block (some soft foam like plastic plate) between grill and radiator, or partial block + pipe insulation.

 

[user 1812]

I blocked the whole mask last week. It really does have an effect on the range. It's autumn here, and weather changes constantly, so accurate measurement is difficult to get. I'd say that the difference is something between 10 and 30 km now when temperatures are around 0 deg C. Range went from 90-110 km to 110-125 km in our daily usage.

Our daily driving varies between 60 and 150 km, so the range difference really does have an effect

Does anyone know if the cabin heater is electric to air, or electric heat to water and from there to air? Battery heating is for sure water based, but cabin heating could be either one.. This is interesting because water is clearly the medium which loses the heat here..

 

[cblankespoor]

Hi ruoho,

Thanks for your update. I'm curious how you "blocked the whole mask" Any chance that you'd be willing to post a few photos of your secret sauce?

Thanks in advance.

Curt

 

[user 1812]

Hi,

This implementation is quite ugly. Just that soft stuff (cell foam plastic?) cut to approximate shape. Mounting secured with zip ties, except for the topmost blocks that are just sitting there. Above the star there are no openings, so that are is not blocked.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/PJ44oa67UmQD7ebd8 (I am not sure how to upload photos here).

In most cars it's easy to drop something just in front of the radiator. In the B250 bumper continues so far back that in order to do that, you'd have to remove the whole bumper. That would be too much work to do twice a year..

So my plan (plan B!) is to do a proper hidden block for 80% or so (here in Finland you do not have to worry about hot weather). Remaining 20% block, needs to be removable. I just have to figure out how that would be done Options would be this same foam, moving register plate lower, or design a nice 3d-printed cover (not really going to happen).

 

[FordAnglia]

(I am not sure how to upload photos here).

I upload the PIX to the IBB Image site.
Copy and embed the URL in the message text. Use the BBcode full linked option.



Peter,

 

[rrattie]

Okay, I posted this on the B Facebook group, but I'll share here for those not giving up souls to Mark Zuckerberg.

So, today this was put to the test. My wife who doesn't usually drive my car drove it to take my daughter to orchestra practice, then drove down to get me from the metro station.. then drove back to get my daughter and then drove home with the heat set to 68 degrees F. This seems to me like vindication of the insulation installation, especially at these temperatures.

Starting Range: 77 miles
Ending Range: 8 miles
Total distance driven: 77 miles
Outside temps: 40 degrees F

**Because she doesn't normally drive the B.. she drove 30 miles on the highway at 70 mph when coming to get me.

 

[rrattie]

For future reference, you can use https://imgbb.com/ to post images for free.. just an FYI.. found it myself when wanting to post those photos

 

[FordAnglia]

For future reference, you can use https://imgbb.com/ to post images for free.. just an FYI.. found it myself when wanting to post those photos

Scroll up. I already shared how to post PIX to this forum using imgbb.

Peter,