More Efficient Short Drives in Cold Weather

Description

Offer an option when driving on several short trips in very cold weather, to improve efficiency, perhaps by less preconditioning.

Competitive/Pricing/Notes

It’s really cold here in the winter (-20C = -4F).  I believe a lot of the preconditioning energy is going into heating the battery.  Several short trips will quickly eat up significant energy.  Is it really worth it?  I’m not sure, but I hope someone can do the math. I have a few ideas to simply let the battery be cold.  This would reduce regen capability and peak power, but that’s fine.  There are still regular breaks, and there’s not enough traction on snow to use peak power anyway.

Solutions ideas:

1) An option to allow the cabin to be preheated, without preheating the battery (set as an option in charging/precondition schedules).

2) Only preheat the battery if it’s plugged in.

3) Only preheat the battery if navigation is set to a DC fast charger.

4) Only partially preheat, particularly when chill mode (less horsepower) is selected.

Status

Unknown.