Battery Heater

[Smendon]

Just realised that all MG 4’s have battery heating.

My limited understanding of a battery heater is that you use it before you plug in to charge to speed it up, but I presume you have to do it automatically on the SE as there is no sat nav?

Also, are their any other benefit to heating the battery?

Anyone used it on their car yet?

 

[the briggie]

Battery heating is only required when the temp is below 0 to -5 degrees. Cold batteries charge more slowly, especially dc charging (rapid) so heating them helps with that process. In our climate you will rarely need it in my opinion. It also helps to preheat the batteries before driving to help with efficiency. Again do we need it?

Why does sat nav come in to the equation?

Alan

 

[Smendon]

Battery heating is only required when the temp is below 0 to -5 degrees. Cold batteries charge more slowly, especially dc charging (rapid) so heating them helps with that process. In our climate you will rarely need it in my opinion. It also helps to preheat the batteries before driving to help with efficiency. Again do we need it?

Why does sat nav come in to the equation?

Alan

I’ve just seen that some cars will auto heat the battery if you put a charger as a destination in the sat nav

 

[WonkoTheSaneUK]

I’ve just seen that some cars will auto heat the battery if you put a charger as a destination in the sat nav

Which will let the battery charge faster. Tesla & Mercedes do this.

 

[Profpalindrome]

Is it just about charging? When it gets cold enough the MG4 also offers you the option of heating the battery when you are setting off to drive, which suggests (to me) that the cars thinks it will be better (consumption? battery health? something else?) to have a warm battery. I have usually ignored the offer assuming it will use up precious battery, but on this morning's commute I allowed it to turn on and (may be complete coincidence) I got the best consumption that I have so far seen my 16mi journey down the A1 4 mi/kWh rather than usual 3.7 mi/kWh. Needs further investigation I think??

 

[the briggie]

Didn't think the MG4 is that smart. Tesla has its own charge stations hence the built in sat nav is designed to locate them and if enough charge is left in the car it will preheat depending on temp.

As stated it is not just for charging. It allows more efficient discharge from the batteries and will provide a bit extra range temperature allowing. 5 to 10 degrees is when the batteries are at their best according to research.

Alan

 

[Profpalindrome]

Didn't think the MG4 is that smart. Tesla has its own charge stations hence the built in sat nav is designed to locate them and if enough charge is left in the car it will preheat depending on temp.

As stated it is not just for charging. It allows more efficient discharge from the batteries and will provide a bit extra range temperature allowing. 5 to 10 degrees is when the batteries are at their best according to research.

Alan

I guess there is a sweet spot when thinking of increasing efficiency....too much battery heating will run the battery down and reduce range whereas a warm battery will increase range, wonder where the cross-over is? Would nice to have some kind of OBD/TeslaScan equivalent so that I could look and see what battery temp is doing.....does anyone know if such a thing exists for the MG4?

 

[Profpalindrome]

Just seen that in the App you can schedule battery heating (shame cannot do the same for cabin heating) and they recommend 1hr before use of the car....maybe I'll try that tomorrow, see what happens

 

[the briggie]

Just seen that in the App you can schedule battery heating (shame cannot do the same for cabin heating) and they recommend 1hr before use of the car....maybe I'll try that tomorrow, see what happens

Be interesting to hear how you do it and the results. Do you have the car on a scheduled charge? If so will it override the schedule if completed ( most use 00:30 to 04:30 rates)

If not plugged in how much drain will there be on the battery?

Let us know.

Alan

 

[WonkoTheSaneUK]

Is it just about charging? When it gets cold enough the MG4 also offers you the option of heating the battery when you are setting off to drive, which suggests (to me) that the cars thinks it will be better (consumption? battery health? something else?) to have a warm battery. I have usually ignored the offer assuming it will use up precious battery, but on this morning's commute I allowed it to turn on and (may be complete coincidence) I got the best consumption that I have so far seen my 16mi journey down the A1 4 mi/kWh rather than usual 3.7 mi/kWh. Needs further investigation I think??

The TL;DR is that batteries generally like much the same temperatures as humans.
We don't like to work as hard when it's boiling or freezing either.

 

[Nigelleics]

That's curious. I just tried to start battery heating via the app and it didn't allow it, coming up with a message 'battery pack not need heating'. So, I guess it monitors the temp.

 

[Profpalindrome]

Be interesting to hear how you do it and the results. Do you have the car on a scheduled charge? If so will it override the schedule if completed ( most use 00:30 to 04:30 rates)

If not plugged in how much drain will there be on the battery?

Let us know.

Alan

Not charging at home ATM as lucky enough to be able to charge at work, but will defo keep an eye on the drain....maybe I should plug it in anyway and see if it takes from the charger when doing the pre-heat?

 

[the briggie]

That's curious. I just tried to start battery heating via the app and it didn't allow it, coming up with a message 'battery pack not need heating'. So, I guess it monitors the temp.

It has to a/ to know when to start and b/ to know when to stop. Overheating can cause damage hence the battery also has a cooling system for warmer temperatures.

My current ev will start at -5 and go off at > 5 automatically with no manual setting unfortunately!

Alan

 

[Profpalindrome]

My current ev will start at -5 and go off at > 5 automatically with no manual setting unfortunately!

Is that an ID3/4 with heat pump? I vaguely remember seeing something about unexpected/excessive battery drain when making short journeys in cold temps due to battery heating

 

[the briggie]

MX30 with heat pump. It is designed not to drain the battery for cooling unless you are stopped and give permission. Heating has yet to kick in as there is no manual setting and it has never got that chilly!

Alan

 

[OJEastwood]

MX30 with heat pump. It is designed not to drain the battery for cooling unless you are stopped and give permission. Heating has yet to kick in as there is no manual setting and it has never got that chilly!

Alan

Ah, a fellow MX30 owner!

 

[Profpalindrome]

For those who are still interested. I turned on scheduled battery heating to start 35 mins before leaving this morning. I did not plug in last night. There was no evidence (either App or car) that battery heating was on when I got in and started the car (unlike yesterday it didn't ask if I wanted to heat battery....but maybe it was warmer today; 15C?.....need to record temps!). Battery was at 38% last night and 38% this morning. Did my normal 16 mi commute, dry roads, normal driving settings (ECO, low regen), got consumption of 4.3 mi/kWh. Normal consumption for this journey up til now has been around 3.7, yesterday I got 4 when turning on battery heating when leaving. Consumption is the best I've ever seen, so maybe its doing something, would love a way to access the battery temps.

 

[the briggie]

Looking at your % it seems heating did not kick in. If not plugged (or was it?) in it should draw power from the batteries. At 38 to 38 nothing was drawn it would appear.

Alan

 

[Dan C]

Is that an ID3/4 with heat pump? I vaguely remember seeing something about unexpected/excessive battery drain when making short journeys in cold temps due to battery heating

I test drove a ID3 last winter and was shocked by how inefficient it was on a shortish test drive, the GOM ready 100% but only 108mile range. I later read online that the battery heater alone can take up to 7kw of power and kicks in at anything less than 9c ( don’t know how true this is )

I still really liked the ID3 but lead times and price put me off.

 

[Profpalindrome]

I test drove a ID3 last winter and was shocked by how inefficient it was on a shortish test drive, the GOM ready 100% but only 108mile range. I later read online that the battery heater alone can take up to 7kw of power and kicks in at anything less than 9c ( don’t know how true this is )

I still really liked the ID3 but lead times and price put me off.

I had a couple of test drives in the ID3 as it was the obvious next step after my eGolf but was very underwhelmed, it felt like a step back which was a big surprise, price also put me off.