Battery range dropped

[pg1759]

Hi Everyone,

Potentially dumb question incoming!

I’m brand new to EV’s, having got my MG ZS EV in March this year. When I first got the car it was charged to 100% and was displaying a range of around 190 miles. I generally found that there or there about, this is what I got back out of it.

In the last 3 weeks or so, I now charge the car to 100% and the most I get showing is around 140 miles.

Whats changed? Is this based on the temperature of the battery now, compared to the warmer weather? It’s not that cold yet so I’m still confused.

Any advice welcome

 

[Les burrows]

Hi very probably you have answer your own question, got your car in March so you have had a summer that’s fine and warm great for range, now it’s getting cold your range will drop back because it’s colder, plus you will now be using the heater more to keep you warm and demising the windows, all as quite an effect on how far you can go on a Charge, that’s the same with all EVs maybe if you drive a bit slower and not to much on the loud pedal, also use your Regen as much as you can you might well bring the range back by 20/30 miles.

I’m not saying you are driving to fast or anything like that but it does help, the difference between driving at 65 instead of 70 can make a lot of difference in range, now the weather is colder the heater does use a fair bit,so try using the seat heaters if you have them to keep you warm they don’t use hardly anything.
Good luck
Les

 

[Lovemyev]

Potentially dumb question incoming!

Hi @pg1759 and welcome to the forum !.
Remember, the only “dumb” question, is the one that is never asked, my friend !.
Les has pretty much covered it all !in his post really.
Just a couple of things worth checking / considering also.
Is it safe to assume you have a standard range model of the ZS EV Gen 2 model then.
And that you charge to 100% SOC every single time you arrive home from work then ?.
I only say this given the predicted range figures you have kindly provided above ??.
Something you may want to check / consider here is this this.
When comparing what you had in predicted range in the summer, to what you are seeing now in cooler conditions in November ( ish ) times in the U.K.
First, please ensure that you have turned OFF the HVAC system, BEFORE you intend to carry out a full charge and balance cycle !.
If indeed you DO have a standard range Gen 2 model, can I therefore assume that you are allowing your car to perform a battery balance cycle, AFTER the car has reached a 100% SOC ( state of charge ) at the end of the charging process ????.
Also, are you resetting BOTH of your trip recorders also ?.
By doing this, you will receive a closer predicted range on the GOM ( Guess-O-Meter ) before setting out.
It is totally normal for the car to report less predictable range, over the winter time.
Useing the cabin heater / climate control will affect your ability to cover similar distances in the summer time period, over the winter time conditions.

 

[pg1759]

Hi very probably you have answer your own question, got your car in March so you have had a summer that’s fine and warm great for range, now it’s getting cold your range will drop back because it’s colder, plus you will now be using the heater more to keep you warm and demising the windows, all as quite an effect on how far you can go on a Charge, that’s the same with all EVs maybe if you drive a bit slower and not to much on the loud pedal, also use your Regen as much as you can you might well bring the range back you by 20/30 miles.

I’m not saying you are driving to fast or anything like that but it does help, the difference between driving at 65 instead of 70 can make a lot of difference in range, now the weather is colder the heater does use a fair bit,so try using the seat heaters if you have them to keep you warm they don’t use hardly anything.
Good luck
Les

Thanks Les, I appreciate you taking the time out to reply. I think I was more surprised that the range was being predicted on the dash before I’d set off. I can only assume that is based on the temperature of the battery, and previous factors like heating being used more etc.

All makes sense now.

Cheers
Paul

 

[pg1759]

Hi @pg1759 and welcome to the forum !.
Remember, the only “dumb” question, is the one that is never asked, my friend !.
Les has pretty much covered it all !in his post really.
Just a couple of things worth checking / considering also.
Is it safe to assume you have a standard range model of the ZS EV Gen 2 model then.
And that you charge to 100% SOC every single time you arrive home from work then ?.
I only say this given the predicted range figures you have kindly provided above ??.
Something you may want to check / consider here is this this.
When comparing what you had in predicted range in the summer, to what you are seeing now in cooler conditions in November ( ish ) times in the U.K.
First, please ensure that you have turned OFF the HVAC system, BEFORE you intend to carry out a full charge and balance cycle !.
If indeed you DO have a standard range Gen 2 model, can I therefore assume that you are allowing your car to perform a battery balance cycle, AFTER the car has reached a 100% SOC ( state of charge ) at the end of the charging process ????.
Also, are you resetting BOTH of your trip recorders also ?.
By doing this, you will receive a closer predicted range on the GOM ( Guess-O-Meter ) before setting out.
It is totally normal for the car to report less predictable range, over the winter time.
Useing the cabin heater / climate control will affect your ability to cover similar distances in the summer time period, over the winter time conditions.

Thanks for the advice

 

[Jomarkh]

During the summer I can get 4.3m?kWh but that drop to 3.5m/kWh during the colder months.
You could probably loose about 25% in range.
Speed is a big range killer closely followed by low temperatures,