MG4 Intelligent battery heating on SE?

[Kithmo]

I switched intelligent battery heating on a couple of days ago and my daily trip today got me 2m/kWh without the heating on, it wasn't really very cold, 8 deg C out, coincidence ?
I've turned it off now so we'll see what it does tomorrow.
ISTR seeing somewhere it came on below 10 deg C on the ZS, so if it's the same on the 4 maybe it is heating the battery at 8 deg C.

 

[Rolfe]

Well, that's not a good efficiency. Last time I was that bad I was doing 80 on the motorway.

 

[Kithmo]

I normally get 3.8-3.9 without the heater on when it's coldish, but it does drop to anything between 2 and 2.8 with the heater on.
Driving carefully as well.

 

[Rolfe]

I didn't have the heater or the aircon on during that motorway run. It was a mild August evening, after dark.

 

[hharzel]

Sounds like a marketing term.

If the battery's not warm (to a certain degree), turn up heat. Otherwise don't. That's all there is to it.

 

[DBedford]

Cabin heating and battery heating, are not the same are they? I ask as the thread seems to treating them the same by some.

 

[Ian Key]

Cabin heating and battery heating, are not the same are they? I ask as the thread seems to treating them the same by some.

You are correct, they are not the same.
The intelligent heating is for the main battery that powers the electric motor. In cold weather it is used either to preheat that battery before a journey to increase efficiency or to increase charging speed at a fast charger.
Not to be confused with preheating the cabin via the app.

 

[Kithmo]

I switched intelligent battery heating on a couple of days ago and my daily trip today got me 2m/kWh without the heating on, it wasn't really very cold, 8 deg C out, coincidence ?
I've turned it off now so we'll see what it does tomorrow.
ISTR seeing somewhere it came on below 10 deg C on the ZS, so if it's the same on the 4 maybe it is heating the battery at 8 deg C.

Since I turned it back off the m/kWh has gone up to 3.9 without the heater on.
I had to have the heater on on the 3 mile return journey as the screen was misting up and it dropped to 3.2, a bit higher than I normally get but I guess it averaged it out with the outgoing journey.
So I think turning the (automatic) battery heater on affects economy greatly.
FWIW, it was 6 deg C out this morning.

 

[Rolfe]

I would like to know if anyone has ever used the battery heating and found that it gave them some advantage.

 

[Rolfe]

Since I turned it back off the m/kWh has gone up to 3.9 without the heater on.
I had to have the heater on on the 3 mile return journey as the screen was misting up and it dropped to 3.2, a bit higher than I normally get but I guess it averaged it out with the outgoing journey.
So I think turning the (automatic) battery heater on affects economy greatly.
FWIW, it was 6 deg C out this morning.

I think it would be a good idea if we didn't discuss the ordinary cabin heater in this thread as it is confusing the issue. The thread is about battery heating and we should stick to that.

 

[Kithmo]

I think it would be a good idea if we didn't discuss the ordinary cabin heater in this thread as it is confusing the issue. The thread is about battery heating and we should stick to that.

My point was that battery heating seems to affect mi/kWh.

 

[Rolfe]

It was quite confusing to talk about the cabin heater as well though. Maybe I'm easily confused.

I'd still like to know if anyone has ever found the battery heating to be beneficial.

 

[Chris Bronsdon]

It was quite confusing to talk about the cabin heater as well though. Maybe I'm easily confused.

I'd still like to know if anyone has ever found the battery heating to be beneficial.

I'm 3 weeks into owning an MG4 Trophy and it's taken me that long to realise the battery heater was permanently on and therefore to explain the terrible efficiency and my range dropping like a stone.

I like the car, but this is a major thing to not be aware of having just switched from a ICE car.

I can't imagine a setting on a petrol/ diesel car that you could accidentally turn on that halved your fuel efficiency!...

 

[tsedge]

I'm 3 weeks into owning an MG4 Trophy and it's taken me that long to realise the battery heater was permanently on and therefore to explain the terrible efficiency and my range dropping like a stone.

I like the car, but this is a major thing to not be aware of having just switched from a ICE car.

I can't imagine a setting on a petrol/ diesel car that you could accidentally turn on that halved your fuel efficiency!...

It is familiarity partly... like driving with the handbrake on with an old ICE car. You would do that if you weren't familiar with handbrakes but of course you are, so you don't.

 

[Rolfe]

I'm 3 weeks into owning an MG4 Trophy and it's taken me that long to realise the battery heater was permanently on and therefore to explain the terrible efficiency and my range dropping like a stone.

I like the car, but this is a major thing to not be aware of having just switched from a ICE car.

I can't imagine a setting on a petrol/ diesel car that you could accidentally turn on that halved your fuel efficiency!...

I was in the same boat. Although as the weather got a lot warmer just about the point I realised, I'm not sure how big the effect was.

Back to my question. Is the battery heating actually any use for anything, any time? If you always lose range, what is even the point?

 

[Chris Bronsdon]

I think the idea is that warming the battery when the weather is cold allows it to charge better.

What I don't understand is why its possible to keep heating the battery when it's not being charged??

Given the car sounds an alarm when opening the door, (!) a reminder/ prompt to turn off battery heating is needed.

 

[Rolfe]

I really don't know how we're supposed to use battery heating. I presume it's provided for a reason. But if anyone has done a video explaining how to use it, please link!

 

[Chris Bronsdon]

This is very helpful;

 

[Rolfe]

Thank you, that is extremely helpful. I'm not sure I'm intending to have 20% to 30% to play with when I'm approaching a rapid charger though. The idea of turning it on overnight if you're charging is interesting though. Suppose you finish charging at 3 am and you don't want the car till 9 am, will there be any heat left to help you?

What happens when the car is finished charging and the battery heating is still turned on? Does it keep on heating, drawing power from the charger, or does it all just stop? Or what?

If you do have power to spare, how long before you get to the rapid charger should you switch on the battery heating?

 

[hharzel]

I haven't seen any advantages of "Intelligent Battery Heating" even at sub zero temperatures but I don't rapid charge very often. Someone should do a test about rapid charging speed between warmed up battery and cold battery using a charger that is consistent. What's odd I'm also getting pretty good regeneration (-10 %power) even at 1deg celsius temperature with cold battery (LFP).