Winter range...

[Pete1w]

I appreciate this has probably been discussed previously but, I've just charged our MG4 Trophy overnight to 80%. The app is telling me it has 127 miles of range. I knew winter temperatures would have an impact on the range but that is quite an alarming drop off to the usual expected miles available.

 

[EvTek23]

That sounds quite low, I've been getting around 185 miles when charged to 80%. Are you making lots of journeys with maybe pre-heating before you leave, and heating up high with seats and steering wheel heaters on with a resulting low figure for the miles/kWh, the GOM will react to this predicting a low range.

 

[Pete1w]

I have used the preheat function a few times but not on a regular basis. I use the car daily for mostly short journeys and city driving. I admit to being a little shocked when I saw the range this morning. I think the overnight temperature here was around -3 degrees so not sure if that's a factor..

 

[MG Clive]

I got 152 miles using 80% during last week's slightly colder weather.

 

[Gomev]

That sounds quite low, I've been getting around 185 miles when charged to 80%. Are you making lots of journeys with maybe pre-heating before you leave, and heating up high with seats and steering wheel heaters on with a resulting low figure for the miles/kWh, the GOM will react to this predicting a low range.

Heated seats and wheel will make no difference.

 

[Anon70]

Is your battery heating set to on? Also what does the GOM range change to when you cycle through the different modes?

 

[Ian Key]

I have used the preheat function a few times but not on a regular basis. I use the car daily for mostly short journeys and city driving. I admit to being a little shocked when I saw the range this morning. I think the overnight temperature here was around -3 degrees so not sure if that's a factor..

Using it for short journeys especially in cold weather is probably why the range has dropped as you are heating the car's cabin from cold multiple time as opposed when you do a long journey and the internal temperature only has to be heated up once and then kept at a constant temperature.
The GOM also uses historic data to calculate the range. I tend to zero it after every charge

 

[Gadget Geek]

As @Ian Key says, every short journey will chip away at your overall estimated range. However, resetting the counter only forces the car to use the pre-programmed default estimate which has no relation to the real world.

 

[Pete1w]

Is your battery heating set to on? Also what does the GOM range change to when you cycle through the different modes?

Not used battery heating yet. I'm currently driving in Eco ( my default driving mode 90% of the time) and the range has climbed to 134 miles. I guess it is what it is. It's our first winter with an EV so still getting used to all the quirks of EV ownership. It's still cheaper than our petrol car.....

 

[Everest]

Using it for short journeys especially in cold weather is probably why the range has dropped as you are heating the car's cabin from cold multiple time as opposed when you do a long journey and the internal temperature only has to be heated up once and then kept at a constant temperature.

This ^^^^

Heated seats and wheel will make no difference.

Oh? I assume they are powered by electrons and will consume at least a small amount of power?

Not used battery heating yet.

I'd assume the MG4 is similar to most other modern EVs and the battery will be heated automatically if temps are below normal working temps - similarly, they will cool the battery if it is too hot.

 

[EvTek23]

@Everest, The MG4 suggests that when the temperature is low you can switch on intelligent battery heating but leaves it up to the user. Battery cooling is automatic and there is no menu

Heated seats and wheel will make no difference.

Oh? I assume they are powered by electrons and will consume at least a small amount of power?

I agree this will be negligible but it will have an effect as the cars 12V DC system will have to provide the 100W (I'd assume) to power them from the traction battery.

 

[Susanna]

And an ICE vehicle would also give you fewer miles in your tank, it’s just not so noticeable!

 

[Gomev]

Oh? I assume they are powered by electrons and will consume at least a small amount of power?

But not many electrons. How much does the GOM drop when you put the heater on and how much does it drop when you only turn on seats and wheel ?
Heated seats use in the region of 30-100w (10amp fuse fitted), say 50 watts continual average for simplicity, therefore to consume 1kWh it will take 1000/50 = 20 hours. Let's assume that in winter you may only get about 3.5 miles/kWh, that means if you use a heated seat for 20 hours it will reduce your range by about 3.5 miles, or put another way, on a long trip, say 4 hrs driving that would be a reduction of just 0.7 mile of range. I'd say that was more or less negligible and certainly much less impact than using the heater.