Cold Weather EV Driving w/energi

[Alex]

I'm a prospective Energi driver and am looking to buy this year or next, but would like to get some information on cold weather driving.

I have an 8 mile drive to work (no charging at work) and live in WI.  Temps during the winter are generally 20-30 F, but do get much colder.

 

Anyone from a cold climate have numbers on EV driving during the cold weather?  I'm really hopeful to make it the 16 miles to work and back on EV alone which makes for 80% of the driving.

 

 

I've considered 100% electric cars, but can't do it since the occasional trips else where require more range.  I also need a car with room with space for car seats.

thanks for sharing.

[Russael]

Welcome to the forum.

 

The long story:  http://www.fordfusionenergiforum.com/topic/1446-cold-weather-observations/

 

The short story from my experience:  I live in MI and I have a 5.3 mile commute to the office, top speed of 40MPH.  My estimated range for summertime driving was generally 32 miles without climate, but in winter, without climate I get an estimated range as low as 14 with temps near 0, somewhere around 21 with temps around freezing.  With climate I've seen as low as 10.  Considering you have a 16 mile round trip, you could potentially make it on battery alone if you don't mind bundling up as if you're going to go snowmobiling and temperature above 25 or so and you don't commute on the freeway.  The windows will fog up pretty quick unless you crack a window, or set your climate to LO setting (just to circulate outside air in to the cabin).  And if temperatures sink under 10, there is a chance the engine will come on regardless of your EV setting.

 

Now, the car can precondition itself (an automatic remote start that you can set through myfordmobile or through the car itself) that will use electricity from the wall alone.  It will either warm or cool the vehicle, depending on temperature.  But since you're in WI, a 240v charger will be a requirement to pre-heat your vehicle to warmth.  The 120v charger doesn't supply enough energy to make much of a difference.  The go-time warms the cabin and may warm the batteries too, which can increase your winter range by a small margin.

 

If you had the option of charging at work, then I'd give you a solid yes, but you may have to sacrifice warmth to make it on batteries alone in winter with the Fusion Energi or CMAX Energi.  Granted, the heated seats are VERY nice and if you opt for it, get the heated steering wheel.  The 2013 lacked that feature and I would've appreciated it.  That may be enough to take the chill off and make it manageable for you.

[Doctor Emmett Brown]

I live in connecticut. I commute 6 miles to work, none on highway. In October (60ish degrees). I was getting back and forth to work using 50-60% of battery. It's below 20 degrees recently here and I'm getting back and forth on 90% of the battery I use low setting to defrost. There is a huge drop in range, I'm interested to see range in 90 degrees plus in the summer.

[murphy]

I live in connecticut. I commute 6 miles to work, none on highway. In October (60ish degrees). I was getting back and forth to work using 50-60% of battery. It's below 20 degrees recently here and I'm getting back and forth on 90% of the battery I use low setting to defrost. There is a huge drop in range, I'm interested to see range in 90 degrees plus in the summer.

In the summer my range estimate was 27.  Now with the low temperatures in SEPA and with the heat on I get 10.  With the heat off it's 17.

[tseibel76]

Alex,

 

I live in ND and have had my 2013 FFE since October.  There are a lot of factors that go into whether the ICE will fire in cold weather or not (see Russael's post above with link for a detailed discussion).  Ambient temp, battery temp, climate settings, how long the car has been sitting out in the cold, etc.  This firing occurs regardless of how much charge you have left in your battery.  However, back to your question about range in the cold...

 

I regularly drive 16+ miles in all EV in 20+ degree weather.  This depends on the specifics of your commute/drive.  I have a heated garage here at the house and leave in the morning to work with a full charge.  Work is 4 miles away, which I have always made in all EV regardless of temp (even at -31F) because the car is already warm and I don't need climate.  Then, at work, my car sits outside until 5 with no ability to plug in.  I then have to run errands and head home.  This drive totals about 15 miles.  If I have the climate off and the temp is above 0 F, the ICE will usually stay off.  I can make this all in EV (a total of 19 miles).  However, at 0 F or below, the ICE will come on regardless to warm things up.  The thing to remember though is the ICE just comes on for short periods of time and does not use much gas at all as long as you have a charge.

 

The specifics of your commute will dictate your range.  Does your commute involve mostly city streets or highway driving?  The FFE has longer range at 30 MPH than at 60 MPH.  However, as I have said before, in 20+ degree weather, I don't think you'll have a problem making your 16 mile commute in all EV.  When it is colder than that, the ICE will probably fire periodically, but this does not use much gas.  In 30 degrees without climate, I can easily get 25 miles in all EV.

 

I would say go for it.  I have been amazed this winter at how much/how long I can stay in all EV in cold temps.  The ICE is coming on much less than I thought and the range is much better than I expected in cold temps.  The other thing to keep in mind is that once it warms back up above 30, you can get more range.  This past fall, with temps around 50, I could get 30 miles out of the battery.  

[shaggy314]

Summer 18-23

Now 15-19

 

My last tank I dropped over 70 MPG down to 150ish.  /fakecry

[Alex]

Thanks for all the info.  Looks like I'll be buying this fall.  Waiting to see if any improvements will be in the 2015 model.

[Electriffic]

2015 ffe gets 6 miles EV range below 15F. That's running the heater at 68F. I live in Montana.