Cold Weather Performance

The temperature has been in the teens here in Denver. Here is a photo of my GOM predicting only 66 miles range after a non-extended-range full charge. I was surprised to see 2/3 of the normal range.

Mine is showing the exact same thing in 50 degree weather in Northern CA.

Obviously not as cold here.

I'm thinking that my range is being down rated due to my driving style? So far, my average efficiency is on the low side at about 2.2 miles/kWh.

I tried to reset my driving history to see if I could get my max range back up to 100 miles, but no luck so far.

Jscifres said:

I'm thinking that my range is being down rated due to my driving style? So far, my average efficiency is on the low side at about 2.2 miles/kWh.

I tried to reset my driving history to see if I could get my max range back up to 100 miles, but no luck so far.

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Undoubtedly, cold weather will lower your maximum range, especially while driving with your climate control operating.

A driving efficiency of only 2.2mi/kWh is indeed relatively low.

Some of us here are averaging at least 3.0mi/kWh, which you can verify in the ECO Dashboard app in Entunes. If you do the math (35kWh * 2.2mi/kWh = 77mi), gets you substantially less electric range from a (standard) full charge. Even after an extended charge your max range would only be about 92 miles.

The I/P display given in the OP shows that the climate control was on "normal", which automatically reduces the GoM's indicated range by as much as 20 miles. Note, that the range displayed on the right side of the I/P shows 84 miles, not 66 for a net reduction of 18 miles.

A reset on the driving efficiency readout screen probably does not take effect immediately. There is probably a running average stored in the car's computer which takes precedence over the "indicated" efficiency on the display. It takes a much longer period of time for the "normalized" efficiency (used by the computer) to actually change appreciably. However, as one of our other members posted after disconnecting his 12V battery, the GoM's computer resets to a default of 3.4mi/kWh (or max. extended charge range of 142 miles).

Dsinned said:

A driving efficiency of only 2.2mi/kWh is indeed relatively low.

Some of us here are averaging at least 3.0mi/kWh, which you can verify in the ECO Dashboard app in Entunes. If you do the math (35kWh * 2.2mi/kWh = 77mi), gets you substantially less electric range from a (standard) full charge. Even after an extended charge your max range would only be about 92 miles.

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I've been driving it around town (no freeway) and have given a few rides to interested friends (always hitting the gas a bit under sport mode for those) so I expect my mileage will improve over some time. But, I've tried to get 3.0 mi/kWh out of a few short trips and just can't get much above 2.7, and that is with me driving almost dangerously slow (not keeping up with traffic at green lights - from a stop). I do drive with the climate control on Eco High, set at about 70 degrees...

Do you guys who get 3.0 mi/kWh drive around with no climate control at all? Are you having trouble keeping up with traffic to get that kind of result?

This is my first electric car, so I'm facing a bit of a learning curve here...

Thanks!

The Rav4 is a bit reversed from my previous LEAF(s), in that I can get better economy on the freeway than around town. 4100 pounds of all season tires rolling in stop and go traffic doesn't do so well. I average about mid to high twos around town, and "range chart values" of 3.4 at 65mph down a level freeway with no heat.

With my LEAF, at 65 mph on the level freeway, it got 4.0 miles/kWh and I got about the same around town.

Jscifres said:

I've been driving it around town (no freeway) and have given a few rides to interested friends (always hitting the gas a bit under sport mode for those) so I expect my mileage will improve over some time. But, I've tried to get 3.0 mi/kWh out of a few short trips and just can't get much above 2.7, and that is with me driving almost dangerously slow (not keeping up with traffic at green lights - from a stop). I do drive with the climate control on Eco High, set at about 70 degrees...

Do you guys who get 3.0 mi/kWh drive around with no climate control at all? Are you having trouble keeping up with traffic to get that kind of result?

This is my first electric car, so I'm facing a bit of a learning curve here...

Thanks!

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Try updating and resetting ("clearing") your efficiency display . . .

When my wife drives the average mi/kWh reading drops considerably, but when I drive my RAV4 EV (while trying to hypermile as much as possible) I usually get in to the low 3s. My best to date was 4.0 but that was practically crawling down residential streets; with barely enough throttle to keep forward momentum. No other cars around, so I could get away with driving that way. In normal traffic, an average of 3.0 is doable within the speed limit, but only while coasting to a stop and/or employing regenerative braking as much as possible. No aggressive driving, and definitely no sport mode!

As far as the climate control, I find that the seat heater is just as effective and is far more energy conserving. The only time I have to use the regular heater is for occasional window defogging in very cold weather.

Dsinned said:

Try updating and resetting ("clearing") your efficiency display . . .

Click to expand...

How do you reset "Clear" the efficiency display? Do you have do disconnect the 12V battery? Will this also reset the values that are reported in Entune?

Your range is 84 miles (as you can see on the right.) Turn your heater off. That 6kwh electric heater is what is eating all your kwh.

TonyWilliams said:

The Rav4 is a bit reversed from my previous LEAF(s), in that I can get better economy on the freeway than around town. 4100 pounds of all season tires rolling in stop and go traffic doesn't do so well. I average about mid to high twos around town, and "range chart values" of 3.4 at 65mph down a level freeway with no heat.

With my LEAF, at 65 mph on the level freeway, it got 4.0 miles/kWh and I got about the same around town.

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I've noticed the exact same thing. I wonder how much of this is just due to the Rav's extra weight and how much could be attributed to different gearing ratios used and/or different inverter/motor design between Nissan and Tesla.