Confused by preconditioning drain in EV even when plugged in

[iamaBeliever]

Braving the cold this morning. I live in mountain area and preconditioned my EV while plugged in. Battery was full, but after warming up the cabin it dropped to 94%. I thought preheating while plugged in wouldn't affect range that much? Is there a setting I missed, or is this normal?

 

[Jai-Jai]

Have you tried a different charger? Sometimes, the charger is the problem.

 

[Karsh0511]

Braving the cold this morning. I live in mountain area and preconditioned my EV while plugged in. Battery was full, but after warming up the cabin it dropped to 94%. I thought preheating while plugged in wouldn't affect range that much? Is there a setting I missed, or is this normal?

bummer! Preconditioning can draw a bit of power, even when you’re plugged in. It’s usually not a huge drain, but if you preheat for an extended period, it can definitely affect your battery percentage.

It might be worth checking if there’s a way to limit how much power it uses while charging. Some vehicles have settings that allow you to control the amount of energy consumed during preconditioning. especially since pre-heating makes the car livable. This could help you maximize your range while still enjoying a warm cabin when you hit the road. It’s all about finding that sweet spot between comfort and efficiency

 

[Sid_Sun_1996]

Preconditioning can use up some battery power, even when your car is plugged in. If you left it preconditioning for a while, it might have drained the battery more than expected.

check whether your charging settings are fully optimized for preconditioning. Some vehicles have options that allow you to prioritize preserving battery life while it’s plugged in, so it’s worth taking a look at your Mini’s settings to see if that’s available.

It might also help to keep the preconditioning period shorter to avoid a bigger drop in the charge percentage. Little tweaks like that can go a long way in managing battery usage!

Braving the cold this morning. I live in mountain area and preconditioned my EV while plugged in. Battery was full, but after warming up the cabin it dropped to 94%. I thought preheating while plugged in wouldn't affect range that much? Is there a setting I missed, or is this normal?

 

[RidleyRed_2002]

I went through something similar last winter. Preconditioning is meant to help make your drive more comfortable, but it still uses some juice from the battery, even when plugged in. If you kept the cabin warming for a long time, that could definitely explain the drop in your charge. One thing that worked for me was keeping the preconditioning period a bit shorter and double-checking the settings to make sure everything was optimized for battery optimization mode.

check if your charger supports any extra features for managing power. Some chargers have specific modes for balancing energy use while warming up, which could help you get the most out of your charge! ✌

Braving the cold this morning. I live in mountain area and preconditioned my EV while plugged in. Battery was full, but after warming up the cabin it dropped to 94%. I thought preheating while plugged in wouldn't affect range that much? Is there a setting I missed, or is this normal?

 

[MondoHide_1023]

It's normal to see some drain. Preconditioning will draw power from the battery to heat the cabin, and it depends on the duration and settings. If you set to heat for a long time or to the max temp, it can impact your battery level. It might be a good idea to review your EV's settings to see if you can adjust how it handles preconditioning while charging. Also, keeping track of how long you precondition can help you gauge the effect on your range better.