[Neeley34]

I noticed that my range had dropped by 3 miles every time I parked my car when out running errands. This is in Wisconsin with 30 degrees and wind. I don't understand why the range would drop that much just for being parked. Any help would be nice. I am seeing average mileage to be around 165 when full now that it is cold.

 

[GJETSON]

I noticed that my range had dropped by 3 miles every time I parked my car when out running errands. This is in Wisconsin with 30 degrees and wind. I don't understand why the range would drop that much just for being parked. Any help would be nice. I am seeing average mileage to be around 165 when full now that it is cold.

It is probably a result of the short trips. Running the heat at low driving speeds, and then parking means low average speed with constant heater use, so the moving efficiency drops. Just ignore the GOM if it bothers you. All that matters is how many bars you have left anyway.

 

[wonderbolt]

I noticed that my range had dropped by 3 miles every time I parked my car when out running errands. This is in Wisconsin with 30 degrees and wind. I don't understand why the range would drop that much just for being parked. Any help would be nice. I am seeing average mileage to be around 165 when full now that it is cold.

My guess would be passenger compartment heating. Every cycle the car is shut off, if it sits long enough it measures outside temp and passenger compartment set point and calculates how much energy will be needed to reheat the cabin.

Try this:
start the car with the Heat/AC on
Observe expected nominal range
turn off the heat / AC
Observe the new nominal expected range estimate

 

[Neeley34]

Ok, I was just worried that it was going to be a regular thing when commuting. I guess heating itself back up does take a few miles off the range.

 

[psyflyjohn]

If you are using the GOM (guess o' meter) to measure milage capacity, you should always turn off the Heating/Ac controls, as their setting can affect the GOM from reading to reading...

 

[raitchison]

Also as your battery cools while parked your range will drop a bit. Even in our mild winters I will notice a decent amount of less range on a cold (for us) morning (high 30's/low 40's) than I had when I parked the car the evening before when temps were in the 70's. I never use the heater.

 

[cranial1963]

I have actually seen my range go up after leaving it parked for a while.

 

[XJ12]

I have actually seen my range go up after leaving it parked for a while.

This happened to me today. Left the house at 32F and when I parked the car at my destination it had six bars. 3 hours later, the outside temp was 60F and the car showed seven bars of charge and an increase of range on the GOM. Definitely a function of temperature.

 

[hatchy]

Right kind of like a big air compressor tank. Fill it up to 160psi, then after it cools down its 150. Or charge your RC batteries up to 4.2 volts a cell in a cold shed at night. Then the next day at the field they are 4.3 volt.



IIRC my car tends to go up in miles as I let is sit.

 

[raitchison]

I have actually seen my range go up after leaving it parked for a while.

I see this too, I park it at work in the morning when it's colder and when I go to drive it hours later the pack is warmer and there is more range on the GOM.