[stanwagon]

In Nov. I will want to go to airport, leave car there for 5 or 6 days, come home. If I was doing this in 1 day I would have no concerns about getting there and back (200 miles round trip). But will the charge lose something over 5 or 6 days of parking? Probably it loses something, but is it negligible? Anyone know? Of course I can check airport parking for a charger...but leaving a car there for several days seems poor form.

 

[borkbork]

i've left my car for 2 weeks before, with no appreciable loss of charge. you'll be fine.

 

[mikeymoto]

All batteries self-discharge over time. That said, if your battery is healthy you have nothing to fear. Here’s some light reading on the subject:

https://batteryuniversity.com/learn/article/elevating_self_discharge

That site addresses single cells. The battery packs in BEVs are much more managed than single cells, and I doubt that makes overall performance worse than single-cell discharge rates.

 

[demart]

I just went on a trip and left the Bolt in the airport for a week. Didn't notice any discharge.

 

[GlenandhisBolt1!]

Battery conditioning due to hot or cold weather is the only significant battery drain you need to worry about. The drive battery on a Bolt needs to be maintained between 40 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit. If the ambient temperature is outside this range, either the heater circuit or the air conditioning circuit will kick in eventually, drawing power from the drive battery.

 

[stanwagon]

Yes, of course battery conditioning can be an issue. I have seen it come on below about 12 deg. F and above about 93.

 

[DucRider]

If you're flying out of DIA, they have 36 L1 charging stations:

Electric Vehicle Charging Stations
Denver International Airport has a total of 36 electric vehicle (EV) charging stations available close-in on Level 1 of the parking garages. The spaces have designated “Electric Vehicle Station” signs. There is no charge to use the stations, however, the standard garage parking rates apply. The station locations are listed below:

Parking Facility Charging Station Locations
GARAGE WEST, Level 1 Rows E, F, G
15 total Level 1 EV Charging Stations
10 total Level 2 EV Charging Stations
GARAGE EAST, Level 1 Rows E, F (5); Row R (6)
11 total Level 1 EV Charging Stations
61st and Peña Along the south and west sides
11 total Level 1 EV Charging Stations

https://www.flydenver.com/traveler_services/computerphone-charging

I have no idea how busy they are, but during the holiday season a couple of years ago I called PDX (they have 24 L1's) and they were very helpful. They drove by to see if any were open, and since there were several, told me how to get there even though the "Lot Full" signs were out and people were being directed elsewhere. Worth a phone call.

L1 is ideal for applications like airports when vehicles are likely to be plugged in for days, not hours.

 

[XJ12]

just a data point. charge the car only once a week. so technically it goes seven days without charging. seems to hold a charge just fine with respect to range per charge. granted, it's parked in a garage for a good portion of that time, so has temps controlled some what. also, driving daily does give the car more chances to keep the 12V battery charged. in November in Colorado, I'm sure there's a chance it might get cold.

 

[stanwagon]

DucRider: Many thanks. So it appears they do not mind people placing their cars there. I will check. In almost a year and 12000 miles I have never charged away from home, and I don't think I need to at DIA, but hey, if it's free why not.

Also there have been a string of robberies (someone we know) among those who leave cars at nearby hotels. So leaving it at the official DIA lot is a better idea in that context.

 

[dbostrom]

Personal experience Volt (same general principles) is one month with no effect.

One thing I did notice was that after some period of time the Volt no longer answered remote inquiries as to its status. Guessing the car goes fully quiescent after a period (4G modem off, etc.)

 

[GJETSON]

Ours sits in our garage, unplugged, sometimes for 5-6 days. Of course, this is in moderate temperatures. The 12 volt battery will be your biggest concern. If the car is ~50% SOC, or more, the DC-DC should keep the 12 volt safe. Ours has never had a single problem with the 12 volt. As always, YMMV.

It looks like nighttime temps will average freezing, or below.

https://weatherspark.com/m/145689/1...-International-Airport-Colorado-United-States

I'd want a minimum of 50% SOC to allow for traction battery conditioning, and 12 volt charging.

 

[DucRider]

It looks like nighttime temps will average freezing, or below.

https://weatherspark.com/m/145689/1...-International-Airport-Colorado-United-States

I'd want a minimum of 50% SOC to allow for traction battery conditioning, and 12 volt charging.

I'd want a lot more than that. Over 3500 feet of elevation gain from DIA to Silverthorne
Toss in cold weather, maybe some wind out of the West, and that 100 mile return trip will need significantly more than a 50% SOC.
On the plus side, the thin air at altitude helps with drag.

 

[GJETSON]

I'd want a lot more than that.

I meant 50% for the car to be OK, and start. I assumed that you would charge it up at the nearest charging station for the return trip, if you needed it.

 

[stanwagon]

Very little energy is used on the descent to DIA. I have done the return climb many times, so I have a sense of what is needed. I am quite sure there will be about 70% charge when I leave it at DIA. To get to W side of Denver I use 8 kwH (for 55 miles). So 40 more miles at rate of 4 means 18 would be used of my 60. So indeed, exactly 70% will be left.

 

[Edchris]

If they have that many Level 1s, & they are not all being used, maybe they don’t care if you leave it a week. I would give them a call though, & see if there is any policy about it. I know at the Toronto airport the Electron Police get itchy if you leave a vehicle overnight on one of the Level 2s.
The free Level 3s you definitely cannot leave overnight. They are signed to the effect that you must be with the car while using them.
They seem very underutilsed, most times I go by, they are all vacant, or sometimes one car.

 

[stanwagon]

But it appears that the problem is that all the chargers are in close-in parking which is very expensive....

 

[Edchris]

I would look at the weather forecast a few days before departure. If temps are not obscene, fully charge the Bolt, drive conservatively, & leave it for a week.
If temps are going to be really low, take an ICE, different horses for different... (Assuming you are a 2 car operation).
Check into whether PArk & Fly has any plugins.
If you were out here, I would let you park in my driveway, & give you a ride to the terminal.

 

[Bolt Action]

An option is to place the car into 'transport mode' if it will be left alone for a long while.

 

[gcagora]

What's the normal "courtesy" for charging at long-term parking garages?

I'm in a similar situation (100 miles to Midway Airport). While I think I can make it just fine on a single charge, the last thing I want to do is have to stop somewhere on the way home when I've been gone all week.

It looks like Midway has some EVGo chargers on site at their long-term parking garage. But the hourly rate seems a bit high.

 

[AC/DC]

Left BOLT 10 days at home during a beach trip in the SUV with no noticeable change in battery charge upon return. This was of course during warm weather. Sub-freezing conditions might well be different and require some energy for battery conditioning.