Full charge & Temp

I've been noticing lately that there seems to be (just my data-limited observation) a big hit between 40 and 60F. At 60 (today), I get about 11 miles, but at 40 I get about 9.5 miles. At 80F, it only goes up to about 12 miles. So, it doesn't seem to be linear.

Note: the car would go farther on battery if it was city streets, but my commutes are almost all at 50-60 mph with a stop about every 3/4 mile. And the government complains about pollution.

 

Is there any way to improve the battery full charge range by conditioning the battery in some way? My 2015 PIP 41k miles is typically only showing a full charge range of 10-10.5 miles with temperatures around 8-10 C, (46-50 F). It has definitely decreased since last year when I would have been getting about 11.5 miles at the same time of year.

 

I gained about that much range after replacing the rear brake caliper slide pins, which were mostly seized. As the rear brakes don't see much use, it's important to inspect and lubricate these maybe every 2 years or so, as they will seize if neglected (in our climate/road conditions anyway).

Is your effective range actually changing, though? The estimate on a full charge is not the most accurate thing out there.

 

And other factors may have changed. It might be colder than last year, for example. Your numbers don't look too different from mine at that temperature, but the biggest factors are how fast you drive and how often and quickly you have to stop.

 

I am going by the displayed range after a full charge. I know the actual range will vary depending on multiple factors but it has definitely decreased somewhat. A trip to my nearest town is about 8 miles roundtrip with two steep hills in between and it is now more of a challenge to do it all on battery. Interesting about the rear calipers, they do stick starting out first on any given day.

 

If they're sticking like that, then they definitely need attention! That was one of the symptoms I was having. Maybe I'm misremembering but I think I gained about a mile EV range after sorting them out (after two attempts, first time doing brake stuff).

 

That may just be rust

 

AFAIK, there is no way to increase the charge.
Maybe a heated garage?

 

The range figure that shows after a full charge - is that just based on kWh stored or some fancy algorithm based on actual driving history from a full charge? Re rear brake calipers, is it rust on the brake cylinder pistons that is causing the trouble? I presumed that once the brakes became unstuck (only noticeable after it is parked up overnight) they were free and not rubbing.

 

algorithm of past driving and kWh. there's no way for the computer to know how far you can actually go, it's dependent on weather, terrain, speed, acceleration and etc.

rotors rust , and mores in moist environments. pads stick to them. mine are like that every morning when it's humid, and when we return from vacation, after the car has been sitting, they're practically frozen.
caliper pins are what the calipers slide on and should be inspected every 5k, and lubed every 30k.

 

It's based on previous journeys and other factors, but it's not very fancy

If you often hear brake noise when you start moving after it's parked up for a while (especially outside in the cold/damp), then it's most certainly the caliper slide pins. They're "floating" calipers (only one piston on each caliper), and if the slide pins are not moving freely then it's likely they are rubbing at other times while driving - it's hard to tell what they're doing. Uneven pad wear and corrosion on the discs (not just surface rust), and hot hubs/wheels are other signs that the slide pins probably need work.

 

Use of a range algorithm could explain the decrease in range displayed but there is also an actual range decrease which I think can only be explained by battery deterioration because the sticking brake pads have been there since I bought the car over a year ago. The car has just had a full service so it is a pity I did not know about the caliper pins beforehand! I will be getting new tyres before long and I could get the pins serviced or replaced then.

 

The pins could easily go from bad to completely seized within a year (especially if the boots are damaged and letting in moisture), so I wouldn't discount it as a significant factor.