Limiting engine startup in cold weather

To get some defrosting without automatically kicking on the engine, I find it usually works to manually set the climate screen to Foot+Defrost (with fan off), and then turn on the fan to the lowest setting (or second lowest usually works too, but I don't usually go beyond that). This works even below freezing, when it's in the 20s F. Typically my heat setting will be in the 70s when I do that, and we live in Colorado, with low humidity.

 

I live in MN and almost never use defrost. I just set the automatic temperature control on at 64F when it’s too cold to use the seat and steering wheel heater alone. If I’m generating too much humidity for this to work (eg… sweating from a workout or shower) I might also crack open a window to exchange some of the air.
However, I typically park in an attached garage and that surely makes a difference.

 

The first winter I did that as well and the engine never came on for me all winter. I have a long hooded parka and if I was breathing to much moisture onto the windshield I'd open the window(s) and breath into the parka as much as I could. I never used the seat heater either. If my hair was wet I'd have to tuck it in under the hoody and open all the windows. I didn't do that too often, brrrrr. I never went more than 45 mph and stayed closer to 30 or 25 if possible and always early in the wee hours of the morning to avoid as much traffic as possible. I hated when I'd see another car coming up behind me and look for a spot to pull over safely and let them pass. And if I couldn't find one in time I'd have to speed up which would throw off my calculations for the trip.
I was able to keep my EV range in the low 30's remembering around 34 for most trips and it was always a tossup if I'd be able to make it home of would I have to stop and the closest charger 3 miles form home to be able to get home without running the engine.
The other daily driver drives it like a regular car, during rush hour, so that made it easy for me to always beat the EV estimate by at least 10 miles, sometimes 15 in the summer if I could go slow enough.

I got bored and frustrated padding the EV range 2 years ago, even though my back off the Go Pedal foot muscles are still pretty strong. I was amazed at how trained the Pedal foot gets to push down instead of pulling back off the damned thing.