Cold Weather Performance - North American 2023

[kpetrov]

What I meant by turning the HVAC off is to experiment if the engine will stop, not to keep it constantly off for your entire trip.
Reducing the cold air flow getting fast in to the cabin as well, not keeping it warm for longer but cooling it slower.

[Lon12]

What I meant by turning the HVAC off is to experiment if the engine will stop, not to keep it constantly off for your entire trip.
Reducing the cold air flow getting fast in to the cabin as well, not keeping it warm for longer but cooling it slower.

I can't remember if I played with turning the HVAC on and off in normal mode. I did in EV mode. It does slow down the cooling of the cabin with it off but the windows fog up faster without the airflow. At -30ºC you can't turn the HVAC off for more than a minute or two as the windshield frosts over. Even with HVAC (defrost/foot) on I had frost in the corners.
I am tempted to get a 1500W heater and see if it will keep the cabin warm below -15ºC.

[PJmacgee]

Some high end cars have defroster heating elements built into the *windshield* (similar to rear windows, but less visible). PHEV makers should adopt that. In the same way that heated seats and steering wheel uses way less power than cabin air heat, those integrated heating elements would work so much better than blowing hot air constantly (or not, with a lame heat pump). Mitsubishi, are you listening...?? Haha. Oh well too late for us, even if you it becomes an option someday!

[ThudnBlundr]

Ford have had that for at least 20 years, and not just in their high-end cars. We had it in a low-spec Galaxy people carrier. The only issue we had was the interference you sometimes get when two sets of railings move relative to eachother on the road. You'd sometimes get the wires in the windscreen "rippling" disconcertingly when there was a fence behind

We've been looking at longer-range BEVs recently, and a few of them are starting to have this. Mind you, if you can precondition the car, a frosty windscreen is a non-issue

[Lon12]

Was -18ºC this morning. Heat pump not running. So I tried out a 1500W heater. Worked much better than I thought it would.
The humidity does increase with the HVAC off so you have to run the defrost/foot mode for a few seconds every now and then to dry off the condensation on the windows.
I'm not sure about the efficiency of the inverter. Most EVs use upwards of 7 kW for heaters. So I'm thinking this might even be more efficient than running the heat pump at warmer temperatures.

Red Green and McGyver are my heroes. lol
Might have to wrap it with some duct tape just to make it look more home made.

IMG_0320.JPG

[PJmacgee]

@Lon12 that space heater picture is amazing, I love it! Can't believe it actually works too...I thought those 1500W AC outlets had specific language about *not* being used for heaters, haha, oh well.

if you can precondition the car, a frosty windscreen is a non-issue

I think the point is that below -20°C (esp at -30C) a frosty windscreen is *always and constantly* an issue, as long as there are people breathing inside the car anyway.

[DaveL59]

be mindful of doing extra leather maintenance with that thing running tho else it'll dry and crack.

As to heated windscreens, my UK 2019 4HS has a heated screen tho perhaps that's more to unstick the wipers?

So far not needed to use it as I'm mostly WFH so the car doesn't see much early morning use. I do note tho that when it is cold, cabin temp stays cold for some time and just blows cold unless the engine is running. Thought it'd have kicked the electric heater in to warm the air but maybe I've missed something. Only had the car a couple months with infrequent use and with the weather hopefully warming up I guess I won't really know till the next freeze...

[Lon12]

be mindful of doing extra leather maintenance with that thing running tho else it'll dry and crack.

As to heated windscreens, my UK 2019 4HS has a heated screen tho perhaps that's more to unstick the wipers?

So far not needed to use it as I'm mostly WFH so the car doesn't see much early morning use. I do note tho that when it is cold, cabin temp stays cold for some time and just blows cold unless the engine is running. Thought it'd have kicked the electric heater in to warm the air but maybe I've missed something. Only had the car a couple months with infrequent use and with the weather hopefully warming up I guess I won't really know till the next freeze...

This thread is about the new North American PHEV with the heat pump instead of the electric resistance heaters that the old PHEV had. The heat pump will not run below -15ºC.
Your 2019 will take a while to warm up even with the electric heater but at least it works in all temperatures.

[Hasenphever]

Was -18ºC this morning. Heat pump not running. So I tried out a 1500W heater. Worked much better than I thought it would.
The humidity does increase with the HVAC off so you have to run the defrost/foot mode for a few seconds every now and then to dry off the condensation on the windows.
I'm not sure about the efficiency of the inverter. Most EVs use upwards of 7 kW for heaters. So I'm thinking this might even be more efficient than running the heat pump at warmer temperatures.

Red Green and McGyver are my heroes. lol
Might have to wrap it with some duct tape just to make it look more home made.

IMG_0320.JPG

Wow, lol nice setup, matching colour too! How much do you think it used from the drive battery?

[Lon12]

Not sure of the exact efficiency of the inverter but I have read that they can use about 10-20% above output.
So probably using around 1,800W.
This heater has three power settings. I find the 1500W setting to be too hot if it is warmer than -15ºC.