Nissan Leaf vs. Ford Focus Electric Cold weather test result

[TonyWilliams]

I believe the point is that it is the temperature of the battery when it is charged that matters, not its temperature when it is driven.

Ray

I believe both matter, not either/or.

 

[klusters]

the car i would drive would have sat outside the night before - still plugged in. So for instance my wife would come home in the Leaf, leave it outside. I would come home in the ffe park it in the garage. next day i take the leaf, she would take the ffe. That being said, its a detached unheated garage, so it offers minimal temp benefits.


One problem with comparing the two cars based on how quickly they charge to 100% is that under freezing conditions, the Leaf's cold battery takes a lot longer to charge. As I understand it, the FFE uses the some power from charging to warm up the battery, allowing the battery to charge faster. The Leaf has a battery powered heating system that only kicks in at temps below 14F. When plugged in it seems as if no heating active heating of the battery is occurring beyond what the charging process itself naturally emits.
http://blogs.cars.com/kickingtires/2011/06/2012-nissan-leaf-battery-warmer-more-details.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
I charge on 120V overnight and 12hrs is usually the avg time i need to get it back up to full on a cold day after a 40m commute. On the plus side it keeps me from staying late at work to come home and see the kids.

Another interesting note w cold vs warm batteries: "A liquid-heated battery can accept a charge faster from the regenerative braking that recaptures kinetic energy and sends it back to the battery, essentially providing longer range for the customer in real-world cold weather "
http://electronicdesign.com/power/ford-uses-liquid-heating-focus-electric-give-batteries-edge-cold-weather" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[thankyouOB]

My wife takes the garage. I didn't use preheating or HVAC.

I assume when you say your wife takes the garage, it means the Focus sits inside the garage.

No - I think he means, his wife puts whatever car she drives in the garage. So, whatever klusters drives, is outside.

OT - one of the most surprising thing is people park an expensive car outside and keep junk in the garage. Unless, in this case, they have a single car garage.

This post is really interesting. I get that the data is not exactly a scientific comparison, but i would agree that multiple commutes tend to flatten out variables.
I wonder if what you are saying about the LEAF is that by preheating you can stuff more charge in the batter in winter, or is there no practical way to take advantage of this knowledge to increase range in winter.

OT
people really dont find it convenient or workable to put the "junk" under tarpaulins around the yard.
what would you suggest they do with large and small storage items?

 

[GRA]

Just found this on the FFE website, re the battery back:

"A 23kWh, high-voltage, lithium-ion battery system

"Advanced liquid heating/cooling regulates battery temperature

"Helps maximize battery life and miles from each charge"

And then there's this article, from 2011 - partial quote:
----------------------------------------------------------

Although spring is rapidly approaching, the engineers at Ford are keeping the needs of cold weather dwellers on the forefront. The U.S. automaker announced on Tuesday that the Ford Focus Electric's battery pack won't be slowed down in below-freezing temperatures thanks to an active liquid-heating system.

"Batteries are similar to people, as they both achieve maximum performance working under moderate, unchanged temperatures," said Sherif Marakby, Ford director of Electrification Programs and Engineering. "Using a liquid-heated battery system allows Ford to keep the Focus Electric's battery at a moderate temperature and improve performance whether you are charging or driving in a cold climate."

Since "extreme temperatures can affect battery performance and reduce the range of electric vehicles," Ford said in a statement, the active liquid heating enables Focus Electric owners to "automatically precondition battery pack temperature during daily recharging." This means "the vehicle system will be able to warm up the battery on cold days" while the vehicle is still plugged in. . . .

"Focus Electric wasn't built just for consumers in warm cities with consistent temperatures," Marakby said. "We want our customers to know they can count on their electric vehicle whether they live in a cold or warm climate."

Full article here:

http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-13746_7-20038983-48.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;