I have read the manual on this a few times and the poorly drafted wording, presumably by someone with English as their second language I would hope, and I still can't say I understand exactly how it works. I have copied and pasted the manuals "advice" below. I would like to know how everyone else interprets this, what you do and what you have noticed depending on your actions. My questions to follow.
When the Li-ion battery temperature becomes lower, it can cause longer charging time by the quick charger.
The Li-ion battery temperature tends to fall, for example, when parking the vehicle for a long period of time while the outside temperature is below 0 °C (32 °F). The Li-ion battery temperature is lowered to the outside temperature.
The Li-ion battery warmer will automatically turn on when the Li-ion battery temperature is cold during quick charging. It will also turn on while driving, if the function is enabled on the touch screen display. It will raise the Li-ion battery temperature to avoid extending charging time when using the quick charger.
When the Li-ion battery warmer operates while quick charging, it uses electrical power from the quick charger. However, the Li-ion battery warmer can increase an amount of charge in 30 minutes by approximately 1.3 times to twofold*, in the case that the Li-ion battery temperature is below 0 °C (32 °F).
*: It varies depending on the temperature and/or remaining capacity of the Li-ion battery at the start of charging.
When the quick charge is performed immediately after the Li-ion battery warmer operated while driving, an amount of charge in 30 minutes is increased by 1.2 to 1.7 times*, in comparison with the case that the Li-ion battery warmer only operates during quick charging.
*: It varies depending on the temperature and/or remaining capacity of the Li-ion battery at the start of charging.
To allow the Li-ion battery warmer to operate while driving, enable the function on the touch screen display in the following steps:
Place the power switch in the READY to drive position. (The setting cannot be performed while driving.)
Touch the “image” key on the Launch bar.
Touch the “image” key and then touch [EV] key.
Touch the [Battery Heater] key and touch the [ON] key to enable the function.
image
When the Li-ion battery warmer operates while driving, more electric power will be consumed than in normal driving condition, which could result in a decreased energy economy and driving range. Take account of remaining Li-ion battery charge and estimated driving range while driving.
If the outside temperature is low and a low temperature alert [image] is displayed in the vehicle information display, it is recommended to turn ON [Battery Heater] 30 minutes to 1 hour before arriving at a quick charging station.
The [Battery Heater] setting will be turned OFF when the quick charging is completed or the power switch is placed in the OFF position.
The ambiguity for me lies in when you turn on the battery heater. There is a suggestion that you can't do this while driving but there is a sentence suggesting you can.
When the quick charge is performed immediately after the Li-ion battery warmer operated while driving
Place the power switch in the READY to drive position. (The setting cannot be performed while driving.)
Does the first sentence refer to the car automatically turning the heater on without driver intervention, the second sentence seems to suggest yes? The second is fairly blunt, you can't do it whilst driving. Why is the question that springs to mind. It would mean that you have to do it before you start your trip, which could be a few hours before you pull up to a Rapid, where elsewhere in the text it suggests you ruin your range. It seems to me it would make more sense to be able to manually turn it on 30 minutes to 1 hour before you arrive at the Rapid, as recommended in the penultimate sentence, thus minimising range reduction. By the way, I've noticed that the manual battery warming can be performed, it appears to turn on, but the text says you can't, so I assume this is pointless. Is it?
It all suggests to me that you have to stop driving, 30 minutes to an hour before reaching the Rapid, turn off the car turn it on and then turn on the battery heater before you continue your drive to the Rapid.
That is ridiculous if true.
It is not clear to me what this baffling advice is really asking me to do and when.
Battery heating before fast charging
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ashleycarr
- Posts: 173
- Joined: Fri Jun 10, 2022 4:39 pm
Agreed, but it still perplexes me as to what the answers really are. For the record I don't worry about it.
