Worried About Range? Why not Preheat your EV?

At 5:30 this morning I went to the front door of my house to get the newspaper and I couldn't help but notice the frost all over Sparky, Plug’n Drives 2012 Mitsubishi i-MiEV. Cold weather and its negative effect on the range of EVs is a concern to the uninitiated, but if you are a regular EV driver, you already know how to deal with this non-problem in a comfortable way. Just plug it in.

It's true, lithium-ion batteries perform best at room temperature. When plugged-in to the grid and recharging the vehicle's battery warming system not only keeps the battery warm in cold temperatures, but also heats the interior to keep you warm, too. The windshield is frost-free and the inside of the car is whatever temperature you like. Instead of having to use the car's battery to heat up the entire car while you drive, you only use a little energy along the way to maintain the warm temperature. So that is what I did.

Using the key chain sized remote control reminiscent of something out of "Get Smart", (you actually pull up a tiny metal antenna, honest!), I programmed the car to begin heating the interior and then I took my coffee and went for a shower.

An hour later it was time to hit the road. Yes, it was cool, almost freezing outside. Sparky said our distance to empty with the heat on was 98 kilometers. Was I worried?  No, I was probably going 40 kilometers all day. I could even change my mind later on and go much further if I wanted to.  For now, I sit back, turn on the tunes and enjoy my warm and comfortable drive.