Battery preconditioning—or just put, battery preheating—is essential earlier than a DC quick charging session, particularly within the chilly season that we now have within the northern hemisphere.
Bringing the battery cells to the optimum temperature for charging is not going to solely extend their life but additionally assist maximize vary—which takes an enormous hit within the chilly season—and shorten charging instances.
Preconditioning the battery additionally ensures a protected charging session to your battery. Mainly, this operate will warmth your battery pack to a temperature above freezing, permitting it to take a full amperage cost.
As a optimistic facet impact, preconditioning the battery ends in a heat cabin whereas the battery is getting warmed. Total, there are not any downsides about preconditioning your EV’s battery, with the only exception that you’ll pay the price of the electrical energy wanted to heat the battery even though none of it really goes into the battery.
However you do not take our phrase for it; a Tesla proprietor did a take a look at to spotlight the results battery preconditioning—and particularly its lack thereof—have on his Tesla Mannequin Y’s battery in chilly climate.
The video posted on the It is Solely Electrical YouTube channel begins with a charging session at a V3 Supercharger with a preconditioned battery at 10 p.c state of cost in 30° F (-1° C) climate.
The battery shortly began accepting present at a fee of as much as 238 kW, and the session from 10% to 80% SoC lasted 33 minutes. The proprietor of this Mannequin Y who lives in Sweden says his automobile usually would full the identical charging cycle in about 27 minutes, however seeing as this was a chilly climate session, ready a further six minutes does not appear that dangerous.
Charging curve with battery preconditioning (gray) vs. charging curve with chilly battery (inexperienced)
How will the identical charging session go if the battery is just not preconditioned, although? Nicely, the proprietor got here again to the very same charger two days later, after the automobile sat exterior in freezing climate, to see the distinction battery preconditioning makes.
This time, the skin temperature was 21° F (-6° C), so a bit colder than the earlier time, which could have an effect on the outcome though the proprietor mentioned the distinction in temperature was not that large to have a significant affect.
After he plugged within the charger, it was apparent instantly that the cost fee was rising rather more slowly than with a heat battery. The Tesla accomplished the 10-80% charging session in 42 minutes, which suggests it took nearly 10 minutes extra in comparison with the preconditioned battery take a look at.
Extra importantly, the battery accepted cost at a fee of as much as 135 kW, which was considerably decrease than the 238 kW fee within the earlier take a look at.
Now, it is price declaring that the proprietor didn’t convey the automobile to the Supercharger ice chilly the second time—he did heat the cabin beforehand to make the take a look at as related as doable for a real-life state of affairs.
Evaluating the charging curves is attention-grabbing because it reveals an nearly flat curve for the chilly battery and a descending curve for the preconditioned battery. Curiously, the 2 periods shared an nearly equivalent curve from about 50% to 80% SoC; the large distinction was throughout the first half of the session, when the preconditioned battery accepted cost at a a lot larger fee than the chilly battery.
The conclusion could be very clear: you must at all times precondition your battery pack earlier than charging in winter in order for you an environment friendly and fast charging session and should you care concerning the well being of your battery. And should you’re looking for an EV, be certain that it comes with battery preconditioning as a result of not all fashions have this performance.