2012 Owners - How's Your EV Range?

I would be shocked if anyone had any loss.
The PiP only lets you use a certain percentage of the battery capacity. For any loss in capacity I would guess it would come out, at least at first, of the excess 'hidden' capacity that you don't see anyway.

 

None. Knock wood. I traded in my 06 Civic Hybrid which had major battery degradation.

On a side note, these batteries are much more powerful so I think we will not see as great of an effect as we did on the smaller packs of the first few gens of hybrids.


iPad ? HD

 

It would be difficult to notice any decrease in a PiP due to the small battery within a year.

 

without some type of standardized testing, it would be difficult to notice. weather and driving vary so much. the only thing i can try to gauge by is my daily commute which is 14.8 miles all ev. in temps over 70, i can make it with a mile or two to spare. and, of course, traffic varies each day.

 

Because most laptop batteries are kept at 100% charged for most of their life.

 

and the control logic is less sophisticated. different chemistry as well, if i'm not mistaken. no doubt toyota and battery company did a lot of testing, but only time will tell in these cutting edge technologies.

 

Comparing laptop batteries to closely controlled auto batteries just doesn't work.
The Tesla Roadster, which probably comes closest, had a capacity loss of about 1-1.5% per 10,000 miles or 10-15% over 100,000 miles.

The concern some raise over batteries is overblown, simply because critics say it is an unknown.

 

I've actually been noticing I can get a little farther than I used to. However, I attribute the increase to possibly more efficient driving and having "broken-in" tires.

But even with a pretty consistent 13 mile commute to work (aside from traffic lights, although I usually get stopped at the same lights too), the amount of EV range I have left after arriving at work has varied from 2.2 miles remaining to as high as 4.2 miles remaining. Last year around this time, I'd be lucky to get to work with ~3 miles remaining. This summer, I've seen 4+ remaining a few times (including today's 4.2 EV remaining).

 

I total agree, I have been getting many more high EV total miles for my trips ( 17-19 miles of all EV ) more efficient driving and having "broken-in" tires and the car as a whole maybe just rolls better. Makes more sense that it is really more driver awareness than anything.

 

Laptop batteries don't have sensors to monitor the pressure built up inside the cells, PiP does. The chemistry is also different where a typical laptop battery has Cobalt oxide. PiP battery has Nickel and Manganese mixed in with Cobalt oxide.

Toyota did the accelerated test for the original NiMh. I am sure they did the same conservative estimate with their new Lithium.

 

Last summer my EV range was usually in the mid to high 14's. In the winter it dropped to about 13.1 mostly and as low as 12.x. This summer it went back up to ~14.1 for a month or so...very consistent daily commute pattern. After I went to Yosemite and went 100 miles in EV (downhill) after a day or two it went up to 14.9 and a couple of days later dropped to 14.7...after 2 weeks of normal daily commutes it is at 14.7 miles. Clearly the algorithm for computing the EV miles is a bit strange.

However, last summer I did a test for a few days and I just repeated it. The test is to drive only in EV for a few days. Normally I have 1-3 miles remaining as I drive into work each day depending on side trips. During the test I take a slightly longer trip to work and end up with 0.0 or 0.1 miles as I park. I wait a minute for the ICE to start, then immediately shut it off. Do a full charge (using ChargePoint L2) and note the kwh.

Last summer my max was ~2.9 kwh, else about 2.70 to 2.85. This summer it is a max of 2.6 kwh, but a min of only 2.58 kwh. Same test repeated 4 days in a row. Same charger, temps about 75-85F. I'm clearly seeing a small loss in kwh, but no loss in EV miles displayed (maybe I'm better at driving a bit). I'm also not seeing any loss in actual miles driven as I can get 15-16 miles, same as last year.

Note that a full charge of the battery includes some HV portion which I am not using for this test.

Mike

 

My scan gauge still displays 85.4 or 85% soc after a full charge.


iPad ? HD

 

I don't think that is the issue. The question is what is the kwh associated with a given percentage. I think when the car is 10 years old it will still say 85% soc when full.

Mike

 

the heat over the last couple days has been killing my range. today, i didn't make my commute in all ev, first time since it warmed up over 70. i don't recall this happening last summer, but it might not have gotten this hot?

 

I bet it's the heat. The AC, as efficient as it is, still takes a ton of energy.

 

The careful avoidance of both high & low for battery-level is a major contributor to longevity that other rechargeable devices just plain don't have. Using the timer, to take advantage of cold-soaks, is another. It could take several years before even a small drop is noticed.

I certainly haven't seen anything. In fact, the consecutive EV miles from my morning commute with a cold engine seems to have increased a little. I'd attribute that to break-in of the drive components. The battery itself hasn't ever raised any concern. Of course, I never immediately recharge and the interior of the car rarely ever gets super-heated from the sun.

The system is designed with long-term use in mind. Only recharging to 85% rather than 100% is obvious confirmation of that. The same goes with the low-end, always starting the engine at 23.5% to ensure deep discharging never takes place. It's intended to deliver many, many years of service without much degradation.

 

and the humidity has been overwhelming. double whammy.

 

I've been lucky here in SoCal. It's pretty warm in Pasadena - temps up to high 80's, low 90's. But in Long Beach, temps are usually 82, so I can get away with just cracking the windows.

My summer EV estimate is up to 15.8 miles from 12 during winter.