When is it worth pre-conditioning off-grid?

[ironsia]

I imagine BMW knows the answer to this:

Strictly to conserving range (not comfort), is it worth pre-conditioning a cold car before a 1.5 mile (3km) trip when the car is not connected to a charger? or a 5 mile trip, 20 mile, etc?

And how does this vary with temperature or battery SOC?

As I understand it, the battery is conditioned as well as the passenger compartment (relevant for hot cars too, but we don't often get that hot an ambient here in the cool moisty UK).

A subsidiary question, does anyone know how to demist the car using the least battery charge?

 

[mindmachine]

I imagine BMW knows the answer to this:

Strictly to conserving range (not comfort), is it worth pre-conditioning a cold car before a 1.5 mile (3km) trip when the car is not connected to a charger? or a 5 mile trip, 20 mile, etc?

And how does this vary with temperature or battery SOC?

As I understand it, the battery is conditioned as well as the passenger compartment (relevant for hot cars too, but we don't often get that hot an ambient here in the cool moisty UK).

A subsidiary question, does anyone know how to demist the car using the least battery charge?

I would think short trips are not worth it, for sure 1.5 miles definitely not. It does however depend on your comfort and how you will deal without heat for example. On say a 5 mile trip, I would not pre condition and I would only use the seat heater, but if you would need the defroster for example then preconditioning might be worthwhile. In short it depends on you and how you will compensate for the conditions or will you rough it for the distance involved.

 

[jackt]

If you want range don't pre-condition off-grid. Your using charge and not moving, the battery will condition itself appropriately with or without manual pre-conditioning.

The demist should provided air-recirculation is in auto mode and a/c is in auto switch to the least power hungry mode to dump the moisture from the air.

 

[stumbledotcom]

I imagine BMW knows the answer to this

I asked the i Concierge essentially the same question. The response was, "BMW of North America LLC. recommends preconditioning while plugged in."

Comfort is the only reason to precondition when the vehicle is not plugged in.

 

[ironsia]

Thank you for your replies, that sounds definitive. Demisting seems to happen fairly quickly once one is in the car, even if Eco Pro+ is selected.

 

[jadnashuanh]

The vehicle has sensors (part of the rain sensing wipers) that looks at the windshield, and will turn on the a/c and or heat if it senses the window fogging up, regardless of the mode you're in.

 

[ironsia]

Thanks, jadnashuanh, I noticed that when I was started in EP+ yesterday, and couldn't understand why the demist came on, despite knowing about the camera and rain detection. Now all we need is a microwiper or lens heater for the reversing camera !

 

[jadnashuanh]

While the reversing camera and resulting image are pretty nice, I certainly agree, that lens is not positioned in the best place to keep it dry, and thus clear! I may try some RainX on it...that might help, but wax might work as well or better.