MPG in the rain...

Had my first drive in a hard rain with the i3. Was happy the car handled it well overall. Just wish the wipers were a little more enthusiastic as they barely kept up with the rain. That said, I had 20 miles of range which should have been plenty to get me to my destination. 15 miles in, my range went to 0. Thankfully I do have a Rex and it kicked in.

Thinking about it rain would certainly impact range due to aerodynamics. What's been your experience? Would have been unhappy if I was stranded in a BEV.

I would expect there would be a bigger impact caused by resistance rolling through standing water on the street, perhaps combined with elevated electrical accessory usage, than any sort of aerodynamic penalty from rain drops.

Consider that for airplanes and flight planning purposes, there are no added provisions affecting range, speed, or max weights based on flying through areas of known precipitation. If an i3 took a 30% hit in range due to falling rain, there's certainly be a similar aerodynamic impact to aircraft.

panamamike said:

Would have been unhappy if I was stranded in a BEV.

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Your battery pack still had a 6.5% charge level when the REx engine started. A lighter, more efficient BEV would likely have been able to reach your destination on the remaining 6.5% charge level.

alohart said:

panamamike said:

Would have been unhappy if I was stranded in a BEV.

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Your battery pack still had a 6.5% charge level when the REx engine started. A lighter, more efficient BEV would likely have been able to reach your destination on the remaining 6.5% charge level.

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Have you experienced any range loss due to rain? That's the feedback I'm looking for Alohart.

panamamike said:

Have you experienced any range loss due to rain?

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Sure. All cars have range loss on wet roads due to increased rolling resistance. How much range is lost depends on how deep the water layer is on the road and how fast one is driving.

SOme things on an EV impact range lots more than on an ICE. Electrical load on an ICE, while it will affect range, gasoline is so much more dense in energy content, it is much less noticeable.

Heavy rain may have required headlights, the wipers, maybe more aggressive HVAC use to keep the windows clear, and maybe the rear defogger as well.

Estimated range is always a sliding scale based on the last miles driven, so as conditions worsen, it can drop, sometimes quickly.

jadnashuanh said:

SOme things on an EV impact range lots more than on an ICE. Electrical load on an ICE, while it will affect range, gasoline is so much more dense in energy content, it is much less noticeable.

Heavy rain may have required headlights, the wipers, maybe more aggressive HVAC use to keep the windows clear, and maybe the rear defogger as well.

Estimated range is always a sliding scale based on the last miles driven, so as conditions worsen, it can drop, sometimes quickly.

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True, but this is quite a bit of an adjustment. I mean a loss of 30% of your range all of the sudden, when you're counting on that range is certainly a big shock, it's not helping the adoption case, it brings a new meaning to range anxiety. There should be a change to electric car MPG ratings, I find them to be disingenuous and less informed customers will be very unhappy with these results. At the very least, there should be an extreme weather rating to help people understand what they're in for.

Most people never open their owner's manual. There are conditions on an ICE that can severely affect range, too.

Ideally, the dealer would educate their customers, but it really ends up being most people don't really want to listen.

I understand your concerns. To me, the biggest range issue is the difference from summer to winter. No battery is as capable when it gets cold out, and if you have a REx, with no heat pump, and most people prefer to be warm, that can be a big hit, too.

Most people don't get the EPA measured efficiency on either an ICE or an EV...personally, I often exceed that number, but many people never approach it. Depends on the weather, traffic, and your driving skills.