Preconditioning for dummies (help?)

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jscifres02

New member
Joined
Sep 23, 2021
Messages
3
Hey guys!

Fairly new owner of a 2015 BMW i3 Giga World. I love it this far, but I’m still kind of new to the EV world. On a full charge I can get anything from 65-70 mile range or 80 with Eco on. So my question is should be I setting a departure time even though I don’t charge the car over night typically? It’s stored in a parking garage that’s covered, so it’s not exposed to direct elements. I’m sure I will need to as it gets colder. I’m in Middle TN so it’s pretty mild here right now in the mornings. Typically 50’s or 60’s - I just need to know what I need to do as I’m getting into the winter months and my typical commute for work round trip is 25 miles. Anything to can help maximize my range that would be great!

Thanks,
Jeffrey!
 
If you plug in AND set a departure time AND turn on preconditioning, a heater will warm the battery to its optimal mid-70s operating temperature to get the most from your pack, and will also climatize your cabin.

If you DON'T plug in, the system will warm your cabin using battery, but will not pre-heat your battery.

If you precondition while plugged in to 120 volts, the heating electrical demands will outstrip what's being supplied via the wall outlet, and the car will make up the difference using power from the battery, but this is still better than starting with a cold car.

FWIW I charge at work on 120 but at 16 amps, and on cold nights (cold for me is 30s) I really don't notice much of a dip in my charge, maybe a percent or two.
 
Here’s a great guide to i3 battery preconditioning.

https://insideevs.com/news/325863/bmw-i3-how-preconditioning-works/?fbclid=IwAR2KGPS0URHU9gc7RZWEeIOKe1Trz4t184n8qzE0CAugkXZcGt5tWbhR6B4
 
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