[JPelletier]

Cold Weather Tests Show a Much Shorter Range than Advertised

• The electric SUV only managed to drive 47% of its WLTP range in Danish tests conducted at 4˚C (39˚F).
• Even when compared with the lower EPA figure there is a significant difference.
• Toyota is investigating the issue and a preliminary conclusion is expected next week.

All the details here: Toyota bZ4X: Cold Weather Tests Show a Much Shorter Range than Advertised - Motor Illustrated

Can't wait to see Toyota answer

 

[Bam]

Very promising for Canada..

 

[voxel]

An Ontario owner on FB went 300 km at 80 km/r in 4C weather (slightly warmer during the day, zero in evening). The above test was at 110 km/h so definitely the range hit in the Danish test would make sense.

 

[Bam]

Using an average ev range loss for oat curve I found online, that would mean at highway speeds the range at -10C would be around 140km.

My reason for putting a deposit on a solterra was for my 132km round trip to the ski hill which is 110kph highway followed by a hill. Shite….

 

[Ducatista]

Using an average ev range loss for oat curve I found online, that would mean at highway speeds the range at -10C would be around 140km.

My reason for putting a deposit on a solterra was for my 132km round trip to the ski hill which is 110kph highway followed by a hill. Shite….

140km at -10C, all highway range would be absolutely terrible. I hope this is not the case.

 

[Bam]

140km at -10C, all highway range would be absolutely terrible. I hope this is not the case.

Same. Good news is that my math and reasoning skills are almost always of poor quality.

 

[HogarthH]

Using an average ev range loss for oat curve I found online, that would mean at highway speeds the range at -10C would be around 140km.

My reason for putting a deposit on a solterra was for my 132km round trip to the ski hill which is 110kph highway followed by a hill. Shite….

My round trip to our ski hill is 164 km with a 3rd of it being back roads and 60 km max. I’ll be pretty displeased if it can’t make that without having to charge mid trip.

 

[PW703]

Went to the dealer just now. I was told the car was "topped up" or 80% charge. Outside is -15°C and not plugged in (ie no battery preconditioning). After defroster, heated seats were turned on for 15-20min, the solterra claims it can do 215km.

 

[R P]

So, are we back to complaining about the limited range and slow charging of the Solterra. I would have thought by now anyone still here wanting to buy one has long accepted those limitations.

Myself, I am a skier too, and all the big hills are too far to make a round trip on one charge. But I hope to make it one way, on the way up, and don't mind stopping for a while to charge on the way back. A consideration, though, is that we will use more kWh on the way up since it is uphill. So will have to be sure to start with a 100% charge from home.

 

[HogarthH]

Went to the dealer just now. I was told the car was "topped up" or 80% charge. Outside is -15°C and not plugged in (ie no battery preconditioning). After defroster, heated seats were turned on for 15-20min, the solterra claims it can do 215km.

I will say this, what the displayed range shows is not what the car is capable of for my fist 4 days with the car. Temperature has ranged from -5C to +3C and I’ve been using heated seats, heat etc.

I left work yesterday with 362km of range and by the time I had travelled 12km on the odometer and stopped in parking lot for 20 min to play with in car settings and menus etc, I was at 328km of range left.

I haven’t had an opportunity to do a longer drive in it just yet.

 

[Bam]

So, are we back to complaining about the limited range and slow charging of the Solterra. I would have thought by now anyone still here wanting to buy one has long accepted those limitations.

Myself, I am a skier too, and all the big hills are too far to make a round trip on one charge. But I hope to make it one way, on the way up, and don't mind stopping for a while to charge on the way back. A consideration, though, is that we will use more kWh on the way up since it is uphill. So will have to be sure to start with a 100% charge from home.

If it were to be 140ish km range at -10C and colder, that would not be a range limitation that I had seen previously. There hasnt been any real world feedback so obviously range talk will be a big topic now that cars are being driven again after the hold.

 

[JPelletier]

So, are we back to complaining about the limited range and slow charging of the Solterra. I would have thought by now anyone still here wanting to buy one has long accepted those limitations.

Myself, I am a skier too, and all the big hills are too far to make a round trip on one charge. But I hope to make it one way, on the way up, and don't mind stopping for a while to charge on the way back. A consideration, though, is that we will use more kWh on the way up since it is uphill. So will have to be sure to start with a 100% charge from home.

Folks here are well informed but most buyer's will only look at Subaru/Toyota specs and if it's false advertising it's very very important that they make it clearer

 

[R P]

Folks here are well informed but most buyer's will only look at Subaru/Toyota specs and if it's false advertising it's very very important that they make it clearer

Yeah, first time EV buyers don't realize what those specs are based on. And that most EV drivers only utilize the 20 -80% charge range. Winter, highway driving, going uphill into the mountains take an even bigger hit. Specs are based on ideal best case conditions. That means summer, and mostly city driving.

I still remember when we got our Kona and I was on that forum. The complaints in the first winter (false advertising, etc) were the same. And that car had about 100 kms more range than the Solterra. I guess we will be in for a lot more horror stories here as winter sets in.

 

[JPelletier]

Yeah, first time EV buyers don't realize what those specs are based on. And that most EV drivers only utilize the 20 -80% charge range. Winter, highway driving, going uphill into the mountains take an even bigger hit. Specs are based on ideal best case conditions. That means summer, and mostly city driving.

I still remember when we got our Kona and I was on that forum. The complaints in the first winter (false advertising, etc) were the same. And that car had about 100 kms more range than the Solterra. I guess we will be in for a lot more horror stories here as winter sets in.

It's sad because what made Subaru so popular in Canada is the AWD which is very appreciated during the winter. but the Solterra doesn't like winters

 

[JayEM]

I will say this, what the displayed range shows is not what the car is capable of for my fist 4 days with the car. Temperature has ranged from -5C to +3C and I’ve been using heated seats, heat etc.

I left work yesterday with 362km of range and by the time I had travelled 12km on the odometer and stopped in parking lot for 20 min to play with in car settings and menus etc, I was at 328km of range left.

I haven’t had an opportunity to do a longer drive in it just yet.

It's not unusual to "lose range" on the first portion of a cold weather trip, while the car is in the process of heating up the battery and passenger compartment. Once that initial heating has occurred, the ongoing range drop will usually be lower (so the total possible range [ = driven + remaining] will actually go up - but not to the figure at the start of the trip).

 

[JayEM]

It's sad because what made Subaru so popular in Canada is the AWD which is very appreciated during the winter. but the Solterra doesn't like winters

Most EVs don't like winters, TBH. My Outback doesn't either, if you're measuring driving range. It's just that, when you're starting from 500+ miles (800+ km) in fair weather, the loss is less problematic (and gas stations are everywhere).

 

[JPelletier]

It's not unusual to "lose range" on the first portion of a cold weather trip, while the car is in the process of heating up the battery and passenger compartment. Once that initial heating has occurred, the ongoing range drop will usually be lower (so the total possible range [ = driven + remaining] will actually go up - but not to the figure at the start of the trip).

An owner on Facebook group tried to do a 200km (125 miles) trip on an highway at 4C (39F) using ECO mode + cruise control at 105 km/h (65MPH) and minimum heating 19C (66F) and before reaching the half of the trip, he decided to come back since the range was going down too fast and didn't think he could get to destination without charging halfway (charging time too long for him)

 

[JayEM]

An owner on Facebook group tried to do a 200km (125 miles) trip on an highway at 4C (39F) using ECO mode + cruise control at 105 km/h (65MPH) and minimum heating 19C (66F) and before reaching the half of the trip, he decided to come back since the range was going down too fast and didn't think he could get to destination without charging halfway (charging time too long for him)

I wonder if the car was preconditioned before starting the trip? 4C/39F is not terribly cold. Was there elevation change involved? Headwinds?

I wonder if they had used ABetterRoutePlanner before starting the trip - that is usually pretty reliable in predicting usable range, taking weather and elevation change into account (but the base efficiency data may be preliminary).

 

[JPelletier]

I wonder if the car was preconditioned before starting the trip? 4C/39F is not terribly cold. Was there elevation change involved? Headwinds?

I wonder if they had used ABetterRoutePlanner before starting the trip - that is usually pretty reliable in predicting usable range, taking weather and elevation change into account (but the base efficiency data may be preliminary).

I'm driving on that road often, it's the "only" road between those 2 cities and yes a lot of elevation changes. It's forest all the way with one possible stop at the middle (with food, gas,charge stations). Anyway, they say 367km (228 miles) so at least is should be able to do 250km (155 miles) under those conditions IMO.

About preconditioning, he said it was plugged before leaving but no "preconditioning" option. He also have a Tesla which have that option.

For me it's really important because I want an EV that can do that exact trip!

 

[JayEM]

I'm driving on that road often, it's the "only" road between those 2 cities and yes a lot of elevation changes. It's forest all the way with one possible stop at the middle (with food, gas,charge stations). Anyway, they say 367km (228 miles) so at least is should be able to do 250km (155 miles) under those conditions IMO.

About preconditioning, he said it was plugged before leaving but no "preconditioning" option. He also have a Tesla which have that option.

For me it's really important because I want an EV that can do that exact trip!

View attachment 1349

We know from @HogarthH that preconditioning clearly IS AN OPTION, so maybe the person just hadn't "discovered" it yet?