[prawlin]

Sorry to say that is not the case. The battery heater does not come on while driving and even if it did the heafing process would waste more energy than what you'd gain from the reduced resistance in the battery. Moreover, the heater comes on (only while DC charging) at temps below -10.

I was just about to give this post my seal of approval with a like, but then came that last sentence. I’ve seen the battery heater come on whilst D.C. charging at battery temperature just below 10°C. The charging was quite slow until the battery heated up which took maybe 20 minutes or more. AFAIK, this is the only situation in which it actually comes on. It definitely does not need to be down to -10 for it to come on when rapid charging.
Peter

 

[Xinix]

Yup, that was a typo.

 

[Devon]

It won't do 200 in winter.

Started at 100%, pulled in for a charge and a rest at about 12% remaining.

Temps around 5C, lots of wind+rain at times, heater on 21/22C, motorway speeds between 65 and 80.

It might do it if you're prepared to draft trucks at 50mph or drive with no heating on.

 

[idiotzoo]

Again, it’s all about the conditions and your speed. I haven’t been able to get mine below 3mi/kWh... I’m up to an indicated 286miles on a full charge now.

what I would say is the Hyundai/Kia range-O-meter is good. It isn’t magic, if you head into that headwind at high speed you’ll see it drop, but it adjusts to your driving style quickly and I’ve found it to be usefully reliable so far.

 

[ARBev]

It won't do 200 in winter.
View attachment 143067
Started at 100%, pulled in for a charge and a rest at about 12% remaining.

Temps around 5C, lots of wind+rain at times, heater on 21/22C, motorway speeds between 65 and 80.

It might do it if you're prepared to draft trucks at 50mph or drive with no heating on.

Sorry but I don't feel this last sentence is very typical. For me, a mixture of Cornish hills (so lots of inefficient accelerating and braking) and dual carriageway driving at 70 ahem mph, of about 50 miles a day over the winter and I have maintained an average of 3.9mi/kWh for c5000 miles without summer driving.
I don't like it too hot inside (19c driver only) and naturally lift and coast when sensible but it would be more if I took care, a bit less if it was all motorway or I was heavier on the pedals.
Without scientific analysis, I'd say that 200+ miles on a single charge is not unreasonable even in winter for most drivers. I'm getting 240. There will be exceptions and yes high speed motorway driving will hamper range but for most the range is very good for the price.
Do check the reviews for actual range v manufacturer's estimated range as some others don't seem to stack up. But if you need regular long mileage on a single charge without stopping then pure electrics may not be ready for you, yet.

 

[idiotzoo]

Also, I realise I’m kinda old fashioned but.... the motorway speed limit in the UK is 70.

 

[Bobdniro]

Can I please pick the hive-mind of the e-Niro drivers on here?

I have a 30kwh Leaf at the moment. I love almost everything about it, except the range when on a longer motorway run, especially in cold/wet weather.

I've also got a second car, which basically only gets used for those longer journeys.

I'd like to sell both and replace with one EV.

However, it would need to cope with a 200 mile round trip without charging. That's 100 miles out, and the same back again. No charging at the destination. Mostly motorways, sitting at 70mph.

It would need to do that summer or winter, dry or rain, and with the heater or a/c on! And it would need to get me home with a reasonable margin left so I'm not panicking all the way home about if I'm going to get stuck...

And it would need to do it today, and for the next six or seven years (as that's how long I tend to keep my cars).

It feels like a lot of demands! Can the e-Niro do that? Or am I expecting too much?

I'd really appreciate the wisdom of your experience before I make an expensive mistake!

Why not go to abetterrouteplanner.com and input your journey using different cars that you are considering. Then adjust the parameters in the settings to suit various scenarios ( weather, terrain, road conditions etc). This should give you a better idea of what is achievable and popssibly help with your purchase decision.

 

[Devon]

Sorry but I don't feel this last sentence is very typical. For me, a mixture of Cornish hills (so lots of inefficient accelerating and braking) and dual carriageway driving at 70 ahem mph, of about 50 miles a day over the winter and I have maintained an average of 3.9mi/kWh for c5000 miles without summer driving.
I don't like it too hot inside (19c driver only) and naturally lift and coast when sensible but it would be more if I took care, a bit less if it was all motorway or I was heavier on the pedals.
Without scientific analysis, I'd say that 200+ miles on a single charge is not unreasonable even in winter for most drivers. I'm getting 240. There will be exceptions and yes high speed motorway driving will hamper range but for most the range is very good for the price.
Do check the reviews for actual range v manufacturer's estimated range as some others don't seem to stack up. But if you need regular long mileage on a single charge without stopping then pure electrics may not be ready for you, yet.

I can get it into the high 3s/low 4s when doing local journeys.
However on an almost empty M6/M74 there just isn't the opportunity to lift/Coast.
Yes I could drop to 50/55 mph but I want a long journey to be done quickly, not extended by hours. Thankfully I dont need to do such a journey very often.

 

[Devon]

Also, I realise I’m kinda old fashioned but.... the motorway speed limit in the UK is 70.

Jesus, cracking input there. Thanks for that.
Never drifted upto 75 following the flow of traffic? Hard to believe you've never broken the law.
Or are you that person that sits at 50 mph, forcing trucks into the middle lane? You are arent you?!

 

[TomH]

Jesus, cracking input there. Thanks for that.
Never drifted upto 75 following the flow of traffic? Hard to believe you've never broken the law.
Or are you that person that sits at 50 mph, forcing trucks into the middle lane? You are arent you?!

Or he's the guy driving the car with the jazzy colour scheme and the blue flashing lights on top that has appeared out of nowhere behind you.

 

[SoulGW]

Why not go to abetterrouteplanner.com and input your journey using different cars that you are considering. Then adjust the parameters in the settings to suit various scenarios ( weather, terrain, road conditions etc). This should give you a better idea of what is achievable and popssibly help with your purchase decision.

This won’t work.

Most EV’S don’t get anywhere near their claimed range - the Kia’s do.....

Put in an MG5 into a route planner and it will say he’d be fine, but on the scenario he’s talking of (70mph, freezing cold etc) he just won’t.

The key is, and everyone on here confirms it - the Kia’s get up towards 90 ish % of their claimed range - some cars are near 75%.

Hit some cold in there and the Kia’s are at 70% of claimed range, others 50% or even 40%!!!!!

I cannot think of another car that will do what the op asks other than a Kona, Soul or Niro for the money. Spend another £10k and there are a few for sure, but not at £35 ish k

 

[SoulGW]

I can get it into the high 3s/low 4s when doing local journeys.
However on an almost empty M6/M74 there just isn't the opportunity to lift/Coast.
Yes I could drop to 50/55 mph but I want a long journey to be done quickly, not extended by hours. Thankfully I dont need to do such a journey very often.

If you drop from say 68 to 55 - to extend a journey by an hour you’d need to be driving around 500 miles plus!

If you cruise at 70 you will usually be blocked at least a few times, check your average speed over a 200 mile journey... if you cruise at 70 it will probably be 60-62mph.

Cruise at 55 and it will probably average out around 52-53 - so on a 200 mile trip you might save 20-30 min at most.

I am not saying drive at 55 - but the journey time difference is pitiful between doing 70 and 65 but the range difference is there....

If I need range I cruise at 65 - 68 and if I don’t need to conserve range I cruise slightly faster....

 

[SoulGW]

It won't do 200 in winter.
View attachment 143067
Started at 100%, pulled in for a charge and a rest at about 12% remaining.

Temps around 5C, lots of wind+rain at times, heater on 21/22C, motorway speeds between 65 and 80.

It might do it if you're prepared to draft trucks at 50mph or drive with no heating on.

You must drive like a loon to get it down to 2.9m/Kwh. Dont you have your regeneration braking turned on?

Throughout the whole of this winter, the lowest I have ever seen is 3.2 or 3.3 I think!

Have frequently had over 5.

 

[idiotzoo]

Jesus, cracking input there. Thanks for that.
Never drifted upto 75 following the flow of traffic? Hard to believe you've never broken the law.
Or are you that person that sits at 50 mph, forcing trucks into the middle lane? You are arent you?!

I mean, genuinely, not really. I use cruise control... set it to 70.. and erm... you know. That’s that.

Reality is that most of the time we’re not driving on empty motorways where it seems you can’t possibly restrict your speed 🙄

The pre-lockdown long journeys I’d do for work I’d be doing really well if I averaged 50mph. Travelling from North Yorkshire to Northamptonshire I’d come to a complete stop on the motorway about eight or nine times...

I also find it weird this idea you either have to do 80+ or drop to 50/55. That’s, frankly, a foolish position to take. The difference in energy use between 65 and 75 is really significant and over 150 miles makes a different of about 18 minutes. The point there being it can make the difference between needing to stop charge or not... but, as I say, in reality, at normal times, this choice isn’t available anyway.

 

[SoulGW]

Jesus, cracking input there. Thanks for that.
Never drifted upto 75 following the flow of traffic? Hard to believe you've never broken the law.
Or are you that person that sits at 50 mph, forcing trucks into the middle lane? You are arent you?!

How on earth do you "Drift up" to 75mph? If adaptive cruise is set at 68 or 70, thats the max you will go... perhaps slow a bit if baulked by traffic, but you won't go faster than the setting when that traffic clears?

 

[SoulGW]

This was this morning. Short trip so by nature inefficient, Started out at -2 degrees, when I got to work it was 2 degrees I had my seat heater on 2, the cabin set to 23 degrees, no preconditioning (I dont have a charger at home) - and mid 3's achieved.

Seriously not sure how on earth you would get one of these under 3 unless you are TRYING to drink the juice.

 

[BigBadBotnik]

It won't do 200 in winter.

Nobody can make this kind of pronouncement. In my earlier post I mentioned you're probably going to be cutting it thin for 200 miles in winter - not everytime but in cold windy/rainy weather. I think in most cases its easily achievable, I just personally would want a bit extra range to play with.

Without knowing the route, especially the topography with inclines etc, it's quite difficult to conclude it's not possible.

If I remember correctly there is an increased efficiency drop after 65-70mph in terms of consumption then you have to question whether driving 75/80/85 is really going to make a big gain in your travelling time. Just set scc and enjoy the drive!

 

[DragonQ]

You must drive like a loon to get it down to 2.9m/Kwh. Dont you have your regeneration braking turned on?

Throughout the whole of this winter, the lowest I have ever seen is 3.2 or 3.3 I think!

Have frequently had over 5.

Regen is always "on". If you mean the auto-regen when lifting the accelerator pedal, i.e. the paddle settings, then that would probably be worse for efficiency on a motorway unless you were used to the pedal response and could coast correctly.

Headwinds and very cold weather coupled with motorway speeds could see you get below 3 mi/kWh, as could very short journies where the heater spends the whole trip blasting away. I think my average over winter was 3.4 mi/kWh but most of that was very short trips.

 

[Billy the Kid]

Jesus, cracking input there. Thanks for that.
Never drifted upto 75 following the flow of traffic? Hard to believe you've never broken the law.
Or are you that person that sits at 50 mph, forcing trucks into the middle lane? You are arent you?!

A bloke in a Volvo cut me up yesterday when he pulled back into the inside lane I put my foot down. Got home looked at UVO trips I had hit 81mph without trying. Gulp and that’s in eco mode.

 

[Bill N]

OP, as suggested earlier use A Better Route Planner. Set it up properly with the parameters you want to simulate. It’s the best way of estimating, for your specific journey, what kind of range can be expected in different conditions. Anecdotal evidence is sort of useful, to an extent, to give you a picture, but there are so many variables at play that, really, the best way, besides finding someone who has done exactly the same route as you in the conditions you are likely to encounter, is to use ABRP.