[LittleC984]

I have an Etron 55 2020 which I brought last August. Initially I was able to get the maximum mileage of 240 on a full charge. I follow the guidelines and only charge to max when needed for a long journey and usually only charge to 80%. However I am shocked by the drop off in charging levels during the cold weather. It has been gradually reducing and the latest 80% charge has only provided 140 miles available.
I have read all the various posts on this subject and acknowledge that two things can affect the charge level, temperature and the computer measuring average mileage.
Is there any way that Audi servicing can improve the charging level or do I just have to wait until the temperature improves?

 

[rdgrimes]

1st, your indicated available range is NOT a measurement of "charging level" or state of charge. 140 miles range at 80% is pretty normal in frigid weather where short trips are typical.

 

[LittleC984]

Thanks for your response,but you lost me in first sentence? Are you saying the relationship between battery charge level and mileage achievable is not linked? Has my average mileage effected the achievable range?
sorry, just can’t get my head around the difference between the two.

 

[rdgrimes]

Thanks for your response,but you lost me in first sentence? Are you saying the relationship between battery charge level and mileage achievable is not linked? Has my average mileage effected the achievable range?
sorry, just can’t get my head around the difference between the two.

The projected range is based on past average miles per kWh. Miles per kWh is your actual measurement of efficiency. (You might find km/kWh to be a more relevant measure). Short trips kill efficiency, especially in winter. The reduced range is just a reflection of this fact, but the battery itself holds exactly the same amount of energy as it did last summer.
My advice: just drive it and watch the battery level. When it gets low - charge it. Same as a gas car where MPG drops way down in winter.

 

[LittleC984]

Many thanks for that clear explanation. It’s a great car, the children call it Dads Brick, but it has fantastic acceleration and on some journeys I can end up with more range than when I started due to energy recovery.

 

[rdgrimes]

Many thanks for that clear explanation. It’s a great car, the children call it Dads Brick, but it has fantastic acceleration and on some journeys I can end up with more range than when I started due to energy recovery.

In case you're not thoroughly confused yet..... Recovering range like that is usually more a result of increased efficiency, not so much from recuperation. So if your miles/kWh rate goes from 1.5 to 3.5 on a given trip the range figure increases proportionally whether you're recuperating or not.

 

[coski]

In my area of the US it's currently 35 degrees F (2C) with a low of 12F (-11C). At 80% charge we are also showing a range of 140mi. The vehicle is driven exclusively on urban streets.

The implied range of a full charge is approximately 175 miles (140 / .80 = 175), which is about a 20-25% reduction from its warm weather range and seems about right for the conditions.

 

[WetEV]

I have an Etron 55 2020 which I brought last August. Initially I was able to get the maximum mileage of 240 on a full charge. I follow the guidelines and only charge to max when needed for a long journey and usually only charge to 80%. However I am shocked by the drop off in charging levels during the cold weather. It has been gradually reducing and the latest 80% charge has only provided 140 miles available.
I have read all the various posts on this subject and acknowledge that two things can affect the charge level, temperature and the computer measuring average mileage.
Is there any way that Audi servicing can improve the charging level or do I just have to wait until the temperature improves?

The range estimate is called the GOM or Guess O Meter.

It takes the current battery level, the outside air temperature, the climate settings, the route entered in the Nav, the past efficiency and the phase of the Moon and guesses how far you could drive before emptying the battery.

OK, not the phase of the Moon, as far as I know.

But remember that it is just a guess.

If you make really short drives in cold weather, the past efficiency is going to be bad. So the GOM will guess low. This is common. The way to "fix" it would be to take a long trip or find warmer weather. Or both.

I have a 2019 etron 55. We had a cold spell late last year, and I was doing a lot of short roughly 2 mile drives. 88kWh/100 miles or 1.1 miles per kWh one day. The GOM dropped like a rock, and was suggesting something like 160 miles on 100% charge. Weather warmed up for Christmas, I drove 204 miles, did stop for a charge of about 25%, got home with over 20%. Warmer weather and longer trip, drove longer than the original GOM.

After the long trip, the 80% charge GOM guess was 180 miles, implying 220 miles on a full charge. Wrong again, back to short trips.

 

[LittleC984]

Thanks for all the responses which confirms my own thoughts you need a crystal ball to determine what charge level you will get from one day to the next.
I am still mystified how the Audi agents manage to reset the charging levels when they take in a used vehicle, ie, when I brought the car last August second hand the maximum charge level I achieved was 240 miles. Clearly from what others have said, the low temperatures and my short journey use has reduced that. On a good day I can get a range of 210.
The annoying thing is the unpredictable range when you want to fully charge for a long trip. I run the car mainly on the Efficiency drive mode and that does ensure I get at least the predicted range.

 

[JNealCox]

Thanks for all the responses which confirms my own thoughts you need a crystal ball to determine what charge level you will get from one day to the next.
I am still mystified how the Audi agents manage to reset the charging levels when they take in a used vehicle, ie, when I brought the car last August second hand the maximum charge level I achieved was 240 miles. Clearly from what others have said, the low temperatures and my short journey use has reduced that. On a good day I can get a range of 210.
The annoying thing is the unpredictable range when you want to fully charge for a long trip. I run the car mainly on the Efficiency drive mode and that does ensure I get at least the predicted range.

That initial level I think just has to do with how the software is initially set up. Even people getting brand new cars generally report wildly optimistic range values when driving off the lot.

 

[Francois]

In my area of the US it's currently 35 degrees F (2C) with a low of 12F (-11C). At 80% charge we are also showing a range of 140mi. The vehicle is driven exclusively on urban streets.

The implied range of a full charge is approximately 175 miles (140 / .80 = 175), which is about a 20-25% reduction from its warm weather range and seems about right for the conditions.

Urban streets fir EVs are more efficient than highway where wind resistance goes up exponentially

 

[yeamac]

Urban streets fir EVs are more efficient than highway where wind resistance goes up exponentially

Not necessarily. Starting an e-tron at 20 dF and driving two miles on urban streets may net an efficiency of 1.3 mi/kWh. Driving at 55 mph for 20+ miles at 20 dF may end in a trip where the efficiency is 1.8 mi/kWh overall. Yes, the wind resistance is higher, but the increased battery drain from the wind resistance/faster speed is much less than the energy needed to heat the cabin those first two miles. Once the cabin is heated and the heater doesn't work so hard, the e-tron will see better efficiency.

Battery efficiency goes down under many conditions:

• heater working hard to heat the cabin
• A/C working hard to cool the cabin
• the faster you drive, the more your battery drains (25 mph has been shown to be the "sweet spot" in efficiency ... anything faster and your efficiency goes down)
• many slowdowns/accelerations reduces efficiency vs. driving at a constant speed, as does driving up/down mountains
• cold weather negatively affects efficiency (optimal operating temperature is around 70 dF)
• extreme heat also affects efficiency (but not as bad as extreme cold)
• more weight reduces efficiency
• rain/snow reduces efficiency vs. dry roads
• headwind vs. tailwind affects efficiency

The average driver in the USA drives an average of 30 miles a day. Even in extreme cold the e-tron will get north of 120 miles @ 80% charge, so plenty of distance even for those above average mile days. Going on a long trip? Charge to 100% before you leave, and plan your charging stops appropriately. A Better Route Planner (smartphone app and/or web browser) is an invaluable resource for trip planning.

The cold weather range decrease is kinda shocking when you first experience it. But arriving home with 50% battery instead of 60% battery really isn't that big a deal now, is it? Just another reason to look forward to warmer weather!

 

[Francois]

Not necessarily. Starting an e-tron at 20 dF and driving two miles on urban streets may net an efficiency of 1.3 mi/kWh. Driving at 55 mph for 20+ miles at 20 dF may end in a trip where the efficiency is 1.8 mi/kWh overall. Yes, the wind resistance is higher, but the increased battery drain from the wind resistance/faster speed is much less than the energy needed to heat the cabin those first two miles. Once the cabin is heated and the heater doesn't work so hard, the e-tron will see better efficiency.

Battery efficiency goes down under many conditions:

• heater working hard to heat the cabin
• A/C working hard to cool the cabin
• the faster you drive, the more your battery drains (25 mph has been shown to be the "sweet spot" in efficiency ... anything faster and your efficiency goes down)
• many slowdowns/accelerations reduces efficiency vs. driving at a constant speed, as does driving up/down mountains
• cold weather negatively affects efficiency (optimal operating temperature is around 70 dF)
• extreme heat also affects efficiency (but not as bad as extreme cold)
• more weight reduces efficiency
• rain/snow reduces efficiency vs. dry roads
• headwind vs. tailwind affects efficiency

The average driver in the USA drives an average of 30 miles a day. Even in extreme cold the e-tron will get north of 120 miles @ 80% charge, so plenty of distance even for those above average mile days. Going on a long trip? Charge to 100% before you leave, and plan your charging stops appropriately. A Better Route Planner (smartphone app and/or web browser) is an invaluable resource for trip planning.

The cold weather range decrease is kinda shocking when you first experience it. But arriving home with 50% battery instead of 60% battery really isn't that big a deal now, is it? Just another reason to look forward to warmer weather!

similar to planning a flight in an airplane. Wind, altitude, vectoring around bad weather affects range. Number one reason for private airplane crashes: running out of fuel. Failure to plan

 

[Francois]

similar to planning a flight in an airplane. Wind, altitude, vectoring around bad weather affects range. Number one reason for private airplane crashes: running out of fuel. Failure to plan
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Put another 15 mph headwind and watch your range crumble