First day range

[GHi]

Hi all,

Got a phone call from the dealer, my BEV is (nearly) there, they expect it by the end of the month. Now a quick question: the dealer is approx. 220km away from my home. Can I expect to do 100km right after having taken delivery from the dealer, charge it overnight on a conventional socket at a hotel and do the remaining 120km the next day ? Or do the batteries need some "run in" before I can expect a 100km+ range ?

Wouldnt like to be stranded somewhere on the very 1st day of (proud) ownership

Thanks !!!

 

[fdl1409]

No problem at all. Unless you drive faster than 120 km/h your range will be way above 100km. No run in needed.

Frank

 

[jadnashuanh]

If you regularly sample the max acceleration of the thing, you might have some issues, but other than that, driving sanely, it shouldn't be an issue unless you're climbing a mountain along the way. In eco pro +, you might be close to making it all the way home, but that's unlikely since you'll be learning the vehicle and it would be REALLY close!

 

[GHi]

Ok, great, thanks for the info. Now onto another worry: I am struggling to find a hotel with a dedicated charging point.... If I do not find one in due time, could I just use a very basic cheap 10m extension cord from my local dyi store between my hotel room socket and the I3 on the car park in front :? ?

I have seen a few posts about cable length but they are all about very specific cables/wallboxes for optimum performance.
But my prob is slightly different, I just want to charge the car and make it home whatever the time it takes...

Thanks again !

 

[elptex]

Ok, great, thanks for the info. Now onto another worry: I am struggling to find a hotel with a dedicated charging point.... If I do not find one in due time, could I just use a very basic cheap 10m extension cord from my local dyi store between my hotel room socket and the I3 on the car park in front :? ?

I have seen a few posts about cable length but they are all about very specific cables/wallboxes for optimum performance.
But my prob is slightly different, I just want to charge the car and make it home whatever the time it takes...

Thanks again !

Yes, you can. Key points are that 1) the cable should not be rolled/coiled up--it should be fully extended and not looping over itself--and 2) it will charge quite slowly, upwards of >7 hours in Europe (240v) and >11 in the US (120v). Generally safety of a cable running over walkways and in the rain are of course considerations.

 

[jadnashuanh]

Cheap extension cords may not be your friend! Depending on the length, in the USA with the 12A max EVSE that comes with the car, you need at least an extension cord with 14g wire, and if it is very long, 12g would be better to minimize voltage drop (which will cause heat and also slow the charging process). It should also be a grounded, 3-wire cord. The EVSE has built-in GFCI, so moisture isn't a big issue other than the plug at the end of the extension cord - you wouldn't want that sitting in a puddle. And, if using the 120vac EVSE that comes in NA, if your battery is truly nearly flat, it can take upwards of 20-hours to get it recharged. The rest of the world with 240vac EVSE at the same 12A, halve that time, and maybe even improve on it a bit since the charger in the vehicle works better at the higher input voltage - IOW, it's more efficient making 400VDC with 240vac in than with 120-vac in.