How important is battery preconditioning in the summer?

[Halodde]

I know that preconditioning warms up the battery in Colder Weather so that it can accept a charge at a higher rate of speed. Does it actually do anything if the battery is already warm due to the weather? I guess I don't know what temperature the battery is supposed to be at for optimal energy transfer.

 

[Adnillien]

I know that preconditioning warms up the battery in Colder Weather so that it can accept a charge at a higher rate of speed. Does it actually do anything if the battery is already warm due to the weather? I guess I don't know what temperature the battery is supposed to be at for optimal energy transfer.

The battery wants to be in the mid 80 degree range for best DC fast charging. I would not bother preconditioning if the temperature is above 80.

 

[Electrified]

The battery wants to be in the mid 80 degree range for best DC fast charging. I would not bother preconditioning if the temperature is above 80.

Is preconditioning needed in +100F temps to cool the batteries?

 

[Adnillien]

Is preconditioning needed in +100F temps to cool the batteries?

That is a very good question. I have assumed that just driving in 100F will trigger battery cooling but I do not know for sure when it is triggered. Storing the battery above 90F will age it faster so I assume that whenever the car is awake or charging it will cool the battery during high temperatures.

 

[Steveinarizona]

My prior car was a BMW 530e PHEV. I would plug it in at night and often times the AC would fire up- to cool the batteries while it was charging in my garage. So I am assuming that the batteries are best at a sweet spot somewhere between cold and hot.

 

[Bill55]

I find the power delivered by EA stations to be so variable that I don’t worry about preconditioning. If you are trying to recreate an ICE car refueling with an EV you are going to be disappointed.

I drove from Greenville, SC to Barboursville, KY. I left the house at 50%, stopped in Asheville, NC at an EA station. Plugged into a 150kW that was floating around 60kW. After about 10 m a 350kW opened up and I got better results. Around 130kW.Got lunch and waited till I was Charged to 90%. At Johnson city TN I stopped at a Hyundai dealership with a charge point and went from 75% to 95% to cross WV. I arrived in Barboursville
, KY at 40%. Enough to have options. The charger at a Hampton is working fine and providing 6kW. I won’t be 100% when I leave in the morning, but plenty to get to Mid-Ohio my destination. The Lucid allows you to drive secondary roads most EVs would not consider, but road tripping in an EV still requires planning where you are going to charge and what is your alternate if there is a problem.

The ChargePoint charger at the Hyundai dealership was very nice. $8.00 for 26.65kWh. The staff at Hyundai were excited to see the Air and very friendly.