We didn’t always drive 120 km/h on our 2 x 1200 km road trip. We tried to see if slower speeds like 90-100 km/h made it worth while (longer range AND faster charging). I am still not sure how different it is. But I am quite sure that the highspeed DOES build up temperature: Up to 5 degrees C per hour when driving 120 km/h in hot weather. Even worse, when the highway is a place like passing the “Kassel Hills” in Southern Germany. The car does NOT like those steep hills in the mountains. Nothing wrong with the performance while driving. The car is awesome on the road. But the charging subsequently … auch.
(We saw as low as 8kW CCS charging, at 56% Soc. Here, 53% SoC, only 11kW)
And following up with CCS charging, after highway driving, just make things worse (obviously). The slowest CCS I saw was 8kW at only 56% SoC. The highest I have seen so far is 37 kW. And thatrate doesn’t last long. Here, after 5 minutes, it topped, then it fell quickly. And that was with a somewhat cool battery.
(37kW is a fleeting joy, as we seldom got more than 20-30 kW)
Don’t bash me for demanding something this car isn’t made for. I am simply finding its limitations and weak points. Yes, it’s a city car, not a road trip car. And yet I find it interesting to know more about what is possible, and how one might reduce the impact.
In the first 3 weeks we had this car, we drove over 4,000 km. This includes the 2 x 1200 km trip from Switzerland to Denmark and back. Temperatures were mostly between 20 and 35 degrees C, overnight some times down to 15 C. I can’t wait to try it in the winter. I know the colder air means increased air resistance, while snow and rain also impacts range a lot. Not to forget the heater: This car doesn’t have a heat pump, so it will use quite a bit of energy on really cold days. Obviously depending on what temperature you demand of it. Heated seats in this version work fine, but it’s only for the front seats. Windscreen, rear window and mirrors are all equipped with electrical heaters. The one for the mirrors are a bit tricky: It’s the same control knob that controls the mirrors. There is a small symbol at the front, so turn the knob 180 degrees to select heated mirrors.
For more about this car, see the other blog posts in the series
All posts in "EV: Skoda CitiGo e iV"