Where do we all live? Sparks are dispersing.

[SparkE]

going to leave it plugged in and in the garage and set to charge at departure time. so battery is warm when i leave.. never charge my model 3 full so was going to set departure time an hour after i actually leave so battery is warm just not at 100% when i leave.. thoughts?

I believe that the vehicle keeps the battery above a certain temp ( ? 2C = 36F ? ) if not plugged in, but if plugged in it will warm the battery to a higher temp. But what I don't remember now is if the vehicle warms the battery *during* the charge, or only after a full charge is *finished*, or *all the time* while plugged in. Does anybody remember?

At any rate, I also have used the technique of "set departure time to later than the real departure time so that it isn't fully charged" - but I live in Calif and don't have to worry too much about the battery temp.

Another piece of useful info is to use the "remote start" feature, which will "warm" the car for up to 20 minutes (you can also do it a second time). It will pull the first 3.3 kW of energy from the wall if it is plugged in (level 2 charging). ( "remote start" is described in the manual, you can turn it on with the keyfob and with On*Star, remotely, if you have an On*Star subscription). So I also suggest that you "remote start" the car in the morning, which will turn on the climate controls (to whatever setting you had them at when you turned the car off) AND it will start warming the battery pack. If you just want to heat the battery, leave the car's interior heater turned off. If you'd like some heat in the car, set the heater to (say) 72 degrees, and medium fan speed before you turn the car off. Again, you can do this a second time remotely. (If you are only going to drive for 5 minutes and park it for 9 hours, it's sort of a waste. If you are going to drive 30 minutes, it is *wonderful* to start with a warm car and a warm battery, heated by your house current.)

 

[jabe]

I have been doing the "remote start" using the keyfob. Onstar isn't worth the $$$ for me even though it would be cool to have the "free" internet that comes with it..
appreciate all the tips. the temperature management is different than the "3" it seems. Going to play around with how best to charge..go to 100% each day or keep it lower.. be great to have a setting to set max charge though ..gives owner more control over charging. I am LOVING the car. great car to pair with the "3".
keep tips coming
jb
still on lookout for rim..the chevy dealer quoted me $3400 for new oem rims!! no that isn't a typo

 

[NORTON]

I believe that the vehicle keeps the battery above a certain temp ( ? 2C = 36F ? ) if not plugged in, but if plugged in it will warm the battery to a higher temp.
But what I don't remember now is if the vehicle warms the battery *during* the charge, or only after a full charge is *finished*, or *all the time* while plugged in. Does anybody remember?...

If it warmed the battery while NOT plugged in, that would mean when you return from your month in the Caribbean to a car left outside in the winter, you'd have a car with NO range left.

I do know after leaving my car at the airport for a weeks vaca plugged in, during the winter, I could see on my Chargepoint acct a series of heating sessions, about twice a day, if I remember it correctly.

I suspect that a cold car suddenly plugged in will use TMS to heat the battery immediately to keep it happy and healthy during the charge.
That would mean some of the 3.3kW would be going to the TMS and not to the on-board-charger.

 

[SparkE]

I believe that the vehicle keeps the battery above a certain temp ( ? 2C = 36F ? ) if not plugged in, but if plugged in it will warm the battery to a higher temp.
But what I don't remember now is if the vehicle warms the battery *during* the charge, or only after a full charge is *finished*, or *all the time* while plugged in. Does anybody remember?...

If it warmed the battery while NOT plugged in, that would mean when you return from your month in the Caribbean to a car left outside in the winter, you'd have a car with NO range left.

I know that the Bolt (yes, different vehicle) will run battery conditioning when the car is not plugged in but only when battery is over 40% . (The "keep battery warm/cold" is also much less aggressive, not warming or cooling it as much when not plugged in.)

So, has anybody here measured battery warming behavior(s) on the Spark EV?

 

[RSC]

I believe that the vehicle keeps the battery above a certain temp ( ? 2C = 36F ? ) if not plugged in, but if plugged in it will warm the battery to a higher temp.
But what I don't remember now is if the vehicle warms the battery *during* the charge, or only after a full charge is *finished*, or *all the time* while plugged in. Does anybody remember?...

If it warmed the battery while NOT plugged in, that would mean when you return from your month in the Caribbean to a car left outside in the winter, you'd have a car with NO range left.

I know that the Bolt (yes, different vehicle) will run battery conditioning when the car is not plugged in but only when battery is over 40% . (The "keep battery warm/cold" is also much less aggressive, not warming or cooling it as much when not plugged in.)

So, has anybody here measured battery warming behavior(s) on the Spark EV?

I haven't measured anything. I think that my Spark EV will warm the battery in cold weather when plugged in and the charge is complete. I have consumption monitoring as part of my SolarEdge system and observed two events this morning, one at 5:45 am and another at 8:00 am. It took about 1 kW for a few minutes. The garage temperature was in the low 40s. This is at 120 V. Charging had completed at 2:45 am.

 

[Kermit]

I believe that the vehicle keeps the battery above a certain temp ( ? 2C = 36F ? ) if not plugged in, but if plugged in it will warm the battery to a higher temp.
But what I don't remember now is if the vehicle warms the battery *during* the charge, or only after a full charge is *finished*, or *all the time* while plugged in. Does anybody remember?...

If it warmed the battery while NOT plugged in, that would mean when you return from your month in the Caribbean to a car left outside in the winter, you'd have a car with NO range left.

I know that the Bolt (yes, different vehicle) will run battery conditioning when the car is not plugged in but only when battery is over 40% . (The "keep battery warm/cold" is also much less aggressive, not warming or cooling it as much when not plugged in.)

So, has anybody here measured battery warming behavior(s) on the Spark EV?

I've been keeping track of the battery warming when the temperature falls low enough to do so but our weather is mild most of the time and this is the first winter it's been through. The 2C temperatures is what I see my car charging at unless I do a remote start or at the end of a charge cycle which is different than our Gen 2 Volt which warms the battery to a higher temperature throughout the entire charge. I will continue to add info to the data tracking thread I have created as I find out more.

 

[Offenbach]

I live in St. Petersburg, FL, and I just took delivery two days ago of a 2015 Spark EV. Love it so far. It's driving profile is very similar to a Mazda Miata I once owned . . although, of course, the EV is quicker "off the line."

 

[PoweredbyAPS]

I live in Prescott, AZ and I just bought a 2016 Spark EV for around town car for myself and my wife. I had a leased 2014 Sparkie a year ago and both of us loved it so we decided to buy a used one. It has 35k on it and has DCFC. A few years back I had installed a 100% solar roof array installed by the Sunrun team so hence the PoweredbyAPS nickname since I have not had to pay for electricity since, just a line maintenance fee and have always has kw left at the end of the year, which APS does not buy from you, they just disappear. So my little Spark soaks up some of the overage that I generate and I don't have to give it up to Arizona Public Service. BY the way Prescott is a 5270' elevation so it gets cold, 22F here this morning and the summers are high 90's every day and my Spark is parked outside since my garage/workshop is for my hobby car. Always keep it plugged in when we are home. I am retired and I expect this car is the one I will be driving when my kids have an intervention and take my driver's license away. Already got a ticket from the local gendarme, haven't had to go to driver's school in 20 years. Paid $7500 for the car in case you were wondering, well, plus the cost of the speeding ticket...

 

[DavidM]

I'm in Brampton ( NW of Toronto ) Canada.
bought 2016 in Montreal and drove back last August. An adventure.
Yet planning to drive it over 1000 miles to east coast next summer.

Very , very happy with the car !!! : )

Winter range is a lot less , but OK for my commute. And lots of free DCFC and L2 to make use of.

HOV / Green vehicle expressway lanes here : )

Usually keep cars until they fall apart. But sold my 2007 Ford Focus today. It was mostly sitting.
Now more space in driveway and easier to plug Sparky in.

 

[JakesOnline]

I'm in Toronto, Canada with our 2014 1LT, owned since mid-2015 (was bought with about 1,400 km on it). Now we're at around 36,000 km, been relatively trouble-free. What we've done so far:

-replaced stock tires with Michelin Premier A/S
-close to 30K there was a creaking sound that we thought was the brakes (i.e. brakes not releasing fully when pedal is released), but it turns out it was the motor mount that was a bit loose
-fuse for washer fluid pump just went recently, used a spare and we are back up and running

I think I may have a motor mount issue. Any tips on inspecting and fixing this?

 

[daemoncan]

Montreal, QC. Lots of Sparks being resold here due to Govt. incentives (4K for used BEVs). Mine was originally from the San Diego area.

 

[ElDobro]

Montreal, QC. Lots of Sparks being resold here due to Govt. incentives (4K for used BEVs). Mine was originally from the San Diego area.

Nice incentive. The only thing we get for used EVs in NJ is no sales tax. Oh well, better than nothing.

 

[randa1724]

Better than Wisconsin. We get to pay an extra
$100 on registration. State doesn't get any fuel tax for the roads so they charge $100. Could be worst, hybrids have tp pay $75.

 

[Kermit]

Tennessee is also an additional $100 on registration but I save more than that driving this car just in fuel savings.
Arkansas and Georgia are now charging $200 additional for registration so it could be worse.

 

[randa1724]

I feel better now. Work finally finally got a 120v outlet so I can charge at work. I believe that they are going to get a level 2 charger this spring/summer. I don't feel that bad about the $100 now. Randy

 

[SoCalSam]

I live in Los Angeles. I have a 2015 white Spark EV with 46,000 miles on it. Love this car. So much fun to drive and easy to park. Perfect car for my commute and running around town.

 

[ElDobro]

I live in Los Angeles. I have a 2015 white Spark EV with 46,000 miles on it. Love this car. So much fun to drive and easy to park. Perfect car for my commute and running around town.

Congrats. I have a 2014 Volt and I find myself doing more and more running around with the Spark.

 

[DarthMuffin]

Eastern Washington. When I bought the car the carfax showed it started life in California, then to Portland, now to here. It had to be towed to here as there's no way to get from Portland to where I am, unless maybe you had an overnight stop with 110V power.

 

[Bowman134]

I'm in Brampton ( NW of Toronto ) Canada.
bought 2016 in Montreal and drove back last August. An adventure.
Yet planning to drive it over 1000 miles to east coast next summer.

Very , very happy with the car !!! : )

Winter range is a lot less , but OK for my commute. And lots of free DCFC and L2 to make use of.

HOV / Green vehicle expressway lanes here : )

Usually keep cars until they fall apart. But sold my 2007 Ford Focus today. It was mostly sitting.
Now more space in driveway and easier to plug Sparky in.

That's awesome. Do you have suggestions on route? Did you use Plugshare to map the route?

 

[CYBRTRCK]

Hopefully bringing a 2016 from its original home in Maryland to Long Island NY this weekend!