Add Yours: VW ID. Buzz Owner's Registry

Volkswagen Car-Net mobile app

3839 Views 6 Replies 5 Participants Last post by egsell, Jan 17, 2021

emtonsti

Discussion Starter · Jan 16, 2021 (Edited)

Apparently we can install the Volkswagen Car-Net mobile app and login and set it up with the same VW log in for our My VW page. Now, all we need is our VIN number

I read about it in this VW press release for winter ID.4 operation.

This is pretty standard for any EV - The first is pre-heating. Just as people warm up gas-powered vehicles, you can use the Volkswagen Car-Net mobile app¹ to start heating the ID.4 while it’s still connected to the charger. This uses energy from the grid rather than from the vehicle battery, preserving range, and leaving you with a toasty car when you’re ready to depart.

Same for any EV (if so equipped) - Every 2021 VW ID.4 EV comes with heated front seats and a heated steering wheel – two features that winter veterans swear by, since they heat your body directly providing an efficient way to warm up quickly on cold days.

I thought I saw a VW slide somewhere that says to turn off the heated seats and a heated steering wheel once the cabin is warm. I thought that odd, because in past EVs some folks talk about relying more the heated seats and wheel, and less on cabin heat for best range. (unless short on range, I run everything warm!)

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ErickF

· #2 · Jan 16, 2021

I'm longing for the day the app sends me a push notification that my ID.4 has been parked in my garage.

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ixlr08

· #3 · Jan 16, 2021

The question I have is, how much power does the in-car heater draw? That would be the minimum a home charger should be able to deliver. I was planning on using the charger cord that came with the car as I am retired and only drive like 25 miles 3 times a week. Leaving me plenty of time for recharging. But I bet the in-car heater draws more than the 120v 'emergency' cord can provide.

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emtonsti

Discussion Starter · #4 · Jan 16, 2021 (Edited)

ixlr08 said:
The question I have is, how much power does the in-car heater draw? That would be the minimum a home charger should be able to deliver. I was planning on using the charger cord that came with the car as I am retired and only drive like 25 miles 3 times a week. Leaving me plenty of time for recharging. But I bet the in-car heater draws more than the 120v 'emergency' cord can provide.

I think you will be fine, at least until some of us have the ID.4 and make some actual energy use measurements. I have a Sense energy monitor (not uncommon) that makes a detailed graph of power vs. time with detail to seconds, so it should be easy to make a few screen prints of preconditioning power examples once I get my 1st. The Chargepoint station has a similar capability with less detail, but will be good to compare to.

The reason I think the the supplied OEM cord will be fine at first, is that (unless L2, 240V is required for preconditioning), with that small a use need (~25 miles), you should be fine in the short term pre-conditioning with the about 1kW from a 120 V outlet, supplemented by the ID traction battery (assuming this mode of pre-conditioning is allowed). Some EVs will not precondition at L1 (120 Vac). But with only 25 miles needed (or even 50 miles if one way), if it doesn't precondition without L2 (we don't know), (if you already have a large surplus range) just start it and turn the heat on a few minutes before you start out. No energy advantage (and lost range, possibly 10 to 20 miles), but you can still be warm and toasty from mile 1.

It is a good point for those who cannot, or do not want to max out the charging power, that there might be some minimum practical low power number to at least break even for pre-conditioning (possibly as low as 16A, 240V / 3kW).

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Perfesser

· #5 · Jan 17, 2021

ixlr08 said:
The question I have is, how much power does the in-car heater draw? That would be the minimum a home charger should be able to deliver. I was planning on using the charger cord that came with the car as I am retired and only drive like 25 miles 3 times a week. Leaving me plenty of time for recharging. But I bet the in-car heater draws more than the 120v 'emergency' cord can provide.

I would not call the charging cable that comes with the car an "emergency" cable. It is capable of being your only charging equipment, as long as you don't mind the slow speed. To respond to your question about running the heater while the car is charging, this is covered in the non-US owner's manual that has been circulated on this forum. Somewhat confusingly, the manual refers to the "stationary air conditioning system," but it is clear that they are talking about any pre-conditioning, either by heating or cooling. It specifically states that this system can be used while charging with AC or DC voltage, so I am sure that pre-heating can be accomplished with the included Level 1 supply cable.

I had a Chevy Bolt EV that I charged with the Level 1 cable (110V). I had no problem pre-heating the car while charging.

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emtonsti

Discussion Starter · #6 · Jan 17, 2021 (Edited)

Perfesser said:
... the non-US owner's manual that has been circulated on this forum. ...

Probably 100% correct on all. Just a minor caution that many or most non-U.S. users have 230 V as their regular outlet voltage.

We have discussed before that many other EV types OEM charge cord can be configured with an adapter to run L2 on 240V AC (setting aside the merits or concerns where this is the case). Interestingly, Ford took this to the next level with Mach-E, where they have a special connector that plugs into the body of the OEM charge cord electronics box, and you can then use a U.S. 120 V plug, or you can connect a 240 plug pig tail to the OEM box. The other difference is that because this was done by the book to code, they also change the signaling from box (the "pilot signal") to the car to allow, I think it was 32A L2.

In the U.S. adapter hacks, you can only go to 240V, 12A, L2 same current as with 120 VAC. I wonder if VW might have done the same for the U.S. OEM charge cord? Too bad if they did not. Even if they did not, there may be the possibility of an adapter (setting aside the merits or concerns where this is the case) to at least use the VW charge cord L2, 12A.

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egsell

· #7 · Jan 17, 2021

I spoke to a VOA customer care person a few months back and they told me it was L1 only. Now, that can change, but that was what they knew at the time.

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