#Automobile
There’s no one-size-fits-all answer – it depends on the car, the outside temperature, and how you’re charging. But in most cases, battery preconditioning takes between 30 to 45 minutes when activated manually or automatically before a charging session.
Yes, but not in the way you might think.
The best time to precondition your battery depends on how and where you drive and charge. You’ll benefit from preconditioning the most in these situations:
If you drive a Tesla, your car already does a lot of the work for you. In most cases, preconditioning happens automatically, but there are times when you might want to turn it on manually.
Tesla automatically preconditions when:
For home charging or extreme cold, you can manually precondition through the Tesla app:
For most Tesla owners, the automatic system handles preconditioning well. But if you’re charging outside the Supercharger network or dealing with sub-zero temperatures, manually preconditioning can help you charge faster and maintain better performance on the road.
Cabin preconditioning warms up (or cools down) your car’s interior before you get in, ensuring cabin comfort before your trip. It usually includes features like heated steering wheel activation, air conditioning, and cabin heating.
Battery preconditioning, on the other hand, adjusts the battery’s temperature to its ideal range for better charging and performance. While both can often be scheduled through your EV’s climate control system, they serve completely different purposes – one is for your comfort, the other is for your EV’s efficiency.
Yes, but not in a way that drains your range.
If your EV is plugged in while preconditioning, it pulls power from the charger – not the battery. That means you’re warming (or cooling) the battery without losing miles. Even when running off the battery alone, preconditioning prevents energy waste by making sure your EV starts at the best temperature for efficiency.
Battery preconditioning: Why it's crucial & how to do that
TL;DR: Got a Volkswagen Group EV without built-in battery preconditioning? You can preheat it manually using OBDeleven – straight from your smartphone.
Battery preconditioning might sound like one of those fancy EV features you’d never actually use – until winter hits. Your charging speed plummets, range drops, and suddenly, your EV feels sluggish.
Turns out, you’re missing a simple step that could have made a huge difference. Battery preconditioning helps warm up (or cool down) your electric car’s battery to the right temperature before DC fast charging or driving.
Now, let’s break it down in more detail – when to use it, whether it really improves your battery life and range, and how to precondition your battery with OBDeleven.
What is battery preconditioning?
Battery preconditioning is a built-in feature that brings the battery to its ideal operating temperature before charging or driving.
The result? Faster charging, better range, and improved long-term battery health.
Here’s some context:
Your EV battery doesn’t like extreme temperatures. When it’s too cold, charging slows down. When it’s too hot, efficiency drops. Preconditioning helps avoid these issues.
Most EVs handle it automatically when you’re heading to a fast charger. Others let you manually activate it through the mobile app. If your car supports it, you might see a message saying, “Battery preconditioning in progress” before a session.
For some EV owners, preconditioning happens in the background, and they never have to think about it.
But if your car doesn’t do this on its own (like Volkswagen Group vehicles), or you don’t know when to use it, you could be losing efficiency without even realizing it.
How to manually precondition Volkswagen Group EV's battery with OBDeleven
OBDeleven’s One-Click App lets you manually preheat the battery in your Volkswagen Group EV before fast charging – right from your phone. For that, you’ll need the OBDeleven NextGen scanner and OBDeleven mobile app for iOS or Android.
Never used One-Click Apps before? Here’s how they work:
One-Click Apps are pre-made coding options that let you turn on, off, or adjust specific features in your car with just a few taps in the OBDeleven mobile app.
They can be activated using in-app currency (Credits), or if you drive a Volkswagen Group vehicle, you can enjoy them without any limits with the ULTIMATE VAG plan.
Available One-Click Apps vary by vehicle model. You can check compatibility by connecting your car to the OBDeleven app.
Here’s how to use "Battery Precondition" One-Click App:
1. Plug the OBDeleven NextGen tool into your car’s OBD2 port.
2. Connect your vehicle to the OBDeleven mobile app.
3. In the OBDeleven app, navigate to “Apps” > “Workshop” > “Battery Precondition.”
4. Make sure the ignition is on and the hood open before activating the feature. Then, click on "Change value" and select "Activate". After opening the hood, the system removes the 20 km firewall limit, so you won’t need to reopen it again until you've driven 20 km.
Once activated, the feature will heat the battery for 5 minutes, bringing it closer to the ideal fast-charging temperature. You might need to run the process 5–6 times to reach the optimal 25–30°C charging range.
In between activations, you’ll need to monitor live battery temperature through the Battery Energy Module control unit in the OBDeleven app.
Currently supported models:
- Audi Q4 2021
- Audi Q5 e-tron 2022
- Seat Cupra Born 2021
- Skoda Enyaq iV 2021
- Volkswagen ID.3 2020–2024
- Volkswagen ID.4 2020
- Volkswagen ID.4 X 2020
- Volkswagen ID.5 2022
- Volkswagen ID.6 2021
- And we’re adding more – stay tuned!
What happens if you don’t precondition your battery?
You won’t see immediate damage, but you’ll definitely notice the difference.
First, charging slows down – sometimes significantly. Lithium-ion batteries don’t like the cold, so when you plug in without preconditioning, your car automatically slows down charging to protect the battery. You might expect a quick top-up, only to find yourself waiting twice as long.
Then there’s range loss. A cold battery or one that's too hot won’t operate at peak efficiency. You’ll start your trip with the usual estimated range but watch your battery charge drop faster than usual.
Plus, in very cold weather, regenerative braking doesn’t work as effectively, meaning you recover less energy while driving.
Finally, even the performance takes a hit. Acceleration can feel sluggish, especially on winter mornings when the battery hasn’t warmed up yet.
The verdict:
Skipping preconditioning once in a while won’t hurt, but regularly charging in extreme temperatures wears down the cells faster, shortening your battery’s lifespan over time.
How long to precondition a battery before charging?
There’s no one-size-fits-all answer – it depends on the car, the outside temperature, and how you’re charging. But in most cases, battery preconditioning takes between 30 to 45 minutes when activated manually or automatically before a charging session.
In freezing temperatures, your EV may need more time to warm the battery to an optimal level. Some EVs, like Tesla, precondition automatically when you set a fast charger as your destination. Others require you to enable it manually in the app.
So, how do you know when your battery is ready?
Most EVs will display a message when the battery reaches the optimum temperature, or you’ll simply notice that charging speeds are much faster than before.
If you’re not sure whether your car preconditions automatically, check the manual or your app settings in more detail – you might already have the feature without realizing it.
Does battery preconditioning improve range?
Yes, but not in the way you might think.
Preconditioning itself doesn’t magically increase your battery’s capacity – but it does help your EV use energy more efficiently, which can lead to better range.
Here’s why:
When your battery is too cold, it has to warm itself up while driving, using extra energy that could have gone toward range. Regenerative braking is also less effective in low temperatures, meaning you recover less energy than usual.
And if the battery isn’t at its optimal temperature, energy efficiency drops, causing higher consumption per mile.
When should I precondition my EV battery?
The best time to precondition your battery depends on how and where you drive and charge. You’ll benefit from preconditioning the most in these situations:
- Before fast charging. If you're heading to a DC fast charger, preconditioning warms the battery to the optimal temperature so you can charge at full speed instead of waiting around.
- Before driving in cold weather. A warm battery delivers power more efficiently, improves regenerative braking, and prevents the sudden range drop that often comes with winter driving.
- After parking in extreme temperatures. If your car has been sitting in freezing cold or intense heat for hours, preconditioning helps stabilize the battery temperature before you start driving.
- If your EV doesn’t do it automatically. Some cars don’t precondition on their own, which means you’ll need to activate it manually through the app or settings.
FAQ
When should I precondition my Tesla battery?
If you drive a Tesla, your car already does a lot of the work for you. In most cases, preconditioning happens automatically, but there are times when you might want to turn it on manually.
Tesla automatically preconditions when:
- You set a Supercharger as your destination. The car warms the battery to ensure maximum charging speed when you arrive.
- It’s freezing outside. To prevent performance loss, Tesla preconditions the battery when temperatures drop too low.
For home charging or extreme cold, you can manually precondition through the Tesla app:
- Enable "Climate On": This indirectly warms the battery while preheating the cabin.
- Use "Scheduled Departure": This preps both the interior and battery so you’re ready to go at a set time.
For most Tesla owners, the automatic system handles preconditioning well. But if you’re charging outside the Supercharger network or dealing with sub-zero temperatures, manually preconditioning can help you charge faster and maintain better performance on the road.
What’s the difference between cabin preconditioning and battery preconditioning?
Cabin preconditioning warms up (or cools down) your car’s interior before you get in, ensuring cabin comfort before your trip. It usually includes features like heated steering wheel activation, air conditioning, and cabin heating.
Battery preconditioning, on the other hand, adjusts the battery’s temperature to its ideal range for better charging and performance. While both can often be scheduled through your EV’s climate control system, they serve completely different purposes – one is for your comfort, the other is for your EV’s efficiency.
Does preconditioning consume a lot of energy?
Yes, but not in a way that drains your range.
If your EV is plugged in while preconditioning, it pulls power from the charger – not the battery. That means you’re warming (or cooling) the battery without losing miles. Even when running off the battery alone, preconditioning prevents energy waste by making sure your EV starts at the best temperature for efficiency.
