Rivian software update spotlight: Cimate Schedules & the Battery Preconditioning

[Administrator]

These Rivian owners previewed our newest software update, which lets you create climate schedules so your vehicle is comfortable & the battery preconditioned when it's time to go. Also: a new regen brake assist feature for year-round drive consistency. http://rivn.co/ota50

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[COdogman]

I used the climate schedule for the first time this morning. Very convenient! Don’t have to remember to open the app and turn it on while I’m getting ready to leave for work anymore.. Nice update!

 

[R1Thor]

I used the climate schedule for the first time this morning. Very convenient! Don’t have to remember to open the app and turn it on while I’m getting ready to leave for work anymore.. Nice update!

Curious: my leave time probably varies a good ~15 minutes on days I do go into the office, and my days vary on a week by week basis.

So, for someone like me, IS there any benefit to working on setting pre-conditioning on an 'as-needed' basis versus just ...opening the app and hitting the heat button ~5-10 minutes before leaving each morning?

 

[MountainBikeDude]

For those that have the update, how long after the scheduled departure time will it maintain temperatures before powering down?

 

[DTown3011]

Curious: my leave time probably varies a good ~15 minutes on days I do go into the office, and my days vary on a week by week basis.

So, for someone like me, IS there any benefit to working on setting pre-conditioning on an 'as-needed' basis versus just ...opening the app and hitting the heat button ~5-10 minutes before leaving each morning?

From what I’ve read and seen I think you’re probably better off, maintaining the flexibility of just hitting the button yourself each morning, but I would probably do it more like 15 to 20 minutes in advance

 

[COdogman]

Curious: my leave time probably varies a good ~15 minutes on days I do go into the office, and my days vary on a week by week basis.

So, for someone like me, IS there any benefit to working on setting pre-conditioning on an 'as-needed' basis versus just ...opening the app and hitting the heat button ~5-10 minutes before leaving each morning?

Probably not. I also leave 15 minutes earlier or later some mornings, but I figure even if I leave later it will just maintain that temp until I get in and start driving. If I leave early and it hasn't started yet, oh well - first world problems

FWIW it also gives you a choice whether to use charger or battery power when you set up the schedule. So if you chose charger power it wouldn't decrease your range if you left later than expected.

 

[R1Thor]

Probably not. I also leave 15 minutes earlier or later some mornings, but I figure even if I leave later it will just maintain that temp until I get in and start driving. If I leave early and it hasn't started yet, oh well - first world problems

FWIW it also gives you a choice whether to use charger or battery power when you set up the schedule. So if you chose charger power it wouldn't decrease your range if you left later than expected.

All of that makes sense.

I didn't know if there might be some strange level of preconditioning that might be beneficial otherwise. I'm totally overthinking it--which I suspected, but you confirmed my suspicion.

Thanks!

 

[R1Thor]

From what I’ve read and seen I think you’re probably better off, maintaining the flexibility of just hitting the button yourself each morning, but I would probably do it more like 15 to 20 minutes in advance

Any reason for the 15-20 minutes? My truck's plenty warm with even just ~5 minutes of heat running. I do notice it mightn't be enough for the seat warmer to have made an impact, but 10 minutes definitely gets that.

I was, I think, Overthinking whether or not the extra time of getting the battery 'warmed' might benefit, but I don't really think it does--I think most of the warming up happens with driving the truck, unless it recently finished charging.

Thanks!

 

[DTown3011]

Any reason for the 15-20 minutes? My truck's plenty warm with even just ~5 minutes of heat running. I do notice it mightn't be enough for the seat warmer to have made an impact, but 10 minutes definitely gets that.

I was, I think, Overthinking whether or not the extra time of getting the battery 'warmed' might benefit, but I don't really think it does--I think most of the warming up happens with driving the truck, unless it recently finished charging.

Thanks!

Thats what I was thinking regarding the battery - with climate, 5-10 mins is fine but you might want to allow extra for the battery. I could be TOTALLY wrong however.

 

[Sethsak]

So preconditioning is both climate AND battery? I was not clear if battery conditioning was part of this. My understanding is there’s no heat pump, so while driving the battery preconditions by overheating the motors (which freaked me out the first time I saw it happen) then using a cooling loop between the motor and battery to dump heat from the motors into the battery. Doesn’t seem like a great system to me given the massive temp swings it subject the motors to… but my applicable question is how the battery is preconditioned without the motors running. Would it be able to precondition if it’s charged to 100%? My goal is to leave for skiing with the car charged to 100% and cabin and battery already pre-heated.

 

[sherold]

So preconditioning is both climate AND battery? I was not clear if battery conditioning was part of this. My understanding is there’s no heat pump, so while driving the battery preconditions by overheating the motors (which freaked me out the first time I saw it happen) then using a cooling loop between the motor and battery to dump heat from the motors into the battery. Doesn’t seem like a great system to me given the massive temp swings it subject the motors to… but my applicable question is how the battery is preconditioned without the motors running. Would it be able to precondition if it’s charged to 100%? My goal is to leave for skiing with the car charged to 100% and cabin and battery already pre-heated.

"You can now create schedules in the new Climate Schedule panel on the center display (or in the Rivian mobile app version 2.5.1 or higher) to precondition the vehicle cabin and the high voltage battery"

 

[zefram47]

I was, I think, Overthinking whether or not the extra time of getting the battery 'warmed' might benefit, but I don't really think it does--I think most of the warming up happens with driving the truck, unless it recently finished charging.

So preconditioning is both climate AND battery? I was not clear if battery conditioning was part of this. My understanding is there’s no heat pump, so while driving the battery preconditions by overheating the motors (which freaked me out the first time I saw it happen) then using a cooling loop between the motor and battery to dump heat from the motors into the battery.

Yes, it warms the battery using the motors too...and will take more than 5-10 min. Even on 2023.46 I went out to the truck the other day after preconditioning and saw one of the motors was orange and the battery had warmed at least 10F.

 

[zefram47]

For those that have the update, how long after the scheduled departure time will it maintain temperatures before powering down?

Seems like it doesn't. I had mine set for 7am and by 7:05a when I got out to the truck it was already off...though still warm.

 

[R.I.P.]

So preconditioning is both climate AND battery? I was not clear if battery conditioning was part of this. My understanding is there’s no heat pump, so while driving the battery preconditions by overheating the motors (which freaked me out the first time I saw it happen) then using a cooling loop between the motor and battery to dump heat from the motors into the battery. Doesn’t seem like a great system to me given the massive temp swings it subject the motors to… but my applicable question is how the battery is preconditioned without the motors running. Would it be able to precondition if it’s charged to 100%? My goal is to leave for skiing with the car charged to 100% and cabin and battery already pre-heated.

• The vehicle preconditions the battery when the climate is turned on if needed. Yes, it does this, and it did it on earlier software stacks as well.
• Yes, the vehicle does this by using the motor(s) windings as heating elements. It does not always use all the motors (on the DM), I have seen it just use my front motor to precondition the battery.
• No, the vehicle does not have to be moving to do this.
• Yes, it does all of this much more efficiently in the DM, rarely needing to heat the motor beyond 120 degrees to get sufficient heat for the battery.

These questions keep popping up, so since it is now winter, hopefully this helps with understanding why it is a good thing to precondition.

 

[MountainBikeDude]

Seems like it doesn't. I had mine set for 7am and by 7:05a when I got out to the truck it was already off...though still warm.

I kinda prefer that. Drivetrain/battery thermals take time to radiate heat without intervention, so preconditioning should keep the drivetrain at an efficient state for a while even after the preconditioning is complete.

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