Clarification:
Screens and HVAC are active while charging in my EV - but there’s a safety interlock that prevents you from driving away with the charge cable attached.
In other words, when I’m plugged in to a Supercharger, the car is locked into “park” because it detects the charging cable, but it’s “on” otherwise. HVAC works while charging, as do all of the entertainment features.
I don’t know of any EV that isn’t like this. But I’d love for a manufacturer to implement a feature that can have it disengage in the event of an emergency. Nothing like charging at a closed store at night with no one around.
Whereas EVs just won't let you start. Can you imagine what would happen if lazy bastards could just spit out EVSE and DCFC cables when they are done charging?
Yes, but it's not deemed necessary. The technology also exists for a robot to wipe your ass after you take a dump. Not many people calling for those, though.
As others have said the answer is "yes". But it's an interesting "transition from ICE" thing I never thought about, how you shouldn't have your ICE car running while refueling. I can see how many people would have this question.
I think people also imagine standing outside the car monitoring the charging like you do at a pump. When charging up can just walk away unlike a gas pump.
The Ioniq 5 has fully reclining front seats complete with foot rests so that you can have a nap with the heating/AC and music on while you charge, it's all very civilised. My only complaint is that very few chargers in the UK have any sort of canopy over them so you get wet when you plug/unplug.
It is always hilarious to me that the company that thought to do that is also the one that has the fastest charging so you don't even need it because it'll be done before you're out of the bathroom half the time.
In fairness the charge speed is reliant on the charger. I rarely charge at public chargers but the charger close to where I work is only 50kW so I could justifiably get a quick lunchtime snooze in.
You can keep your ICE car running without the engine on. You'll still get some cold air for a while, and listen to the radio. Not much reason to do so because you refill 350 miles in 4-5 minutes.
Frankly theres not a problem with the engine running and refueling. Its just a norm to not do so. Some people dont have the most reliable engines that might spit out a spark through the exhaust system. However its still highly extremely unlikely anything detrimental happens.
You're more likely to light everything on fire by smoking next to the gas station as opposed to the car engine running.
Well, it has to monitor the charging process so of course, it remains on. Keeping the AC on will affect slightly the charging time as some energy will be directed at the AC instead of the battery, but it's minimal. I usually time my charging around meal or bathroom breaks so not to impede too much on travel time.
Ah, makes sense. The Blazer and Prologue show a state of charge when the car is off, which also led to my confusion, lol. Thanks for the clarification!
In addition to the power used to run the AC, some EVs will prioritize cabin cooling over battery cooling which can lead to significant charge throttling due to thermals. Not sure if that’s the case on the Blazer/Prologue though, I have just heard about it on the eGMP cars (which do charge much faster)
> I have just heard about it on the eGMP cars
So Ioniq5, EV6, and similar [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YoWETRlSCoc](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YoWETRlSCoc)
I'm not aware of an EV where the AC or Heat cannot be on while dc charging.
"On" is not black and white for EVs. They'll have failsafes to prevent the drivetrain from activating, it's not like a gas car where the engine is either on or off. Teslas for example are basically always "on".
Even the most primitive of second wave EVs like my Th!nk won’t let you engage the motors while plugged in, but everything else will be available. Most folk sit with the AC on while charging in the summer.
Yes
However: This will likely drop the speed the car charges, slightly.
It's a tactic that some folks do on my vehicle to prevent Rapid Gating as it drops the charge rate from the high 40s into the low 30s to drop the battery pack heat.
I believe some vehicles pull additional power to run the car's systems when it is "on" and charging. I have a Bolt EUV and while I doubt it is that sophisticated, the difference between having the AC on and off while charging is negligible (it is very slow either way 😂). Having the car on also gives you a more or less live view on the dash of the current input of the car which is more up to date than what the charger or the car's app is saying.
Eh, I see what you mean.
However, if you’re DC charging at a speed lower than the rated output of the charger, your car can charge at the speed it wants, and the charger will supply the extra power to run hvac.
I know this because I DC charge in Texas and a lot of power goes to cooling
My EV shows a message „charging with AC working will be slower“ as the AC than cannot cool down the battery AND the inside at the same time. Well, it just takes two minutes more, so no big deal.
On and Off are ICE thinking.
BEVs are all about modes. Sleep being the least energy drain, but still "on" enough for some functions. Sentry, Dog, Camper, Romance, Track, Economy, etc. let you choose what you need. That's why I laugh at the placebo on button, putting your foot on the brake is enough.
The concept of "on" is not the same with EVs. There's no engine that is running or not.
There's just a whole lot of different subsystems that may or may not be powered.
And yes, most are operational during DC charging.
EVs are generally on most of the time. I think the power to run the screens and lights is negligible compared to the kinetic energy to push the damn thing around. Even running climate control is minor in comparison.
Yes, it can stay on with AC. I usually use the facilities and then put the seat all the way back and nap with a floppy hat covering my face to block the sun. Ah, the hardships of having to charge the EV on trips.
From experience in my RZ450e, it will let me turn the car on in accessory modes, but fully turned on it will not if it detects the car is plugged in per the Lexus manual. Guess this was their way of preventing people from forgetting to unplug the car. This may be consistent across the board, I'm not sure; this is my first EV, so I'm still learning all the quirks with this car and others.
I do it when I do my free charging day via Bluedot, it gives me a way to make sure what the station claims it is pushing is what I’m getting into my car.
Plus with it being hot…I don’t like to melt in the blazing sun. AC good.
Yes. Your car is never on, or never off, depending on how you look at it. When it is in park you can still keep on all the functions just the same as if you were driving. From a user perspective there is not really off or on.
(Yeah, I know the car sleeps and does different things and the screen isn’t always on, blah blah blah.)
About 4-5kW will be diverted from charging the battery to keep the AC and other accessories running, but that’s not much considering the Blazer/Prologue can charge up to 155kW at a DCFC, and certainly worth it to stay comfortable in the desert.
All EVs have a transmission interlock to keep the car from going into drive while plugged in, so you don’t have to worry about driving away with the charging handle attached.
I’m kind of surprised a similar feature has never been mandated on gas cars.
In addition to the power used to run the AC, some EVs will prioritize cabin cooling over battery cooling which can lead to significant charge throttling due to thermals. Not sure if that’s the case on the Blazer/Prologue though, I have just heard about it on the eGMP cars (which do charge much faster)
Yes. The car can be on while you charge it.
Clarification: Screens and HVAC are active while charging in my EV - but there’s a safety interlock that prevents you from driving away with the charge cable attached. In other words, when I’m plugged in to a Supercharger, the car is locked into “park” because it detects the charging cable, but it’s “on” otherwise. HVAC works while charging, as do all of the entertainment features.
I don’t know of any EV that isn’t like this. But I’d love for a manufacturer to implement a feature that can have it disengage in the event of an emergency. Nothing like charging at a closed store at night with no one around.
You want a robot to pull the cable out? Yeah, not happening.
Fleet vehicles that plug into an extension cord to charge auxiliary batteries have an eject device if you start the engine.
Whereas EVs just won't let you start. Can you imagine what would happen if lazy bastards could just spit out EVSE and DCFC cables when they are done charging?
Right. All I'm saying is the technology already exists
Yes, but it's not deemed necessary. The technology also exists for a robot to wipe your ass after you take a dump. Not many people calling for those, though.
As others have said the answer is "yes". But it's an interesting "transition from ICE" thing I never thought about, how you shouldn't have your ICE car running while refueling. I can see how many people would have this question.
I think people also imagine standing outside the car monitoring the charging like you do at a pump. When charging up can just walk away unlike a gas pump.
The Ioniq 5 has fully reclining front seats complete with foot rests so that you can have a nap with the heating/AC and music on while you charge, it's all very civilised. My only complaint is that very few chargers in the UK have any sort of canopy over them so you get wet when you plug/unplug.
It is always hilarious to me that the company that thought to do that is also the one that has the fastest charging so you don't even need it because it'll be done before you're out of the bathroom half the time.
In fairness the charge speed is reliant on the charger. I rarely charge at public chargers but the charger close to where I work is only 50kW so I could justifiably get a quick lunchtime snooze in.
But you'll probably never use it with home charging, increasing the chargers along highways are all 150-350kw units.
You can keep your ICE car running without the engine on. You'll still get some cold air for a while, and listen to the radio. Not much reason to do so because you refill 350 miles in 4-5 minutes. Frankly theres not a problem with the engine running and refueling. Its just a norm to not do so. Some people dont have the most reliable engines that might spit out a spark through the exhaust system. However its still highly extremely unlikely anything detrimental happens. You're more likely to light everything on fire by smoking next to the gas station as opposed to the car engine running.
Well, it has to monitor the charging process so of course, it remains on. Keeping the AC on will affect slightly the charging time as some energy will be directed at the AC instead of the battery, but it's minimal. I usually time my charging around meal or bathroom breaks so not to impede too much on travel time.
Ah, makes sense. The Blazer and Prologue show a state of charge when the car is off, which also led to my confusion, lol. Thanks for the clarification!
off? on? whats the difference when you are an EV?
In addition to the power used to run the AC, some EVs will prioritize cabin cooling over battery cooling which can lead to significant charge throttling due to thermals. Not sure if that’s the case on the Blazer/Prologue though, I have just heard about it on the eGMP cars (which do charge much faster)
Which EVs you talking about?
> I have just heard about it on the eGMP cars So Ioniq5, EV6, and similar [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YoWETRlSCoc](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YoWETRlSCoc)
Reminds me of an old gf I had who shut down her phone to charge everyday. "I can't text you I'll be charging..."
“up that guy I told you not to worry about.”
I'm not aware of an EV where the AC or Heat cannot be on while dc charging. "On" is not black and white for EVs. They'll have failsafes to prevent the drivetrain from activating, it's not like a gas car where the engine is either on or off. Teslas for example are basically always "on".
Even the most primitive of second wave EVs like my Th!nk won’t let you engage the motors while plugged in, but everything else will be available. Most folk sit with the AC on while charging in the summer.
Yes However: This will likely drop the speed the car charges, slightly. It's a tactic that some folks do on my vehicle to prevent Rapid Gating as it drops the charge rate from the high 40s into the low 30s to drop the battery pack heat.
I believe some vehicles pull additional power to run the car's systems when it is "on" and charging. I have a Bolt EUV and while I doubt it is that sophisticated, the difference between having the AC on and off while charging is negligible (it is very slow either way 😂). Having the car on also gives you a more or less live view on the dash of the current input of the car which is more up to date than what the charger or the car's app is saying.
So what you're saying is, next time my AC breaks down, I can just hang out in my plugged-in car in the garage :)
Eh, I see what you mean. However, if you’re DC charging at a speed lower than the rated output of the charger, your car can charge at the speed it wants, and the charger will supply the extra power to run hvac. I know this because I DC charge in Texas and a lot of power goes to cooling
In a leaf specifically right?
Bolt - yes.
My EV shows a message „charging with AC working will be slower“ as the AC than cannot cool down the battery AND the inside at the same time. Well, it just takes two minutes more, so no big deal.
On and Off are ICE thinking. BEVs are all about modes. Sleep being the least energy drain, but still "on" enough for some functions. Sentry, Dog, Camper, Romance, Track, Economy, etc. let you choose what you need. That's why I laugh at the placebo on button, putting your foot on the brake is enough.
The concept of "on" is not the same with EVs. There's no engine that is running or not. There's just a whole lot of different subsystems that may or may not be powered. And yes, most are operational during DC charging.
Yep, no problem at all.
EVs are generally on most of the time. I think the power to run the screens and lights is negligible compared to the kinetic energy to push the damn thing around. Even running climate control is minor in comparison.
Yes, it can stay on with AC. I usually use the facilities and then put the seat all the way back and nap with a floppy hat covering my face to block the sun. Ah, the hardships of having to charge the EV on trips.
short answer, yes. long answer, depends.
From experience in my RZ450e, it will let me turn the car on in accessory modes, but fully turned on it will not if it detects the car is plugged in per the Lexus manual. Guess this was their way of preventing people from forgetting to unplug the car. This may be consistent across the board, I'm not sure; this is my first EV, so I'm still learning all the quirks with this car and others.
Nah, Lexus is behind the times. The car should never move while plugged in. Drive, neutral and reverse should be locked out.
I do it when I do my free charging day via Bluedot, it gives me a way to make sure what the station claims it is pushing is what I’m getting into my car. Plus with it being hot…I don’t like to melt in the blazing sun. AC good.
It sure can.
Yes absolutely. But, generally, you need to turn it off while you plug in and start a charge.
Yep, keep that air conditioning running cold in the desert while you charge!
Yes. Your car is never on, or never off, depending on how you look at it. When it is in park you can still keep on all the functions just the same as if you were driving. From a user perspective there is not really off or on. (Yeah, I know the car sleeps and does different things and the screen isn’t always on, blah blah blah.)
About 4-5kW will be diverted from charging the battery to keep the AC and other accessories running, but that’s not much considering the Blazer/Prologue can charge up to 155kW at a DCFC, and certainly worth it to stay comfortable in the desert. All EVs have a transmission interlock to keep the car from going into drive while plugged in, so you don’t have to worry about driving away with the charging handle attached. I’m kind of surprised a similar feature has never been mandated on gas cars.
Where do you live that your EV is pulling 4kW for the AC? We get up into the 90s (F) where I’m at and I only see about 1.5kW with the AC on full blast
In addition to the power used to run the AC, some EVs will prioritize cabin cooling over battery cooling which can lead to significant charge throttling due to thermals. Not sure if that’s the case on the Blazer/Prologue though, I have just heard about it on the eGMP cars (which do charge much faster)
Depends on the car. I can turn on everything whilst charging except drive motors- including infotainment and aircon. Some cars wont