I’ve had my 2023 EV6 Wind for 7 months and already put 67,000 miles on it. When I first got it, it showed 355 miles at 100%, but now it only shows 230. Today I started with 90% charge, drove 64 miles (1 hour and 50 minutes), and ended up at 58% with only 128 miles of range left. Why is this happening? Is the battery dying? Can it be reversed? Every time I charge, the range seems to drop even more.
The range display is just an estimate. It changes depending on how you drive and whether you’re using things like heat or air conditioning. If it’s getting colder where you live and your model doesn’t have a heat pump, running the heater can really cut into your range. Check the screen that shows the range with and without climate controls.
If you’re super worried, you can get an OBDII module with Bluetooth and use an app to check the battery health directly. I use a Veeppeak with the “Car Scanner” app on my iPhone, and it shows detailed battery data.
@Cleo
Thanks so much, that’s really helpful! I’ll look into getting that. I’m so worried because the battery seems to be dying so fast. I used to go almost a whole day without charging, but now I’m charging three times a day.
Wait… 67,000 miles in 7 months?
Ainsley said:
Wait… 67,000 miles in 7 months?
That’s wild. That’s like driving 115,000 miles in a year. Even long-haul truckers don’t usually drive that much.
Ainsley said:
Wait… 67,000 miles in 7 months?
It’s a rideshare vehicle. I got it with around 4,000 miles on it, and I’ve been driving every day since.
Ainsley said:
Wait… 67,000 miles in 7 months?
It’s a rideshare vehicle. I got it with around 4,000 miles on it, and I’ve been driving every day since.
Wow, over 300 miles a day on average. With that kind of usage, I’d expect some range loss.
@Ainsley
If you’re using fast chargers daily, especially charging to 100% each time, it could explain the battery degradation. That’s a lot of strain on the system.
You used 32% of the battery to go 64 miles, which gives an estimated range of 200 miles (64 ÷ 0.32). That could be due to your speed or the temperature. How fast were you driving during that trip?
Orion said:
You used 32% of the battery to go 64 miles, which gives an estimated range of 200 miles (64 ÷ 0.32). That could be due to your speed or the temperature. How fast were you driving during that trip?
I was mostly driving between 60 and 75 mph.
@Corey
Speed really eats up your range. At those speeds, what you’re seeing isn’t unusual.
Could it be the colder weather?
Zeph said:
Could it be the colder weather?
I live in Texas, so it’s not exactly freezing, but it has been cooler lately.
Colder weather affects batteries. They’re less efficient, and heating the cabin takes more energy. Once it warms up, your range should improve.
Reese said:
Colder weather affects batteries. They’re less efficient, and heating the cabin takes more energy. Once it warms up, your range should improve.
Thing is, I’m in Dallas, and we don’t get much of a winter. I’m more worried that the fast chargers I’ve been using have damaged the battery. For the first few months, I was charging to 100% daily on a 50kW charger. Then I switched to faster EVgo chargers, and that’s when I noticed the range dropping rapidly.
Check how long the battery warranty is for mileage and years. Make sure you’re doing all the required maintenance to keep it valid. You can get a battery health report from Kia or an independent company. If you’re close to the warranty limit, it might make sense to wait a bit before doing anything drastic.
Don’t panic. This happens every fall and winter when people start using more energy for heat. Cold air is denser, so it increases drag, and windier conditions also make a difference. Plus, heaters in EVs draw power, unlike in gas cars where heat is essentially free.
Which version of the car do you have? Is it AWD or RWD? If it’s RWD without a heat pump, that could explain a lot. Also, check your tire pressure—colder air makes it drop, and low pressure increases rolling resistance.
What’s your energy efficiency (mi/kWh)? What does your charging station say about how much energy goes into the battery? Knowing these numbers will help.
67,000 miles in 7 months? Are you working double shifts for Uber?
Or maybe there’s a typo in your post?