What's the source of the heater?

[rodcom]

When it works.

You’re right about that. Recently it has been working but next week it will likely be on vacation again

Sponsored

 

[Coj]

When it works.

Yes, have tried several times and have been successful a few time. Seems to have trouble connecting with the car.

 

[Coj]

For 100 grand we really shouldn't have to "compensate" though. That's the annoying part about it. The expectation is higher, but it's actually worse than many $35k cars (or $50k EVs).

Totally. And the service guy says it’s the same in all EV’s which I promptly clearified that no it’s only in Porsche EV’s. He clearly had never driven EV’s.

 

[dbsb3233]

At this price point, I would kinda hope a car would include both a heat pump and a resistive heater. Use resistive heat for fast changes (starting a cold car), then use the more efficient heat pump for maintaining a steady temp (that doesn't need as much "umph").

 

[Awaz]

When it works.

Agree.
Preconditioning using the app is very erratic. 50% of the times, I get the message could not connect to the server, and that too after a long wait. Annoying.
I wonder if the latest software helped this issue

 

[Degenatron]

Not entirely certain that's correct.

All EVs have an HV (high voltage) heater and country dependent will have a heat pump as standard.

The purpose of the heat pump is generally to redirect waste heat from the battery to the interior as part of the efficiency and not the primary source of cabin heating.

The Taycan cabin heated very quickly but also suffered quality issues with the HV heater leading to many failures.

Sounds to me that the experienced behaviour is not normal unless running in ECO mode or Porsche have dialled things back.

It's hard to find anything definitive and have been trying to piece it together, would love to see a schematic! These exist for the Taycan but not for Macan. However we know some things:

• The IPB (under the rear seats) has a PTC heater in it solely for heating the battery/motor coolant. When preconditioning battery for rapid charging it uses the PTC heater.
• Battery and motors are cooled by front radiator circuit only. Does not use AC.
• Cabin is heated by heat pump as the radiator fans turn on when heating from cold (and 6kW heater, but when? Slow warm-up behaviour suggests only the heat pump is being used. 6kW heater is shown on parts list)
• Unlike Taycan there is no refrigerant/coolant heat exchanger. Heat pump does not interact with battery/motor coolant circuit.
• Macan cannot heat the cabin with heat generated from the motor/battery coolant.

On the last two points, Porsche wisely chose the most reliable option keeping the circuits separate. They avoided use of an 'octovalve' like Tesla which would have been the most efficient way (they even scavenge heat from the cars main computer and motor inverters!), but as the model Y ages will likely prove unreliable.

 

[ColdCase]

The Macan has both resistive heat and a heat pump. Resistive heat is very inefficient and Porsche decided to program the software to minimize its use. At very low temps I've witnessed near immediate heat, but in cooler weather it is certainly slower most of the time, Porsche says to use the seat and steering wheel heaters.

I've been able to force near immediate heat by setting the temp way up.

System works similar to my BMW based Mini, perhaps a German thing?

 

[W1NGE]

It's hard to find anything definitive and have been trying to piece it together, would love to see a schematic! These exist for the Taycan but not for Macan. However we know some things:

• The IPB (under the rear seats) has a PTC heater in it solely for heating the battery/motor coolant. When preconditioning battery for rapid charging it uses the PTC heater.
• Battery and motors are cooled by front radiator circuit only. Does not use AC.
• Cabin is heated by heat pump as the radiator fans turn on when heating from cold (and 6kW heater, but when? Slow warm-up behaviour suggests only the heat pump is being used. 6kW heater is shown on parts list)
• Unlike Taycan there is no refrigerant/coolant heat exchanger. Heat pump does not interact with battery/motor coolant circuit.
• Macan cannot heat the cabin with heat generated from the motor/battery coolant.

On the last two points, Porsche wisely chose the most reliable option keeping the circuits separate. They avoided use of an 'octovalve' like Tesla which would have been the most efficient way (they even scavenge heat from the cars main computer and motor inverters!), but as the model Y ages will likely prove unreliable.

Again, not sure that's correct: as the IPB performs 3 tasks Including cabin heating:

https://newsroom.porsche.com/en/press-kits/the-new-porsche-macan/Batterie-und-Laden.html

The Integrated Power Box (IPB) combines three components: the onboard AC charger, which converts alternating current (AC) into direct current (DC) during charging; the high-voltage heater, which controls the temperature of the high-voltage battery and the passenger compartment; and the DC/DC converter, which supplies the 12-volt vehicle electrical system

... The high-voltage heater can be used to heat high-voltage components, such as the battery, in colder months. This keeps the battery within an optimal temperature range. This applies to both when driving and while charging. Thermal preconditioning is also carried out by the Porsche Charging Planner using the route planning function.

 

[PrudentOcean]

The fact that one of the functions of the IPB is that it heats the cabin doesn’t mean that it is the only source of heat. We know the Macan has a heat pump, so it is likely that the more power-hungry IPB is used when the heat pump alone can’t meet the heating demands.

Heat pumps are efficient, able to provide more energy as heat than they consume, something that is impossible with resistive heating. The downside is that they work slowly and don’t provide the stream of hot air that we crave in cold weather — that can only be created using resistive heating.

 

[Degenatron]

Again, not sure that's correct: as the IPB performs 3 tasks Including cabin heating:

https://newsroom.porsche.com/en/press-kits/the-new-porsche-macan/Batterie-und-Laden.html

The Integrated Power Box (IPB) combines three components: the onboard AC charger, which converts alternating current (AC) into direct current (DC) during charging; the high-voltage heater, which controls the temperature of the high-voltage battery and the passenger compartment; and the DC/DC converter, which supplies the 12-volt vehicle electrical system

... The high-voltage heater can be used to heat high-voltage components, such as the battery, in colder months. This keeps the battery within an optimal temperature range. This applies to both when driving and while charging. Thermal preconditioning is also carried out by the Porsche Charging Planner using the route planning function.

Hmm, I think some things get lost in translation in these German to English articles. They throw in passenger compartment, but then directly contradict themselves saying the heater "directly heats HV components"

This article is written like it was explained to them in English and puts it to bed for me:
https://www.autoevolution.com/news/... enough, the Macan EV,and a heat pump instead.

Further, I've never actually noticed heat build up in the battery while driving in cold weather, which could then be used to heat the cabin. Does not seem to be a credible scenario in this car.

 

[W1NGE]

The fact that one of the functions of the IPB is that it heats the cabin doesn’t mean that it is the only source of heat. We know the Macan has a heat pump, so it is likely that the more power-hungry IPB is used when the heat pump alone can’t meet the heating demands.

Heat pumps are efficient, able to provide more energy as heat than they consume, something that is impossible with resistive heating. The downside is that they work slowly and don’t provide the stream of hot air that we crave in cold weather — that can only be created using resistive heating.

I mentioned earlier that the heat pump (and primary purpose) will use waste heat from the battery to also help heat the cabin as part of the energy efficiency process to help losing too much energy to heating the cabin via the HV heater.

First thing in the morning on a cold day the heat pump won't be doing much at all in respect of cabin heating ;-)

You stated that the:

• The IPB (under the rear seats) has a PTC heater in it solely for heating the battery/motor coolant. When preconditioning battery for rapid charging it uses the PTC heater.

was misleading and incorrect.

At least now make the heat pump standard kit on the Macan EV whereas previously it was an option on the J1.1 Taycan in some markets (including parts of Europe).

 

[PrudentOcean]

You stated that the:

• The IPB (under the rear seats) has a PTC heater in it solely for heating the battery/motor coolant. When preconditioning battery for rapid charging it uses the PTC heater.

was misleading and incorrect.

I said no such thing.

 

[Fluff]

The Macan has both resistive heat and a heat pump. Resistive heat is very inefficient and Porsche decided to program the software to minimize its use. At very low temps I've witnessed near immediate heat, but in cooler weather it is certainly slower most of the time, Porsche says to use the seat and steering wheel heaters.

I've been able to force near immediate heat by setting the temp way up.

System works similar to my BMW based Mini, perhaps a German thing?

I-pace was the same, to get heat or cold, you had to crank up the setting. But if you do, you get heat in the macan within 30 seconds I'd say, and in that time the heated seats, wheel, windscreen will be clearing any mist, and making you feel warm.

Or just pre-heat, which works a treat.

 

[Awaz]

Or just pre-heat, which works a treat.

That one is very moody. Most of the time, the comes out 'unable to connect to the server' - (at least in my case)

 

[Fluff]

That one is very moody. Most of the time, the comes out 'unable to connect to the server' - (at least in my case)

I've used it probably 5 times, worked every single time so for you.

Sponsored