- Many of the early MEB-based Volkswagen Group EVs don’t have a battery preconditioning feature, despite the cars having the necessary hardware for it.
- The Volkswagen ID.3, ID.4 and ID. Buzz, as well as the Skoda Enyaq and Cupra Born are among the affected models.
- Without battery preconditioning, fast charging in cold climates can be very time-consuming. Now, though, there’s a solution.
The first batch of Volkswagen’s modern electric cars was not without fault. Many of the issues were eventually solved through software updates, but one major sticking point is still there for early customers of cars like the Volkswagen ID.4 and Skoda Enyaq.
In MEB-based EVs assembled anywhere from 2021 to early 2024, there is no way to preheat the high-voltage battery pack before plugging into a DC fast charger. As a result, it will take longer to charge when it’s cold outside because the battery restricts power if it’s not at the ideal temperature.
What makes it even more frustrating is the fact that these cars have all the hardware needed to keep the battery at the right temperature. There’s just no way to manually turn on preconditioning. Instead, the EV’s brain uses the heater and coolant pump to keep the battery temperature from dropping too low, but that’s it.
In newer cars with the latest software, owners can preheat the battery by tapping on the screen. Now, though, there’s a solution for pre-2024 MEB EVs too—you’ll just have to build it yourself.
Thankfully, it’s not too difficult. The solution, which was created by security engineer Fredrik Gustafsson, comes in the form of a small circuit board that taps into the car’s battery management system (BMS) harness. Gustafsson has instructions on his GitHub page, but here’s the gist of it.
The small circuit board that sends commands to the BMS needs to be programmed using a separate USB dongle. After the software is loaded onto the board, it needs to be connected to an extension cable that taps into the BMS connector, which is located behind the glovebox. Altogether, the parts cost roughly $40 to $50, plus the time it takes to build it all.
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Here’s where things get a little inelegant. To activate the battery heater and associated coolant pump, the little circuit board needs to be powered from a USB power source via a USB-C cable. It’s not a huge deal, but it’s not exactly modern, either. Additionally, there’s no way of knowing what the preconditioning system is doing—what’s the battery temperature or what state the heater is in, this sort of thing.
Please note: Messing with your car’s BMS is risky business, and doing this probably will void any warranties. We can’t exactly recommend you go this route.
At the same time, Gustafsson says that the car has all the necessary failsafes in place to prevent any damage from happening. So when the battery reaches the right temperature, the heater turns off.
More details can be found on the creator’s GitHub page, as well as on the VWIDTalk forum. And there’s more good news, too. Gustafsson already has a second, more refined version of his system, which uses a smartphone app to control the battery heater and monitor all the information. Although version 2 is functional, Gustafsson said that he hasn’t figured out a way to reliably distribute the parts, as the circuit board for this second attempt is custom-made.
Until that happens, though, the first iteration with the USB-C cable is the best solution for Volkswagen, Skoda and Cupra EV owners who desperately need battery preconditioning. It’s not perfect, but it works.