Test drive battery drama

3038 Views 5 Replies 6 Participants Last post by McRat, Feb 16, 2019

simon.hodges7

Discussion Starter · Feb 15, 2019

So I went to test drive an I-Pace. The rep took us out, showed off a couple of fast acceleration jaunts, then it started shuttering like all 4 tires were flat, and it just creeped a bit until it stopped altogether. Apparently, the previous test-driver must have lead-footed it, and got the battery too hot.

My concern is that there was zero warning before it just started shuttering and shut down.

Any info out there on how the BMS works, and how the I-Pace protects its battery from thermal damage? I'm obviously leery after the experience.

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Dantrium

· #2 · Feb 16, 2019

[email protected] said:
So I went to test drive an I-Pace. The rep took us out, showed off a couple of fast acceleration jaunts, then it started shuttering like all 4 tires were flat, and it just creeped a bit until it stopped altogether. Apparently, the previous test-driver must have lead-footed it, and got the battery too hot.

My concern is that there was zero warning before it just started shuttering and shut down.

Any info out there on how the BMS works, and how the I-Pace protects its battery from thermal damage? I'm obviously leery after the experience.

Any idea why they attributed it to the battery being ‘too hot’? That just doesn’t make sense.

There are a couple other members on this form who had very similar experiences and it wasn’t a ‘hot battery’, I believe both cases were it was catastrophic motor failure.

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CyberSlug

· #3 · Feb 16, 2019

I remember those posts as well. I believe both of them were a catastrophic failure of the front motor.

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Time2Roll

· #4 · Feb 16, 2019

There was another report of some shuddering before a shut down. I believe it was a drivetrain sensor issue. Not a hot battery. Resolution might have been to return the vehicle. Actual defect or cause may not be known.

I would not rule out I-Pace over this. Get a test drive in a different vehicle.

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epirali

· #5 · Feb 16, 2019

Actually one of the many strengths of I Pace is that the battery and the drivetrain, unlike Tesla, is not designed to be impressive for a quick burst before it overheats. On the test drives in heat temperature the I Pace does not slow down after 7 laps while a Tesla doesn’t finish the first lap before thermally throttling speed.

So it couldn’t have been the battery, it must have been the drive train that seems to effect some early units.

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McRat

· #6 · Feb 16, 2019

I also doubt it was an overtemp event. They tested these in the summer on a roadrace course. That is an order of magnitude tougher on a car than drag racing.
Was the cooling fan racing? It's noticeably loud.

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