Through an over-the-air update, Volkswagen is adding battery preconditioning to earlier ID: models and the first versions of the Skoda Enyaq. Just before winter sets in, these owners can profit from faster charging times in cold conditions. The catch is that it only works manually.
When the ID.3, ID.4 and Enyaq arrived in 2020, the MEB platform had an annoying omission. The high-voltage battery could not be preconditioned for fast charging. In cold weather, a chilly battery accepts only a fraction of the charger’s power, turning a 30-minute motorway stop into a much longer wait.
DIY fixes
The degree of frustration shouldn’t be underestimated. Some owners turned to do-it-yourself fixes, using custom microcontrollers, diagnostic dongles, and OBD apps to switch on battery heating themselves.
Newer MEB vehicles running software generations 4.x and 5.x already offer preconditioning, either automatically when navigating to a charger or manually. But the older cars, on software 3.x, were left out.
A jump from 3.x to newer systems is not technically possible due to hardware changes mandated by regulatory requirements. Volkswagen doesn’t name the specific law, but the timing coincides with Europe’s revised cybersecurity rules.
Volkswagen announced the update is aimed mainly at ID.4 and ID.5 models built before October 2023, ID.3 models built up to 2024, and early ID. Buzz units. Skoda is rolling out the equivalent for the Enyaq. According to the subsidiary, roughly 200,000 Enyaqs are eligible.
Planning required
The headline feature is manual battery preconditioning. Drivers start it from a new screen in the infotainment system, which also shows the current battery temperature. That button is only active when the battery is below 20°C. The system then gradually warms the pack to around 25°C, which takes some 30 to 40 minutes. In practice, drivers will need to press the button well before they reach the charger.
That is the key difference with newer models. There is no link to the route planner, so the car will not prepare itself automatically when you navigate to a fast charger. Volkswagen also makes it clear that preconditioning does not increase the car’s maximum charging power; it simply helps the battery reach that limit in cold conditions.
Rollout in waves
In addition to preheating, the thermal management of the high-voltage battery has been revised as well. Its temperature follows driving behavior more closely, and after a DC fast-charging session, the pack is now cooled more effectively to protect its long-term health.
The new software is also designed to detect sudden drops in AC charging power during home charging. The charger can now stabilize the process. Owners who charge with surplus solar power should also notice a difference, as the car now resumes charging more reliably after a pause when paired with smart wallboxes.
The rollout is free and happens in waves. Volkswagen says distribution will start shortly, following a so-called canary release: a small group of cars will receive the software first, before it is gradually rolled out. Two identical cars may therefore receive it at different times.
