Heat pump at low temperatures

[BobK]

This morning is 0C and I decided to remote start the heat on my 2023 to see how well it would work. Even though the car was locked, I had to relock it using the remote app before I could start the remote climate in the app (this is pretty common I find). After 10 minutes I checked the car and it was a comfortable temperature inside. The ICE was not on, so it had to be the heat pump providing the heat. The climate temp was set for 21C, but I would guess the temperature closer to 18C or 19C.
I have an external heat pump on my house that is good to -20C, but I gather the one in the car is not as efficient at low temps as that one - probably a size and weight issue. Also, I'm surprised the app doesn't start up the ICE to heat the car remotely in cold weather, but I guess it is a safety issue, like potential carbon monoxide in a garage.
I post this because I have seen other members state that the heat pump doesn't work below 6 or even 12C. I would say that it works but not as well in lower positive celsius temperature, but as I can say from experience last winter, below 0C it becomes ineffective quickly. Driving in EV mode, eventually the dash has a message to the effect that you will not have heat unless the ICE is running.
Two other curious things. One is I had the car set on a schedule for charging, but even though the schedule should have prevented any charging at that hour of the morning, the car started charging to replace the electricity used in heating. The other is that it doesn't look like I was able to stop the remote climate control from the app (it said to stop it in the car instead) nor by stopping and starting the car. Once I turned off the power in the car after starting, I still heard the fan running, which implies the remote climate function was still engaged. I suppose its possible the fan was running for some other reason, but I can't imagine what at 0C after a quick start/stop. Everything returned to normal once I started to drive and stopped much later.

 

[PHEV07]

This morning is 0C and I decided to remote start the heat on my 2023 to see how well it would work. Even though the car was locked, I had to relock it using the remote app before I could start the remote climate in the app (this is pretty common I find). After 10 minutes I checked the car and it was a comfortable temperature inside. The ICE was not on, so it had to be the heat pump providing the heat. The climate temp was set for 21C, but I would guess the temperature closer to 18C or 19C.
I have an external heat pump on my house that is good to -20C, but I gather the one in the car is not as efficient at low temps as that one - probably a size and weight issue. Also, I'm surprised the app doesn't start up the ICE to heat the car remotely in cold weather, but I guess it is a safety issue, like potential carbon monoxide in a garage.
I post this because I have seen other members state that the heat pump doesn't work below 6 or even 12C. I would say that it works but not as well in lower positive celsius temperature, but as I can say from experience last winter, below 0C it becomes ineffective quickly. Driving in EV mode, eventually the dash has a message to the effect that you will not have heat unless the ICE is running.
Two other curious things. One is I had the car set on a schedule for charging, but even though the schedule should have prevented any charging at that hour of the morning, the car started charging to replace the electricity used in heating. The other is that it doesn't look like I was able to stop the remote climate control from the app (it said to stop it in the car instead) nor by stopping and starting the car. Once I turned off the power in the car after starting, I still heard the fan running, which implies the remote climate function was still engaged. I suppose its possible the fan was running for some other reason, but I can't imagine what at 0C after a quick start/stop. Everything returned to normal once I started to drive and stopped much later.

I can attest to the fact that the Heat Pump does work very well to as low as -12'C. After 15 minutes running and Set for Low on remote, the interior warms up to 0'C the Steering wheel is warm, the air temperature out of the top left Air Vent is about 30'C.

At outside Temperature of -13'C running the Heat Pump for 15 Minutes at Low setting the steering wheel is still warm but interior heat was at -6'C and air at the vent was 10'C

At outside Temp of -14'C, remote set to Low and running for 15 minutes, the steering wheel was slightly warm to touch, inside Temperature was -10'C, air vent at 0'C.

At -15'C the Heat Pump sound is heard from the lower hood area but no heating occurs inside, air vent temperature is now -15'C but steering wheel is still noticeably warm.

If the 2023 and 2024 still had a Cabinet Ceramic Heater, the interior would have defrosted windshield and warmed up a bit. For these years and also 2025 Outlander PHEV the Heat Pump no longer functions and the Main Battery does not heat up.

So far the temperatures have only dropped to as low as -19'C and when I test the remote warming, the ICE has not started even though a message on the Remote App states that at -15'C the Engine may Start.

I will test to see if the Engine will start at temperatures lower than -20'C.

I have a 2024 -GT and have been able to remotely start and stop the heating using the App

I usually start it from home. When I get to the car, depressing the Brake Pedal, does turn off the Heat Pump.

 

[Lon12]

In my experience the heat pump shut off temperature has been exactly-15°C. The EVs I’ve owned have run at any temperature. Mitsubishi makes millions of household heat pumps so not sure why they couldn’t find a way to build one that would work below -15°C.

 

[PHEV07]

In my experience the heat pump shut off temperature has been exactly-15°C. The EVs I’ve owned have run at any temperature. Mitsubishi makes millions of household heat pumps so not sure why they couldn’t find a way to build one that would work below -15°C.

Confirmed. It was -16'C when I tried to start heating remotely. Heat Pump never started up but the interior Fan were running at high speed blowing cold air.

Tried again when the outside Temperature was -22'C. I set up to heat remotely. Again no Heat Pump but the Enginge did not start either, even though the My Connect App says that at Temperatures lower than -25'C the Engine may Start.

I can now confirm that the Engine does not start up.

 

[Grandad]

In my experience the heat pump shut off temperature has been exactly-15°C. The EVs I’ve owned have run at any temperature. Mitsubishi makes millions of household heat pumps so not sure why they couldn’t find a way to build one that would work below -15°C.

That's the spec the tech I asked about it cited -15C and no heat pump and because the ICE doesn't start from the remote, no heat. If you need to defrost and warm the vehicle below -15C it requires a manual start.

 

[Lon12]

That is the temperature the App says as well.
I don't think anyone has ever reported the engine starting when using the App when below -15ºC. So not sure why it says it "may" start. "may"-be someone is still working on that? lol