VW and Skoda EV Owners Have Waited Years for Battery Preconditioning. It's Finally Coming
The over-the-air update begins in November 2027 for models produced between 2020 and 2024.
Volkswagen and Skoda are releasing an over-the-air software update to add battery pre-heating functionality to their earliest electric vehicles, addressing a long-standing limitation that resulted in slower charging times in cold weather.
What Happened
The update targets ID.4, ID.5, and Enyaq models manufactured between 2020 and 2024. Vehicles produced from 2024 onward already include automatic battery preconditioning. The rollout is scheduled to begin in the second half of November 2027, affecting approximately 200,000 cars in initial waves. For Skoda Enyaq models, software version 3.9 introduces the feature, along with security updates and fixes for the Online Connectivity Unit. Volkswagen ID.4 and ID.5 vehicles will receive the capability via software version 3.9.1, which also improves electric door handle reliability and AC charging.
Why It Matters
Prior to this update, owners of older EVs had to use third-party hardware, such as custom microcontrollers or diagnostic dongles, to manually activate battery heating. The new native feature allows drivers to manually trigger preconditioning via the infotainment system, but only when the battery temperature is below 68°F (20°C). Once activated, the battery heats to an optimal temperature of roughly 77°F (25°C) over 30 to 40 minutes, enabling higher power acceptance from DC fast chargers. Owners running software version 2.x will need to visit an authorized service center to install the prerequisite version 3.8 before the OTA update can be applied.
The Bottom Line
Volkswagen and Skoda are closing a significant feature gap for early EV adopters by delivering native battery preconditioning to 2020–2024 models, though the process requires specific software prerequisites and manual activation for older vehicles.
