Do electric cars lose charge in cold weather? The answer is yes! Electric cars perform the poorest during freezing weather like winter. The EV battery loses a significant amount of charge while running and will also have a lesser range.
In weather conditions like this, you will have to adopt some unique maintenance culture to help your vehicle better cope with the weather, which could cause damage to its battery.
Do Electric Cars Lose Charge in Cold Weather?
Yes, Electric car in cold weather will lose a good amount of charge because their batteries do not perform as well at an average temperature and drain faster.
Research has compared the range an electric vehicle can go under warmer temperatures to when driving under colder weather. Research by AAA in 2019 shows that electric cars performed an average of 60 percent of their driving range at 75 degrees Fahrenheit when driven at 20 degrees.
In recent times, manufacturers have recognized the problem electric cars have during cold weather and are working hard to improve their batteries. Even with this, the problem has not been eliminated as electric vehicles still lose about 25 percent range compared to milder weather conditions.
The condition of battery performance is not as bad as you think, you can still use your vehicle as an everyday commuter, but it is not advisable for longer trips. In emergency, you can use also regular charging outlet.
Why Do Evs Lose Range In The Cold?
As we know, Ev's uses batteries that store electricity, which powers the vehicle. These batteries are the first to be affected by the freezing weather, which causes the cars to lose range.
Batteries come with electrochemical designed to work better in warmer environments than colder ones. When the cold kicks in, the battery's electrochemical begin to slow down, causing it to retain a lower amount of electricity, leading to the loss of electric car range in cold weather.
There are majorly four types of batteries used by EVs: lithium-ion batteries, Nickel-metal hydride, lead-acid batteries, and Ultracapacitors.
For instance, Lithium-ion batteries may become sluggish when transferring energy when used in freezing conditions. In some cases, it may fail to transfer power to the car. This factor contributes to the shortening or loss of range in many EVs.
Furthermore, scientific research has determined that the design and properties of the battery are also contributing factors to how long electric car batteries last in cold weather. Many batteries use a flat graphite structure in the anode, which does not allow the battery to perform well in freezing conditions.
How Much Range Does An Ev Lose In Cold Weather?
The amount of loss of range your EV can have during cold weather can range between 12 to 40 percent. Range loss can go up to 41 percent when your vehicle's heater is at total capacity.
Your Ev amount of range loss depends on many factors, including the vehicle's battery, charging time, normal range, heater capacity, and the brand itself.
One of the primary causes of EV loss of range is the battery design and chemical components. Although there are different types of batteries used in cars, they all have chemicals that do not do well in extreme cold.
Moving on, the heater is another factor that will affect the range of your EV during colder weather. When driving under freezing weather, using your vehicle's heater is essential to keep the interior warm enough for you and other passengers to cope.
The heater consumes a lot of energy, adding to the quick drain of your vehicle's battery. Using your heater will consume an added 4 to 8 kW.
All these factors contribute to more than 40 percent loss in your Ev's range when driving in cold weather.
What Effect Does Cold Weather Have On Electric Cars?
When winter comes, the cold weather can have some effect on the performance of your vehicle, especially when it comes to the performance of its battery. Some effects of the cold on your EV are slow charging, increased power consumption, lowered range, and more.
In addition, cold weather affects batteries and how long you can drive the vehicle. EVs use batteries, which work with the help of chemical reactions. When these chemicals are exposed to extremely cold conditions, their reaction slows.
Subsequently, the slowed-down chemicals will lead to another effect like slower charge and shorter range. Anna Stefanopoulou compared batteries to human beings. Just like humans, the battery needs warmer temperatures to operate better.
Also, you can expect increased energy consumption from your vehicle. To keep your vehicle's interior warmer, you may need to run the heater at total capacity. Doing this will quickly drain the battery.
Do Electric Vehicles Work Well In Extreme Cold?
Electric vehicles work well in cold weather but not at their best performance. No car works perfectly in extreme cold, including gasoline vehicles; EVs may not perform as much as gasoline vehicles in this condition.
One primary reason is that extreme cold quickly affects EV batteries, causing a reduced range and increased charging period.
Can You Leave An Electric Car Outside In The Winter?
It is alright to leave your vehicle outside because most EVs come with a battery heater. The battery heater will come on when the environment hits a temperature below 0 degrees Fahrenheit. It will turn on to prevent permanent damage to your vehicle's battery due to the extreme cold.
Moreover, try to park your vehicle in a garage or somewhere similar and keep the battery charging whole night rather than leaving the car outside during winter.
Even more important, you need to know that the battery heater will consume energy while keeping the battery warm.
Some other questions have popped up, like do electric cars lose charge when parked, or do electric car batteries drain when not in use? It is essential to know that Your EV battery needs to be active regularly, or it may lose its charge.
Why Does My Car Charge More Slowly In The Cold?
When your EV's battery gets exposed to extreme cold, the electrochemical reaction becomes much slower, causing the battery to be unable to receive charge fast enough. As a result, the battery management system also gets affected, triggering a limit on electric vehicle charging. The limit is to avoid battery damage when charging electric cars in cold weather.
How To Improve Ev Range In The Cold Weather?
To improve your electric car battery life in cold weather, you need to adopt some maintenance culture.
Below is a list of things you should do with your EV during colder weather.
1. Slow-charge electric car batteries in cold weather
2. Slow charge at night
3. Preheat your vehicle before driving
4. Keep the EV charger plugged in and charging
5. Park your EV in heated spaces
6. Make use of Eco mode
By following this, you will achieve an improved EV driving experience in cold weather.
How Do I Warm Up My Electric Car Battery In Winter?
To warm up your electric car, you can start and allow it to run for a while, preferably about 3 to 5 minutes, and then you are good to go.
Although many EVs have an automatic battery heater, not all batteries have these functions. The ones with this function must wait for the temperature to hit an extremely low rate for the heater to work.
Conclusion
EVs are gradually becoming popular, and it would be helpful if you understand how to cope with this vehicle during the winter or freezing season. Besides, you should also know the answer of do electric cars lose charge in cold weather? The car can lose 41 percent of its driving range, and its battery can permanently damage.