At the time of writing, the UK is in the depths of winter. Unfortunately, we cannot change the weather, but following some simple tips and tricks could see you reduce the impact of the colder months on your EV’s battery, saving you money and time.
According to Solar Reviews, you can do a few things to help protect your battery range during the cold winter months. For example, never let your EV run lower than 20% charge in the winter. And as Consumer Reports suggests, running the defrost and cabin heater on high will “sap your range.”
The last 10-15% of the battery takes the longest to charge and uses a lot more energy to do so. Being mindful of your EV’s battery throughout the year will reduce battery depletion during winter. Heavy acceleration, payload weight, and battery age - are just a few factors to consider.
Reduced battery performance & charging time due to cold weather. Additional heating, wipers, and lights all require more energy to operate. Wet, icy, or snowy conditions can increase energy usage by up to 10%. Why does my car charge more slowly in the cold?
I Take My RWD Volkswagen ID.4 EV Out In The Snow For The First Time! If you park your new EV outside during the chilly winter weather, even overnight, your primary concern won’t be about overall battery drain. Instead, the cold temps will primarily affect how much power is needed to power up the car and keep it running.
The chemistry of EV batteries means that the bold claims in adverts are adversely affected when the mercury plummets – and Parkers’ research suggests that electric car range can typically drop by as much as a third in winter.