Electric car in winter – what about range?

How does an electric car behave in winter? With the growing interest in electric cars, there are many questions about their performance in different weather conditions. One of the most frequently asked questions concerns the impact of cold temperatures on the efficiency of electric cars. Do they actually lose efficiency in winter, and if so, to what extent?

Effect of temperature on battery performance

At the heart of any electric vehicle is the battery. It is the energy source that determines the range and efficiency of the car. However, low temperatures can affect its functioning and ability to store energy. This is because batteries are most often made up of lithium-ion cells. These cells undergo certain physico-chemical transformations that slow down at negative temperatures. This results in less energy being available and, consequently, a reduction in the efficiency of the electric car.

Another reason for the decrease in range of an electric car in winter is the efficiency of the electric motor itself. Compare this to traditional cars with an internal combustion engine. Here, much of the heat generated when the engine is running can be lost, but can also be redirected, to heat the interior of the vehicle. Electric car engines also generate excess heat, especially when charging and converting alternating current to direct current. However, such generated heat is used to heat the battery of the electric vehicle to prevent long-term damage and increase efficiency. In this case, on the other hand, this heat is not usually transferred to the interior of the vehicle to heat the upholstery of the leather sofa or seats.

With this in mind, it is worth noting that not all electric vehicles are equally equipped to deal with low temperatures. The choice of a particular model may therefore affect how much range you will be able to get on an average winter day.

Electric car in winter – comparison of range in low temperatures

The US company ‘Recurrent’ studied thirteen popular electric car models. The experiment compared the range of the vehicles for temperatures of 20°C and -5°C. The percentage drops in range for the cars in question are as follows:

Table 1. Electric car in winter – car model and range drop.

The highest efficiency in the comparison was achieved by the Jaguar I-Pace and Audi e-tron cars – -3% and -8% respectively. Experts felt that the key to the success of this model was the use of a heat pump, which controls the temperature inside the car, and an advanced temperature management system that efficiently redirects excess energy from the electric motors to heat the cabin.

The Chevrolet Bolt was the worst performer in the comparison, struggling with as much as 32 per cent range loss. This model was noted for not being able to warm up its batteries before starting a journey, meaning that the batteries cannot operate at optimum temperature from the start.

The Mustang Mach-E and the Volkswagen ID.4, on the other hand, lost 30 per cent range in winter. In both cases, the lack of a heat pump proved to be the main problem, as models intended for the US market were not equipped with one.

The process of charging the battery in the cold

Standard battery charging is possible at 0 degrees Celsius and even in sub-zero temperatures. However, fast charging requires the battery to be pre-heated to around 30 degrees Celsius. The colder the battery, the greater the need to warm it up internally during the charging process, as the electrical resistance inside a cold battery is greater. Therefore, after a certain period of low-power charging, the charging rate usually increases.

New electric vehicle models often offer a battery warm-up function, allowing the vehicle to be quickly charged as soon as it is connected to the charger. Often, it is only necessary to set a fast charge in the navigation system in order for the battery management system to assess whether the battery needs to be warmed up. If the charging station is not set in the navigation system, this will prevent the system from warming up the battery. This is still not a problem, as at the start of the charging process, the computer will accurately calculate whether it is worth allocating some of the energy consumed to heating the battery (not a large amount of current). If the battery is significantly discharged, it is likely that the battery will be warmed up, which will speed up the charging process, assisting the natural warming of the battery during charging.

For this reason, you will notice the greatest drop in the efficiency of an electric car in situations where the car is left outside (ungaraged), for many hours in very cold conditions, especially when used for short distances. This prevents the battery from reaching its optimum temperature. Fortunately, these differences are not significant. In urban conditions, even at very low temperatures, at around -20 degrees Celsius, the drop in range will not exceed 10%. A temporary ‘loss of capacity’, i.e. a faster discharge of the battery, will be more noticeable, especially when using a lot of energy, for example when driving a very cold car on the motorway. In such situations, the load on the battery increases much more than the speed at which we are travelling.

Autel charging stations – keep your electric car efficient in winter

A key element in the development of the electric car industry is the charging infrastructure. As a leading manufacturer of technology for the automotive industry, Autel offers innovative charging solutions for electric vehicles. One of Autel’s more interesting products is the advanced Maxicharger AC Wallbox Tethered Charging Station, which is designed to efficiently charge electric cars even in the harshest conditions.

The Autel charger is distinguished by its fast charging time and intelligent management system, which adapts the charging power to the current conditions. This ensures that even in winter, when charging times can be extended, electric car users can count on efficient and safe charging. Its nominal operating temperature range is -40° to 55°C, making it ideal for the Polish climate. It has an IP65 protection rating, which means that it is weatherproof and can also be installed outdoors.

Electric car in winter – summary

Does an electric car lose its efficiency in winter? The answer is Yes – this is unavoidable due to the design and principle of the batteries. The amount of range loss mainly depends on the vehicle model, the technology used by the manufacturer and the charging infrastructure available. Modern electric cars, such as the Jaguar I-Pace or Audi e-tron, use advanced technologies (heat pumps, thermal management systems) to minimise the impact of low temperatures on their efficiency.

In addition, innovative charging solutions, represented by manufacturer Autel, help electric car users maintain optimal battery performance even in harsh winter conditions. This makes electric cars an increasingly attractive alternative not only in warm, but also in winter climates.

Sources:

https://electrek.co/2022/12/13/worried-about-winter-range-loss-see-how-over-a-dozen-evs-compare/

https://wysokienapiecie.pl/84228-cala-prawda-o-samochodach-elektrycznych-zima/

https://evolive.pl/produkt/stacja-ladowania-autel-maxicharger-ac-wallbox-socket/

https://www.jaguar.pl/samochody-jaguar/i-pace/opis