Range reduction / battery life in cold winter temperatures -- what's your experience EV owners?

[Macallan 18]

My Scout will be my first EV so I'm a noob when it comes to battery life / range and all that. I do know tho that EV range / battery life is worse in the winter with colder temperatures.

For our EV owner -- what's been your exprience with this? How much range hit have you seen when driving in low temperatures during winter? Which EV do you drive?

 

[bilash31]

My Scout will be my first EV
what's been your exprience?

Same here. Unless I snatch up a Grand Cherokee 4xe in the interim. Although cold has been very short lived and relative where I am in SE PA, I am curious of others’ experience too.

 

[Scout997]

Depends on the EV and the efficiency. Years ago, my general rule when I drove a Tesla was to reduce range by 40% when it got under 40 out. With the Rivian I'm closer to 15-20%. The EPA has upped the difficulty of its range tests so I don't know if either of these are reasonable. The two biggest hits to EV range are speed and aerodynamic efficiency and these things will be rolling blocks. I'm hopeful the drive units they end up using are more efficient than even the Gen 2 Rivian units or we get another battery chemistry update.

 

[4sallypat]

Depending on what battery chemistry is used, will determine cold weather range.
We don't know what battery type will be used: NCM, LFP, Sodium, Solid State, etc....

EV experience since 2018: PHEV (Honda Clarity) and BEV (Ford Mach E).

Ways to extend range in cold weather:

• Precondition the battery before leaving by plugging into L2 (shore power).
• Reduce climate controls (cabin heating)
• Use seat heaters.
• Drive slower - more regen by coasting.
• Park in insulated / warm garages.
• Drive to L3 fast chargers using preconditioning.
• Heat pump.

 

[JVaughn864]

My Mustang Mach-E is about 20 to 25% reduction in range as it gets colder.

 

[Beach_Bum]

Depending on what battery chemistry is used, will determine cold weather range.
We don't know what battery type will be used: NCM, LFP, Sodium, Solid State, etc....

EV experience since 2018: PHEV (Honda Clarity) and BEV (Ford Mach E).

Ways to extend range in cold weather:

• Precondition the battery before leaving by plugging into L2 (shore power).
• Reduce climate controls (cabin heating)
• Use seat heaters.
• Drive slower - more regen by coasting.
• Park in insulated / warm garages.
• Drive to L3 fast chargers using preconditioning.
• Heat pump.

Sorry. I'm not using a blanket while driving up north or driving naked down south. At my latitude, the AC doesn't get turned off but for a few weeks of the year.

 

[TheVirtualTim]

I have two EV's (both Mustang Mach-E) and live in Michigan. I've been through several winters.

In the low 30's (F) the range is off about 5%.
In the low 20's it's more like 10%
In the 10's it's about 30%
When temps are close to 0 the range is off about 40%.

BUT... this assumes no battery pre-conditioning. Most EV's let you "pre-condition" the battery prior to departure (cabin pre-conditioning and battery pre-conditioning are not the same thing ... one heats the battery ... the other heats the cabin). If you pre-condition the battery prior to departure (car is left plugged in to your home AC charger and it runs the battery heaters ... depending on how cold it is outside this could take 30 minutes or it could take 1.5 hours.) then you wont see much range reduction.

Always leave the car plugged in at home -- even if it has a full charge. This allows it to maintain the 12v battery and it will make sure the high voltage battery doesn't get too cold.

You want to park in a garage (if you own one). Even an unheated garage is typically around 10°F warmer than the outside air ... because the ground gives you a tiny bit of warmth and the walls hold that slightly warmed air inside.

Another question that was NOT asked (but will be asked by someone ... it always is) is "why is my DC fast charging rate so slow in the winter"? The answer is ... cold batteries can't accept a charge very quickly. Most EV's use much of the power of the DC Fast Charger to run the battery heaters so that it can eventually charge faster. I've seen bitterly cold days where you plug in and for the first 5-10 minutes you see the dispenser dumping many kWh's worth of energy into your car ... but the car doesn't take on much of a charge. THAT energy was being used to run the heaters. Many EV's will start to "pre-condition" the car battery (run the heaters) if the car knows you are headed to a DC Fast Charger (you are using the in-car nav system and the destination is a charging station).

 

[Scooby24]

Mach-E GT - I charge to 90% and have a lead foot. My usual reported range at 90% is 220-230 in the spring/summer/fall. When it gets below about 50 is when I start to really see it drop. Worst I recall seeing is around 170 at 90% so that would represent about a 25-30% hit to range. if I need that range, I just be sure to precondition before a trip and the hit to range is much less...maybe 10-15%. Not entirely sure though since I've only taken one road trip in colder temps in the 3 years I've owned it where I went through that whole range in a drive. Most of the time I'm doing a 140ish mile round to inlaws where I haven't had to do anything different to make that trip work.

 

[4sallypat]

Sorry. I'm not using a blanket while driving up north or driving naked down south. At my latitude, the AC doesn't get turned off but for a few weeks of the year.

Your climate is the same as mine - A/C for most of the year and windows down the rest of the year (fall / winter).

Hardly ever does the heater gets turned on in So Calif.

 

[commadorebob]

Sorry. I'm not using a blanket while driving up north or driving naked down south. At my latitude, the AC doesn't get turned off but for a few weeks of the year.

Same. In central Alabama, I don't think this is a huge concern. But I also use the heated steering wheel when it gets below 60, so....

 

[4sallypat]

Same. In central Alabama, I don't think this is a huge concern. But I also use the heated steering wheel when it gets below 60, so....

Yah, I turned on the heated steering wheel this past week when temps dropped to 50 degrees.

Alaskan storm system arriving and rare to have temps drop to 50 degrees here in So Calif...

Guess I'll never make it in snow weather parts of the country....

 

[Macallan 18]

Thanks to all the EV owners for your anecdotes / figures so far. Very helpful to read and learn. Keep it coming!

 

[cmiller]

you will take a hit in the cold. If you like it to be super toasty in your car you will take another hit on range. A 25-30% range hit will most likely occur. When I had an EV the heated seats helped though. Whatever range they advertise and charging speed is based on perfect conditions, which you will never have. It's not all roses in summer either. If it's very hot out your charging speeds won't be super fast. There were many times where the charger just shut off because of the heat.

 

[SentinelOne]

Cyber Truck and just starting first winter in Colorado - based upon previous Tesla I'd say 30% is a good rule for range hit. I always precondition so it's ready to go when I leave in the morning so that reduces the impact significantly.

 

[Taghkanic]

With my Toyota BZ4x, the range has been substantially lower in winter when the heater is on.

In mild weather I've gotten up as high as 280 miles range, but in very cold weather that is more like 180-200.

220-230 is about average overall.

The A/C doesn't seem to draw nearly as much power as the heater.