These innovations improve efficiency, enabling buildings to maintain warmth with reduced energy expenditure, and similarly, electric cars can now operate longer in harsh, cold conditions.
When temperatures drop to 32 degrees Fahrenheit, data from electric car battery performance tracker Recurrent shows that’s largely due to passengers turning up the heat, which drains the battery.
Studies continue to reveal that, under most circumstances, heat pumps cause an electric vehicle’s battery to drain less quickly than the electric resistance heaters that older electric vehicles used. As a result, modern EVs tend to lose only 11 percent of their driving range in cold weather.
“Winter weather isn’t as much of a concern for electric vehicle drivers as it once was,” according to Andy Garberson, research expert at Recurrent.
According to Greg Brannon, director of automotive engineering at AAA, this advancement makes it more feasible for electric cars to be driven in moderately chilly areas. However, regions with extremely low temperatures, such as those consistently below 15 degrees Fahrenheit, will not reap the full benefits of heat pumps.
A lot will depend on the temperature conditions in your surroundings,
Which electric vehicle (EV) models perform well in extremely cold temperatures?
Researchers analyzed data from over 18,000 electric vehicles in the US, tracking how battery life compared at various temperatures. They ranked 20 common EV models based on the amount of range lost when operating in freezing temperatures, compared to their optimal performance in temperatures around 70 degrees Fahrenheit with little to no temperature fluctuation.
Certain electric vehicle models have heat pumps in their higher trim levels or on later model years only. For example, heat pumps became standard on Tesla models starting with 2021. These models displayed a significant improvement: According to Recurrent’s analysis, earlier Model S sedans with basic heaters relinquished their range at twice the rate as newer models with heat pumps in cold temperatures.
On average, electric vehicles with heat pumps performed in a colder climate, but this wasn’t always the case. Here, other factors such as battery design altered the rankings, according to Garberson.
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Why do Electric Vehicles (EVs) experience a decrease in range when driven in cold temperatures?
One of the issues with electric vehicles (EVs) in cold weather is rooted in chemistry. As temperatures drop, the lithium ions within the battery move more slowly, making the entire battery less efficient. Additionally, the denser, colder air also creates more air resistance for the vehicle, a challenge that even gas-powered cars face when the temperature drops.
According to a 2019 study by the American Automobile Association.
Essentially, the system relies on relocating heat already present somewhere to provide warmth, rather than generating it anew.
At that point, even cars with built-in heating systems may switch to a backup heating mode.
When the temperature is extremely low in places like the Midwest, where it could remain below 10 degrees Fahrenheit, whether or not you have a car with a heat pump in your electric vehicle won’t affect its performance, according to Brannon.
“Heat pumps would likely have a significant advantage in more temperate climates, where daytime temperatures typically range in the 30s and 40s,” he stated.
