The low temperatures typical of this time of year begin to wreak havoc. The cold that accompanies us throughout the day, mainly first thing in the morning and at night, due to the absence of the sun, causes a whole series of setbacks that force us to take extreme precautions when we get behind the wheel. However; In case you have an electric car, this could be something bigger and more problematic.
The electric car does not like the cold
Although the real snowfall has not yet arrived, the temperatures we have are typical of this time of year, where they are already very low and the typical problems begin : frozen windshields, fogged windows, ice sheets on the road…
As they say that the best remedy is to prevent, it is important that you know (and that you learn) some considerations so that you take into account that your car does not live the same on the coldest days of the year. From now on, the next few weeks are going to be colder and the weather worse, so better be prepared.
Or what is the same; Just like we have already changed our clothes for this time, more or less the same thing happens to your car, ‘a wardrobe change’ will not hurt, and in the case of the electric car even more so, especially so that they do not suffer in excess , although it is true that these have bigger problems than with the heat.
What must be considered
One of the most sensitive mechanical elements in winter are batteries, both in fuel-powered cars and electrified vehicles. Although the consequences in each model vary, special attention must also be paid during trips during these dates.
In the case of electric cars, the cold directly affects the autonomy of the battery, which is why it becomes a factor that can directly interfere with the duration of the journeys and that will make it necessary to schedule the journey depending on the duration to find a charging point on the way. But there are other cases that you should assess about them.
Loss of effectiveness
Whenever there are episodes of intense cold like the one we are experiencing these days in Spain, we must not only drive with caution, but it is very important that we make sure that we have the car in optimal conditions to face the needs that winter imposes.
Most of the batteries that equip electric cars are lithium ion, which need to be at a temperature above 0ºC to function in the best conditions. If the temperature is lower, the electrolyte liquid inside the battery cells moves more slowly and the battery loses effectiveness. The lower the mercury in the thermometer, the less effective the battery becomes , which can lose up to 20% of its charge.
Regenerative braking
Another collateral damage that a lack of heat entails is the affectation of the regenerative braking function , the mechanism by which the car produces energy to improve autonomy.
A cold battery also limits regenerative braking, which uses the car’s momentum to charge the battery and help increase your driving range . Regenerative braking pumps large amounts of energy into the battery, which can damage the battery in cold temperatures.
More consumption
All in all, the average cost at a temperature of 16ºC is 22.4 kWh/100 km, while at 3ºC it rises to 27.3 kWh/100 km. This means that with a difference of 13ºC, an electric vehicle consumes 21.9% more.
The difference means that drivers have to estimate 20% less range in winter than in summer, so they will have to plan their trips more carefully. Keeping the wipers running, the heated rear window on or the lights also add kilowatts of consumption. Or rather, they also reduce autonomy. The smaller our battery, the greater the impact of these consumptions.