Driving an electric vehicle in winter

Published on October 4, 2019

3 mins reading time

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To hear some people talk, you’d think it was virtually impossible to drive an electric vehicle in winter. They point out drive distances drastically curtailed by the cold, nonexistent heating, and unreliable traction in the snow. But often they’re wrong! Here’s why.

Keep an eye on your EV battery in cold weather

“In winter we often tell EV drivers that their range should be double their daily driving needs,” says Martin Archambault, spokesperson for Association des véhicules électriques du Québec (AVEQ). In other words, if you generally drive 65 kilometres a day (which is true for about two-thirds of Canadians, according to official figures), you’re good to go with 130 kilometres of total range.

Battery depletion and preheating

Now that doesn’t mean an electric car’s traction battery automatically performs at only 50% when it’s cold out. On the coldest days, your car’s range may initially show as 40 to 50 percent shorter, but that should increase again as the battery heater starts to work. In cold weather AVEQ suggests preheating your car for 20 to 30 minutes before you head out. Just plug it into the charging station— no need to turn the car on.

“Now that newer electric cars are offering upwards of 250 kilometres of range per charge, it’s not really a problem anymore. In fact, electric cars even start better than gas-powered ones in winter!” says Archambault.

Just like a conventional car fitted with an engine block heater, an electric car that’s plugged in when it’s cold out (below -20°°C) will fare better in the morning. Plus this preheats the passenger compartment so it’s nice and warm when you get in, a luxury you can’t indulge in with a gas-powered car without spewing fumes or risking long-term damage to your engine. In some EVs you can even set a timer for heating!

Consumers who are considering buying a used electric vehicle that initially has less range will still need to consider these reductions in their range requirement calculations.

Track your battery’s efficiency at different temperatures

“Whether it’s fully electric or a rechargeable hybrid, every EV model reacts differently to the weather. The ideal temperature for electric vehicles is between 15 and 25 degrees. If it’s hotter or cooler than that, you may get different results than what’s advertised by the manufacturer,” says Jesse Caron, automotive analyst at CAA-Quebec. Dans le cas d’une Nissan Leaf, par exemple, l’AVEQ calcule que l’autonomie moyenne baisse d’environ 25% s’il fait -15 degrés, et d’environ 45% à partir de -25 degrés, une proportion qui vaut pour les autres modèles comparables actuellement sur le marché.

Take a Nissan Leaf for example. AVEQ calculates that its average range decreases by about 25% at -15°C, and about 45% once you hit -25°C. Comparable models currently on the market show similar results.

These proportions are about the same for rechargeable hybrids as well, but since their electric-only range is shorter and you can’t always control how much the combustion engine is contributing, the end result may be greater fuel consumption, which you’ll notice at the pump. The specialized firm FleetCarma looked at the Chevrolet Volt and, based on data from 4,043 trips, calculated that its average electric range falls by half when the temperature drops from 15°C (the ideal temperature for the model) to -5°C.

Adapt your driving in winter

The smart thing to do is to stretch out your electric car’s battery life by driving a little more conservatively in winter (for example by accelerating less quickly), and keep the car plugged in when not in use for long periods (for example if you head south for the holidays). Check your owner’s manual for your manufacturer’s recommendations, as they may vary.