EV Vehicle Cold Weather Range Loss

[Steve G.]

 70F versus 25F.


https://insideevs.com/news/626577/winter-cold-weather-ev-range-loss-study/?fbclid=IwAR2sSEhVBJrs5RlnYWcYelHIiKGgBuomKSYCLqVwNNVe-H6_2sw44WW5XWM

[hardrockminer]

 Very surprised to see the variation from vehicle to vehicle, as they all use more or less the same battery and need more or less the same amount of cab warming.  No question though that range anxiety is the biggest concern most EV customers express.  With current battery technology increasing the range means bigger battery, which means more weight.  Not a great choice.  If I were a buyer today I think I would be seriously considering a PHEV.  Toyota RAV 4 is a great example.  I think Mitsubishi has a similar product.

[Galactica]

I always wondered how much EVs would be affected by cold or hot weather.  I assumed that running a heater in negative temperatures or air conditioning in hot weather would greatly reduce range.  But I’ve recently found that EVs use a heat pump arrangement that much reduces load on the battery.

[hardrockminer]

Yes, most use a heat pump for heat in the winter and cooling in the summer.  They require about 1/3 the power of a space heater.