Electric vehicle (EV) sales keep rising as winter approaches and the temperatures drop. For both experts and customers, cold weather has always been a focal point of EV performance. Lower temperatures and slick conditions influence any car, but EV drivers want to know how their vehicles will fare in the winter.
Lithium-ion batteries are used in electric vehicles, and they have a tougher time moving around in the cold, lowering range.
Charging an electric vehicle is also affected by the cold. Your car’s battery prefers to charge at a certain temperature range in order to charge efficiently. If it’s really cold outdoors, the battery must first warm up before charging at higher rates. As a result, during the cold, charging may take longer.
Impact of Cold Weather on Electric Vehicle Charging
EVs, like gas-powered cars, lose efficiency in cold weather when fluid viscosity changes. The electrolyte fluid in lithium-ion EV batteries travels more slowly at lower temperatures, reducing power output and charging speed. The good news for EV drivers is that, like gas-powered vehicles, the battery’s efficiency improves in both directions as it heats up. As a general rule, charging your car when the battery is warm, whether from driving or parked in a garage, is recommended.
Effect of EV Charging
Cold’s effects on EV battery charging times might be particularly critical for commercial vehicles that run on timetables, such as buses. Variable EV charging durations in various circumstances might throw the timetable off or necessitate charging in warm environments.
Similarly, the additional charging time may be inconvenient for private EV drivers on lengthy trips or for persons who live in flats without access to chargers. In the cold, more cheap EVs with smaller batteries that require more frequent charging may offer a greater difficulty.
Electric Vehicle Winter Driving Tips
Warm Up The Battery
If your electric vehicle’s battery is at the proper operating temperature, it will charge and operate more efficiently. It will undoubtedly assist if you park in a warm garage while charging. If you’re utilizing public fast charging, driving your car before plugging in ensures a safer and more efficient charge.
Use Eco Mode
Most EVs offer an ‘eco-mode,’ which allows you to increase mileage by decreasing power consumption by restricting the supply of energy to the driving engine and cabin heating. You may have to accelerate more slowly in icy conditions, but this can make driving safer by reducing the risk of wheel spin on slippery roadways.
Slow Down
In severe weather, driving slower is not only the safest option, but it is also more efficient for your electric vehicle. EVs perform better in city driving than gas-powered vehicles because they consume relatively little energy while idling. If you’re travelling on the highway, slowing down will help you get more range out of your EV.
Use Enclosed Space
The performance of your vehicle’s battery can be greatly improved by keeping it indoors throughout the winter. The garage’s warmth will help the battery last longer and charge faster. When you’re out and about, if you have the option of parking in an outdoor spot or a multi-story structure, choose the latter.
Author Bio:
Jennifer is an editor & Author at Premier Alternative Energy. Premier Alternative is a leading renewable energy & EV Charging station company in Atlanta, Georgia.