WINTER DRIVING TIPS
Yes, we do live in the tropical zone on SSI. But we do get a short and mild winter. Best to prepare.
PREPARATION TIPS
Ensure you have adequate winter tires and the pressure is correct. Air compresses in colder temperatures and your tires can deflate a bit. Some folks chose all season tires but I am a big believer on full-on winters, which I swap from summers about mid-October. Ensure your window washer fluid is full and clean your windows really well for those low-sun angels.
SUPPORT BATTERIES
EV RANGE TIPS
Your electric vehicle will not go as far as in the summer. You will lose range because of:
Best practices include:
RODENTS
Here is another consideration. Rodents. Your EV will produce heat under the hood when charging. Sometimes a critter can make a nest to soak up that wonderful heat. They can also eat certain wire components (soy based). Worth having a check every so often and tossing away any nest material that accumulates.
Yes, we do live in the tropical zone on SSI. But we do get a short and mild winter. Best to prepare.
PREPARATION TIPS
Ensure you have adequate winter tires and the pressure is correct. Air compresses in colder temperatures and your tires can deflate a bit. Some folks chose all season tires but I am a big believer on full-on winters, which I swap from summers about mid-October. Ensure your window washer fluid is full and clean your windows really well for those low-sun angels.
SUPPORT BATTERIES
- ensure your FOB battery is ok. On a leaf, a CR 2025 battery, as it is not nice for it to go flakey when you are in a snowbank trying to get in. I carry a spare battery in my car.
- ensure your 12 volt utility battery is in good shape as it runs lights and window wipers and “starts the car”. The failure of the Leaf 12 volt battery is the most common problem with the Leaf (and I assume other EV's). When it goes below a charge level, the electronics go very wonky." You can be unlocked out of your car. I carry a multi-function Jump Starter as backup.
- Now that summer is coming to a close, it may be time to remember the 12 volt battery in your electric car. From what I now understand, it is required to run all the 12 volt devices in your car (wipers, lights, entertainment, computers, heaters, etc.), that cannot run with the higher voltage traction battery. In and ICE vehicle, the alternator and regulator keep the 12 volt battery happy. In an EV, this is more challenging to do, so the 12 volts batteries do lot last as long. I have heard that some manufacturers, (example: Tesla) are now putting Lithium Ion batteries in their cars. Li-Ion cost a lot more, but will last many times longer that lead acid, and weigh a lot less. So probably a good way to go.
The signs that the 12 volt battery going are the loss of the functions mentioned above, especially the computer component, which will cause your car electronics to act really weird. The solution is replacement. Jumping is possible. including using a portable jumping device (but be careful and follow the directions).
EV RANGE TIPS
Your electric vehicle will not go as far as in the summer. You will lose range because of:
- the use of winter tires. They are sticky and full of friction. Studded winter tires are worse.
- Your regenerative systems being reduced
- you battery does not store as much energy at colder temperatures (but will return to normal in the Spring)
- use of heater and defrost (a "lot" of electricity)
- use of headlights and window wipers (a "little" electricity)
Best practices include:
- keeping the cabin warm rather than hot.
- Using seat and steering wheel heaters
- pre-heating the EV while it is plugged in and before leaving on a drive
- drive slower, which depending on the speed, can use far less energy
RODENTS
Here is another consideration. Rodents. Your EV will produce heat under the hood when charging. Sometimes a critter can make a nest to soak up that wonderful heat. They can also eat certain wire components (soy based). Worth having a check every so often and tossing away any nest material that accumulates.