EV’s in Cooler Times (Winter Driving)
Yes, it is the tropical west coast of Canada, but even here, Winter is coming. I have often been asked how electric cars (EVs) manage in snow and icy roads. And what about the range? So here’s my take on driving an EV in the winter.
Prepare
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 November 1. The weather network suggest mid-December (https://www.theweathernetwork.com/ca/news/article/when-canadians-should-switch-to-winter-snow-tires-region-by-region). Mountain top owners might consider carrying chains. Ensure your window washer fluid is full, your wipers are in good shape and clean your windows inside and out really well to prepare for those low-sun angles.
Have all your support EV batteries in order. They don’t perform as well in winter. The key FOB battery (CR 2025 in a Leaf), as it is not nice for it to go flakey when you are in a snowstorm trying to get in. I carry a spare in my car. The 12 volt utility battery as it runs lights and window wiper and “starts the car”. I carry a small multi-function jump starter just in case.
Charge the Traction battery
Keep the traction battery charged towards the full side (I use a charging timer), or full. You never know when a horrific wind storm will hit and there is the possibility that you may need that energy for charging other things and perhaps even using an inverter as described at: http://www.ssiev.ca/evs-and-emergency-power.html. As the temperatures gradually drop, your traction battery will progressively reduce the amount stored, so your range will be less. Maybe 15% if it gets really cold. That is normal and next spring when the birds return from the South, so will your battery performance. On the plus side, it will take less time to charge and will use less electricity.
Best Practices
In addition to the cooler battery, the increased need for heaters for warmth and window defrosting, window wipers, headlights during the darker times will also contribute to reduce your available range. But there are some great strategies to mitigate the effect. Use the seat and steering wheel heaters if you have them. They work really well, and a warm hands and bum help you to stay warm without having a really hot cabin. The cabin heat and defogger use quite a bit of juice, so I keep the cabin at a nice warmish temperature. My older EV has a smaller battery and limited range, so it does pay to pay attention to it through the cold weather. The longer range models hitting the market now (Chevy Bolt, Hyundai Kona EV, Kia eNiro, Kia Soul EV, Nissan Leaf Plus, Tesla model 3) will also see a drop in range with winter driving, but with +60 kwh batteries and all of them EPA rated at +400km range you can happily plan that winter road trip. Additional winter driving tips including a rodent topic are available at: http://www.ssiev.ca/ev-winter-tips.html.
Driving
We have over 235 EVs on Salt Spring and to my knowledge none of them has had any unique winter issues. EV’s generally have a different weight distribution. For example, some vehicles have an advantage as the heavy engine sits over the traction wheels. EV’s have the battery weight distributed evenly on all 4 corners. This is ideal for summer driving but can feel a bit different under winter conditions. I find with the constant and predictable torque from the electric motor, that it performs very well in the snow and ice. The only available four wheel drive EVs are very expensive, but I expect to see more models come to the marketplace and the price decline.
The Bottom Line
So if the temperatures are really frigid, you might have to make a few adjustments, but that should not make you avoid buying one. They are still the easiest way to reduce your personal emissions, are the least costly to operate over time and the most enjoyable form of transportation on the road today.
I encourage your respectful comments. I can be reached at [email protected]
Yes, it is the tropical west coast of Canada, but even here, Winter is coming. I have often been asked how electric cars (EVs) manage in snow and icy roads. And what about the range? So here’s my take on driving an EV in the winter.
Prepare
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 November 1. The weather network suggest mid-December (https://www.theweathernetwork.com/ca/news/article/when-canadians-should-switch-to-winter-snow-tires-region-by-region). Mountain top owners might consider carrying chains. Ensure your window washer fluid is full, your wipers are in good shape and clean your windows inside and out really well to prepare for those low-sun angles.
Have all your support EV batteries in order. They don’t perform as well in winter. The key FOB battery (CR 2025 in a Leaf), as it is not nice for it to go flakey when you are in a snowstorm trying to get in. I carry a spare in my car. The 12 volt utility battery as it runs lights and window wiper and “starts the car”. I carry a small multi-function jump starter just in case.
Charge the Traction battery
Keep the traction battery charged towards the full side (I use a charging timer), or full. You never know when a horrific wind storm will hit and there is the possibility that you may need that energy for charging other things and perhaps even using an inverter as described at: http://www.ssiev.ca/evs-and-emergency-power.html. As the temperatures gradually drop, your traction battery will progressively reduce the amount stored, so your range will be less. Maybe 15% if it gets really cold. That is normal and next spring when the birds return from the South, so will your battery performance. On the plus side, it will take less time to charge and will use less electricity.
Best Practices
In addition to the cooler battery, the increased need for heaters for warmth and window defrosting, window wipers, headlights during the darker times will also contribute to reduce your available range. But there are some great strategies to mitigate the effect. Use the seat and steering wheel heaters if you have them. They work really well, and a warm hands and bum help you to stay warm without having a really hot cabin. The cabin heat and defogger use quite a bit of juice, so I keep the cabin at a nice warmish temperature. My older EV has a smaller battery and limited range, so it does pay to pay attention to it through the cold weather. The longer range models hitting the market now (Chevy Bolt, Hyundai Kona EV, Kia eNiro, Kia Soul EV, Nissan Leaf Plus, Tesla model 3) will also see a drop in range with winter driving, but with +60 kwh batteries and all of them EPA rated at +400km range you can happily plan that winter road trip. Additional winter driving tips including a rodent topic are available at: http://www.ssiev.ca/ev-winter-tips.html.
Driving
We have over 235 EVs on Salt Spring and to my knowledge none of them has had any unique winter issues. EV’s generally have a different weight distribution. For example, some vehicles have an advantage as the heavy engine sits over the traction wheels. EV’s have the battery weight distributed evenly on all 4 corners. This is ideal for summer driving but can feel a bit different under winter conditions. I find with the constant and predictable torque from the electric motor, that it performs very well in the snow and ice. The only available four wheel drive EVs are very expensive, but I expect to see more models come to the marketplace and the price decline.
The Bottom Line
So if the temperatures are really frigid, you might have to make a few adjustments, but that should not make you avoid buying one. They are still the easiest way to reduce your personal emissions, are the least costly to operate over time and the most enjoyable form of transportation on the road today.
I encourage your respectful comments. I can be reached at [email protected]