Winter range anxiety: How cold weather affects EV battery life

It is estimated that the driving range of electric vehicles (EVs) drops by 5% to 45% in extremely cold weather.

The reduction in the range of the vehicle is caused by huge drops in the temperature. Owners of electric vehicles therefore suffer from anxiety during winter when temperatures drop to extremely low levels.

The effect of low temperatures on EV batteries however varies depending on factors such as the battery size, the vehicle’s make, driving habits, and so on.

Owners of combustion engine vehicles don’t experience this anxiety, because gasoline vehicles don’t use batteries for motion, so there is no fear of range reduction due to battery failure.

If you’re reading this article, it’s either because you have an electric vehicle or you’re considering getting one, and it is important that you know how cold weather affects EV batteries.

In this guide, we will share with you all that you need to know about cold weather and EV batteries, as well as the steps you can take to reduce the impact of winter on your EV’s battery performance.

Why cold weather affects EV batteries

The following are some of the reasons why cold weather can affect the battery of your electric vehicle.

Lithium-Ion battery chemistry

Electric vehicle batteries use Lithium ions to store energy through complex chemical reactions. These reactions take place within a temperature range, which winter cold doesn’t favor

The reactions therefore slow down with declining temperatures, and slower the reactions, the less energy is made available, so the car’s range reduces significantly.

Low temperatures also increase the internal resistance of the battery, thus leading to a waste of energy.

Increased energy consumption in winter

Electric vehicles rely on their batteries for more than just motion. The batteries also supply energy for heating the cabin, as well as other heat-related processes such as defrosting.

In fact, about 18% of the battery’s capacity is said to go into heating and cooling. With extremely cold weather, the demand for energy increases significantly, which leaves less energy for motion. This directly affects the range the vehicle can cover before the battery runs down.

Preconditioning requirements

Preconditioning refers to the heating up of the car’s cabin to a desired temperature before driving, or warming up the battery to prepare it for charging.

While this makes driving more comfortable and saves charging time, the process relies on energy already stored on the battery, which further reduces the distance the car can cover before shutting down.

Strategies to mitigate winter range anxiety

In order to reduce the effects of winter on the range of EVs, you should take the following precautions.

Precondition while charging

It is advisable that you precondition the EV when it is plugged in and charging. That way, the vehicle doesn’t use the energy stored in the battery for preconditioning. This leaves enough battery power for covering longer distances.

Also to maximize the battery life, it recommended that you charge the battery only to 80%-90% and not 100%. You shouldn’t allow the battery to be completely drained either, as extremes of battery charge can shorten its lifespan.

Efficient Energy Usage

Another way to reduce the effect of winter on the car’s range is by reducing reliance on the battery for heating.

To do this, you can turn off the cabin heating function and only use the seat and steering wheel heating while supplementing with wearing warm clothes to conserve energy for driving.

Driving with caution

As stated earlier, one of the factors that determine the range of a vehicle is the driving habit. Driving at moderate speeds helps to conserve battery energy as well as avoiding sudden acceleration

The correct use of regenerative braking can also help. This is a technology that harnesses kinetic energy during braking and converts it into electrical energy to be used for the car’s energy needs.

While its use can strain the vehicle, a wise use of it can help to recover energy without putting too much pressure on the vehicle.

Plan charging stops

Maybe you’re not a fan of using public charging stations, but during winter, you may need to use public facilities to increase your range, especially if you’re not able to observe the other strategies.

By having more charging points along your way, you won’t have to worry about your car stopping on the way.

Parking in a garage

Parking your EV in a garage or any enclosed space can help to conserve the battery’s energy. Parking in the cold outside can increase energy demands for heating when you want to use the vehicle.