If you’re thinking of buying a battery electric vehicle (BEV) or a plug-in hybrid (PHEV), where you live and your local weather will highly impact the way your car performs.
Very high temperatures (above 95 degrees Fahrenheit) and very low (below 20 degrees) will affect an electric car’s range, charging time, and overall performance.
In fairness, this is true of gasoline-powered cars too, but to a lesser degree and for slightly different reasons. To help control evaporation, most gasoline in the United States gets an additive during the winter months. That additive uses less energy than pure gasoline, so fuel economy suffers simply because that fuel mixture is less combustible.
In addition, the various fluids and mechanisms in a car (gas or electric) meet with more resistance because of the low temperatures. Tires are stiffer, liquids can be thicker, and the vehicle generates heat to keep the occupants comfortable or alive, depending on where you live.
Weather-Related Reduced Electric Car Driving Range
Charging times can take longer in winter. The ions that need to move freely to transfer electricity from your home or a public charging station into the battery will work slower in cold weather. There are ways to minimize this. But the bottom line is that owning and driving an electric car is a different experience depending on where you live.
Cold Weather Issues and EVs
For electric vehicles (EV), AAA reports that when compared to an ambient outside temperature of 75 degrees, “On average, an ambient temperature of 20 degrees resulted in a 12% decrease of combined driving range…” That means your electric car with a total driving range of 250 miles could be down to 220 miles based on the outside temperature. That’s before considering how running your heater might use up your range.
In that same report, AAA says, “On average, HVAC use at 20 degrees resulted in a 41% decrease of combined driving range….” Now, your 250-mile range is down to 147 miles. Still more than enough for everyday commuting and in-town driving. What happens to a car with a 150-mile range? Based on the AAA report, your electric vehicle with a 150-mile range in freezing weather will now be down to 88.5 miles based only on using the car’s heater.
Hot Weather and Driving Range
It’s a similar story for sweltering climates. Still, the total loss of driving range is about 20% for both running the air conditioner and the battery’s reduced ability to store electricity. In hot summer months, that 250-mile range might be reduced to 200 miles, not quite as big a deal as the low temp situation.
Gasoline-powered cars generate heat as a natural part of the combustion process, so heat to warm the cabin is, essentially, free. Admittedly, this would be an inefficient way to produce heat if that was the gas engine’s primary or only job.
Overcoming Cold Weather with EV Charging
The good news is that you can do things to help an all-electric car overcome some of these environmental obstacles.
Here are five specific things you can do to make the most of your EVs driving range in the winter months:
1. Park in a Garage
Parking in a garage where the temperature remains above freezing will help keep your electric car’s batteries at the optimal operating temperature. If your garage is heated, even better. As a result, you can retain some of the driving range that might otherwise be lost to the sub-freezing temps overnight.
2. Warm the Car and Batteries While Still Plugged In
Most electric cars have an onboard computer that can help you optimize your electric car’s range. You can do this by setting charging and departure times (sometimes called pre-conditioning). You can often set your departure time and the car’s cabin temperature for a comfortable commute. If you do this, your vehicle (and the batteries) will start warming up while still plugged in.
By setting your cabin temperature, you will begin to pull power from the batteries for the heater as soon as you leave your garage. Often, you can use a smartphone app to control these features either with a timer or manually. When you set the temperature for departure, make it a little lower than you would in a gasoline-powered car.
3. Properly Inflate Your Tires in Cold Weather
This tip applies to both electric and gasoline-powered cars and applies to all types of weather. Cold air contracts and that can make your tires under-inflated. Under-inflated tires create more resistance and can lessen your electric car’s driving range and reduce fuel economy in gasoline-powered vehicles. Under-inflated tires can also negatively impact your car’s handling.
4. Don’t Overcharge Your Battery
Most modern electric cars come with controls that allow you set how much charge your car’s battery can receive. Setting the charger to less than 100% will help prolong your car’s drive battery. The same goes for discharging. Set the onboard battery management parameters not to allow the battery to get to 0%. Letting the battery fully charge then fully discharge can reduce the car’s driving range over time.
5. Use Eco Mode in All Weather.
Check to see if your electric car has an “Eco” or “Econ” driving mode; this means “Economy.” Many vehicles have settings like “Normal” and “Sport.” If your car has an all-wheel drive, there might be an “Off-road” setting as well. The vehicle will electronically soften the accelerator response to conserve battery charge and lengthen driving range using economy mode.
You can follow most of these same tips in the summer, although parking in a garage is more for keeping the car (and its batteries) cool rather than warm. Using the air-conditioner in the summer doesn’t drain electricity nearly as much as using the heater. Still, try to use the climate control system as little as possible. And try setting the temperature to 75 or so to extend your driving range as much as possible.
EV Charging Times in All Weather
Just as hot and cold weather can impact driving range, the temperature can affect the time it takes to charge your car. If you live in a frigid climate, you will benefit from installing a Level 2 charger in your garage. You can indeed charge your electric car up by plugging it into the 110-volt household-style outlet using the cable that comes with your vehicle.
However, if you regularly drive 50 miles or more per day, an overnight charge might not be enough to bring the battery up to near full. Since the driving range lowers in the winter months, it’s wise never to let your battery get below 50%. If you have access to a DC fast charger, that number can drop to 20%. A fast charger uses Direct Current (DC) versus the usual Alternating Current (AC) power. For example, AC is the electrical current typically found in your house or apartment.
DC Fast EV Chargers in Extreme Weather
DC chargers are more desirable for extreme weather conditions because they charge your car faster. However, not all-electric vehicles can use a DC Fast Charger. As an example, the new Hyundai Ioniq 5 can use a fast charger. It can charge a battery from 10% to 80% in less than 20 minutes. That might take a little longer in cold weather, but it’s still far better than the hours it would take with a Level 1 or Level 2 charger.
Hyundai says you’ll need to consider several factors when considering charge times in cold weather:
“Depending on the condition and durability of the high voltage battery, charger specifications, and ambient temperature, the time required for charging the high voltage battery may vary. Below freezing temperatures, DC charging times will be longer depending on the driving conditions before charging, starting State of Charge (SOC), and the DC charger specification.”
The bottom line is that you would want to carefully consider the climate when shopping for an electric car. Extremely cold or hot weather will impact an all-electric vehicle’s charging time and range. All-electric vehicles work best in mild climates without extreme high and low temperatures.
Weather-Related EV and PHEV Shopping Tips
Here are a few things to keep in mind when shopping for an EV if you live in an icy part of the country.
1. Consider Buying a Plug-in Hybrid
You won’t get much from the electric-only portion of the car during winter. But you also won’t be bound by slow charging times and face lower than a typical driving range.
2. Look Into a Traditional Hybrid
Two recent examples of traditional hybrids are the Honda Accord Hybrid and Ford Maverick Hybrid. The cost is lower than an EV or PHEV, and the weather will impact efficiency less.
3. Look for a Car That Offers DC Fast Charge Capability
When you buy a vehicle offering DC fast charging, it will be much faster than relying on public or private Level 1 and Level 2 chargers, even in cold weather.
4. Know the Length of Your Daily Commute
Is it more than 40 or 50 miles round trip? If so, you’ll want to look at electric cars with a 300-mile range.
Hurricanes and Power Outages with EVs
There’s one other type of extreme weather to consider, hurricanes – specifically when one knocks out power for several days. Many times, you will evacuate. If you live where hurricanes occur regularly, determine where your evacuation point is and the mileage to get there. Is it a relative’s house, a nearby city, or another solution?
Remember, charging your vehicle might take some pre-planning, especially if you’re traveling in an unfamiliar area. And you’ll need enough electricity to get to and from your destination. If a hurricane will hit your area and you drive an electric car, it’s best to keep the vehicle at or near 100% charge starting 24-hours before the hurricane hits. This preparation may work out better for the electric car owner if you own a car that can power appliances and accessories, like the Ford F-150 Lightning. Also, you need to find out ahead of time if the chargers you wish to access are public and if they’re DC fast chargers or not.
For example, ChargePoint has hundreds of charging stations along Florida’s east coast. However, many of those are AC chargers. That means it will take hours to get a full charge on an electric car with a 300-mile capacity. Also, some of those chargers may be located on a college campus or at other types of business. You need to consider if that area stays open during an evacuation order. It will probably vary from state to state. Thankfully, the ChargePoint app will tell you if the charger you’re hoping to use is AC or DC, and it will tell you which ones are available.
If you drive a Tesla, you have the best chance of finding a place to charge since the vehicle’s navigation system knows the company’s charging station locations. If you’re on a long road trip in a Tesla, the navigation system will automatically route you to a Supercharger location.
Tesla Supercharger
One big question remains. Will the Tesla Supercharger network or any electric charging stations work in an area hit by a hurricane? It’s not clear. In fairness, gasoline stations will likely be out of commission, too, since the pumps use electricity to pump the gas.
One piece of good news. Suppose there’s an evacuation order in a given area. In that case, Tesla allows free Supercharging and enables the use of extended range batteries even in vehicles that don’t have that feature unlocked via software. When this happens, you should get a message on the in-car screen of your Tesla. Tesla also has a comprehensive in-car tool (via the touchscreen) that allows you to search for charging stations using an abundance of criteria. Finding a charger with a bathroom or with a specific kind of connector are just two of the options. In this way, the Tesla option is better than any other electric car.
EVs After a Hurricane
All EV owners, including drivers of Tesla vehicles, should bring their home charging cable with them for an evacuation. You should also bring any adapters with you. It is possible to charge a non-Tesla car on a Tesla charger, but you won’t get the speedy Supercharging.
Finally, many people returning home will not have electricity after a hurricane. It’s common practice in Southern states to sit in the car and run the air-conditioner to get a break from the heat. Charging up your phone is something else you can do in your vehicle. The power you’ll use to charge your phone isn’t much, so this shouldn’t be an issue with an electric car. However, running the A/C might be an issue, depending on how much battery charge you have. On the other hand, an electric vehicle can be parked in the garage out of the sun and have the air-conditioning running since an EV does not have exhaust in a typical sense.
Are EVs Best in Hurricane Prone Areas?
If you really like the idea, the ride, and the convenience of an electric car but live in an area of the country that sees frequent hurricanes, you might want to consider a plug-in hybrid. This type of car can run on gas or electricity or a combination of both. They often have a very long driving range. At the very least, you’ll want the most extended-range EV you can find. Finally, the United States Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy says the average driving range of an electric car is about 60% of a gasoline-powered vehicle. The median driving range of a gas-powered car is over 400 miles. The median driving range for an EV is about 230 miles. There are EVs with a 500-mile driving range, but those are expensive and not common.
