Recurrent Data Clarifies EV Range Loss In Cold Conditions – CleanTechnica

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Last Updated on: 10th February 2025, 11:03 am

All cars lose efficiency in the cold weather. Whether gas or electric, overall range decreases and fueling costs increase in harsher winter climates. But there is good news for EV owners. Seasonal fluctuations don’t impact daily driving or charging as much as they might expect. The range estimates provided by the EPA and the manufacturer assume the battery is at ideal temperature — usually around 70 degrees Fahrenheit. In the winter, drivers may experience shorter range than expected, which may require more frequent charging stops. Charging sessions may also take longer than normal says Recurrent, which analyzed date from more than 18,000 electric cars from 20 popular models to arrive at its conclusions.

Electric cars produce very little waste heat compared to conventional cars which waste more than two-thirds of the energy in every gallon of gasoline, much of it as heat. To heat the cabin and maintain battery performance, EVs must generate their own heat either by using a resistance heater or a more efficient heat pump. The research by Recurrent shows that cars equipped with heat pumps tend to suffer less range loss in winter than cars that use resistance type heaters. That shouldn’t be a surprise. A resistance heater is like an electric stove. It uses electricity to make the burners hot enough to cook our food. If you have old fashioned electric baseboard heaters, you can watch your electric meter go into overdrive when they get switched on.

The heat pump works by transferring heat from the outside air, even in cold conditions. Similar to an air conditioner running in reverse, a heat pump uses refrigerant and compression to produce hot air much more efficiently. For every unit of electricity consumed, a heat pump can generate 3 to 4 units of heat, making it significantly more energy efficient than a resistance heating unit. However, its efficiency diminishes as temps drop below 14F, Recurrent warns.

Winter range loss occurs for a few reasons. The two main contributing factors are chemical and mechanical. Chemical and physical reactions in the battery occur more slowly in cold temperatures. which inhibit chemical reactions and act as resistance that slows down the physical processes. This reduces the EV’s available power. The primary reason EVs lose range in the winter is due to cabin heating to keep the driver and passengers warm.

An EV has a much more efficient motor which does not generate nearly as much heat as an internal combustion engine. The heaters that keep the car warm generally draw energy from the high voltage battery, reducing how much capacity is left for driving. Although other organizations have studied the effect of cold weather on range, including AAA, they are often completed in laboratory settings or with a small vehicle sample. The Recurrent research project includes a much larger data set under real world driving conditions.

Some electric car drivers worry that the lower performance of their cars in winter will be permanent, but Recurrent says any range loss from winter weather is temporary and causes no long term detriment to the battery. As the weather warms, a car’s expected range on a full charge should return to normal. EV owners who connect to the Recurrent platform can track that over time.

Tips For Avoiding Winter Range Loss

It takes more energy to warm up a cold car than a warm one. Therefore, EV drivers will want to warm up their cars while they are still plugged into the wall charger at home. This is called preconditioning and is available in most EVs simply by using an app. The idea is to let the electricity flowing through the home charger warm up the battery and the interior of the car instead of using electrons stored in the battery. Some vehicles also offer a winter weather package that is specially designed to keep battery temperatures in an ideal zone so they are always ready when you start to drive.

Most EV drivers have adapted to the new paradigm of driving in the cold. Turn down the heat and turn up the seat heaters and heated steering wheel. They can keep the driver and front seat passenger toasty warm while using far less energy from the battery, which leaves more of it available for moving the car forward. In addition, build in some extra time for charging at fast chargers along the way. To protect the high voltage battery, many cars limit the charging voltage when the battery is cold. Regular charge speed will return when the battery has warmed up, Recurrent advises. In many EVs, especially newer models, once that driver chooses a place to recharge, the in-car navigation system will alert the battery management system to begin preconditioning the battery so that it is the correct temperature when charging begins. That means the charging session will go as quickly as possible because the charging session won’t have to wait while the battery warms itself.

One of the benefits of an electric car is the phenomenon of regenerative braking. When the driver releases the exhilerator pedal, the electric motor or motors become generators, slowing the car and bringing it to a stop. That’s an advantage over conventional cars because it helps recapture some of the kinetic energy of the car and turn it back into potential energy in the form of extra electrons in the battery. In a conventional car, drivers have to use the brakes to slow the car, which simple turns that kinetic energy into heat, which is then wasted.

There is one caveat, however. If the roads are slippery, too much regenerative braking may cause the tires to slide and make controlling the car more difficult. Drivers would be wise to reduce the amount of regenerative braking to avoid be taken by surprise when they take their foot off the throttle. Here’s another thing to consider. Regenerative braking may be limited by the battery management system when the battery is cold because a cold battery cannot charge as fast as it does when it is a normal operating temperature. Drivers should be aware that they may have to use the mechanical brakes more than normal when the temperature outside drops.

Driving in the cold affects all drivers. Gasoline suppliers reformulate their products in winter to use lighter elements that ignite more easily to improve cold start performance. Those lighter elements may help get cars started when the temperature dips, but they also reduce gas mileage by about 10%. The Recurrent data shows that EV range also shrinks by about 10% in cars that are equipped with heat pumps. It compared a Tesla Model 3 with a resistance heater to a Model 3 with a heat pump and found the range decrease in the older car was about twice as much as it was in the newer car.

Electric cars are different than cars with internal combustion engines. For one thing, they don’t waste nearly three-quarters of the energy their owners pay for. They do have their quirks, and it is good to know what they are so you don’t get surprised when the temperature drops. Driving in winter in any car is no picnic and requires extra care and concentration. Thanks to Recurrent, EV drivers are now better equipped to manage the challenges of winter driving effectively. A little knowledge can be a wonderful thing.