Winter months in the UK can bring bitterly low temperatures, heavy rain, snow and ice, which means our electric cars can suffer! So, how can you look after your EV or hybrid in the winter to keep it in good shape?
Does cold weather affect EVs and hybrids?
Cold weather can affect the efficiency of your EV or hybrid’s electric battery.
The most common kind of EV battery is lithium-ion, and this kind of battery can suffer in low temperatures. This is because cold weather thickens the electrolyte liquid within the battery, meaning it takes more time for it to create the electricity needed to drive.
According to Octopus Electroverse, lithium-ion EV batteries perform best at a temperature of 15°C. If you live in the UK, you’ll know that many of our winter days have temperatures lower than that, sometimes even below freezing. The lower the temperature gets, the less efficiently a lithium-ion EV battery can work.
Octopus Electroverse found that a Tesla Model 3’s EV range can change between the summer and winter months. Its range can differ by 15 miles, from 260 miles at its peak in warmer temperatures to 245 miles when the temperatures drop. So, it’s clear that the cold can spell bad news for your EV.
How to look after your EV in winter
Don’t overuse the heating
It’s easy to turn the heating up to maximum heat when it’s cold in your EV, but this can negatively impact your journey.
When you use the heating or air conditioning in your EV, you’re using energy from the same electric battery that provides the EV with driving range. Constantly using your heating can cut down your EV’s range, meaning you’ll have to charge it more often.
This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t use the heating at all, as things can get pretty cold during the winter months! However, it’s best to be mindful of how often you’re using your heating.
You can also try using the heated seats and steering wheel option instead of your regular heating, as this often uses less energy.
Keep the battery charged
As the cold weather can affect your EV battery’s efficiency, it’s wise to make sure the battery is always charged enough to avoid breaking down during your journey.
You can do this by regularly charging your EV at home (especially overnight) and using public charging stations to keep the battery charged when you’re on the road.
Preheat your EV before driving
To get your EV’s battery up to a higher surrounding temperature, you can heat the car up a little before setting off on your journey.
A lot of EVs have a preheat feature that you can use before you start driving, so check your EV’s user manual to see if it offers this handy feature. This can help boost the battery’s efficiency for the journey.
Keep your EV covered at home
To stop the colder conditions affecting your EV when it’s parked at home, consider parking it in your garage if you have one. You could also use a car cover if your EV is parked outside overnight, though this may not be as effective as keeping it indoors.
Use eco mode
EVs often have an eco mode that you can use to improve mileage efficiency. Eco mode reduces the overall power output of the car by limiting certain functions, such as the accelerator response.
Because your EV battery’s efficiency may suffer in winter, using your car’s eco mode can help boost your range slightly to offset the effects of low temperatures.
Use regenerative braking
In an EV, regenerative braking slightly charges your battery each time you brake. In colder weather, this can help save your EV battery power and boost mileage range.
Most EVs have regenerative braking, so check your user manual to see how you turn it on.
Regularly check your tyres
Icy and snowy roads increase contact between your tyres and the surface, meaning your tyre pressure can lower quickly. Driving with low tyre pressure can damage your EV’s wheels.
Check your tyre pressure regularly to make sure it hasn’t dropped below the recommended pressure in your user manual, or on the weather strip (piece of metal) that goes underneath and supports the driver-side door.
You should also check your tyre tread depth. Low tyre tread can be very dangerous on icy and wet roads, so make sure your EV’s tyres have at least 1.6mm tread depth, which is the UK’s minimum.
