{"id":398,"date":"2022-04-26T19:54:00","date_gmt":"2022-04-26T19:54:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/emvanmoore.ca\/?p=398"},"modified":"2022-04-27T02:55:07","modified_gmt":"2022-04-27T02:55:07","slug":"do-evs-work-in-winter","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/emvanmoore.ca\/?p=398","title":{"rendered":"Do EVs Work In Winter?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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“Do Electric Vehicles Work In Winter? By: Em Van Moore”<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Yes! They do!<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The short answer is: yes, of course they do, otherwise manufacturers would be producing automobiles that could only be sold in warm climate countries. And that would be a huge loss of revenue. So, yes. EV\u2019s absolutely work in cold weather.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Now for the long answer\u2026.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The #1 question I get asked by people when they find out I drive an electric car, is \u201cDoes it run in winter?\u201d (yes it does) Followed by \u201cHow far can you get with it\u201d and \u201cHow much was it\u201d, and lastly: \u201cHow much money have you saved\u201d. Don\u2019t worry, blog posts are coming to answer all those questions too!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019ve owned my used EV (2016 Chevy Spark) for years now, and it has absolutely no problem in the extreme cold of Northern Canada. It functions great in 0\u00b0 to -20\u00b0 celcius weather, and it was fine all the way down to the coldest my area got so far: -37\u00b0 C, when even my Internal Combustion Engine (aka \u201cICE\u201d) vehicle struggled to start. The great thing about a battery operated vehicle is that it does not really require warming up the same way as a ICE vehicle (source)<\/a>. You turn it on, and that\u2019s it!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cold weather is actually good for the long-term lifespan of a lithium battery (source)<\/a>. Over time, you\u2019ll find that your battery may last longer than those of EV drivers in warmer climates, as warmth can damage the batteries (source)<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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EV range in the cold.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

However, it\u2019s important to note that EV\u2019s lose range in cold weather (source)<\/a>. When I was researching them, prior to purchasing our used one, I read repeatedly that you could expect 17 – 41% loss of battery power (source).<\/a> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We found that our estimated range in the spring\/summer is approximately 115 – 125 kms. That\u2019s three trips into town and back, as we live in the country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, in the winter, at the height of the coldest parts (-15\u00b0 to -35\u00b0 C) it can drop as low as 65 kms range, and because we\u2019re using up more energy for the seat warmers and the heater, we can only get into town and back once on a \u201cfull charge\u201d of 65(ish) kms. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

That\u2019s a drop in range of 54%! That\u2019s way more than the estimated % we were expecting. However, it’s well within the “normal” range that has been reported and is becoming more widely known as we continue to study EV’s (source)<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Does that change our stance on EVs? Definitely not. Remember, we live in the country. So someone living in town probably won\u2019t have to worry about charging for quite a few days. If it\u2019s not a problem for rural folks, then it would be even less of a problem for city dwellers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We have to charge every night during a cold snap though. This doesn\u2019t bother us at all, especially when we consider all the ICE vehicles that are running 5 – 25 minutes prior to being driven in the winter, just to warm up. Millions of vehicles spewing out gasoline and diesel every single day, multiple times a day, just to get that cabin temp nice and toasty for a ten minute drive to work. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We\u2019d much prefer our little EV that warms up right away, and doesn\u2019t burn emissions to keep us comfortable in the winter. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here’s a great article about EVs in winter, by Drive Electric Vermont!<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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This stock photo is so absurd I HAD to include it…….. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Some ways to help your EV in the winter:<\/h2>\n\n\n\n