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Colder weather has an impact on the maximum driving range of an electric vehicle, because it adversely affects the batteries that are used to store the energy. Batteries rely on chemical reactions to release electricity and power the car, but low temperatures slow these reactions down and reduce the performance of the battery.
According to Renault, its latest electric Zoe model will do as much as 295 miles when travelling at a steady speed of 31 miles per hour when the outside temperature is 20 degrees.
In the highly unlikely case that the temperature drops to -15 degrees, the same car travelling at the same speed will do just 220 miles.
The faster the car is being driven, the lower the range, and in sub-zero temperatures, drivers can expect less than 100 miles of range in a Zoe at 80mph.
Colder temperatures can also have an effect on charging stations, as public rapid-charging stations may be slower.
Tesla has acknowledged that extreme cold weather can result in a slower charging speed at its Supercharger stations.
Drivers are advised to park their vehicle in an enclosed space, as it will trap heat and allow the battery to hold its charge for longer.
This also helps when charging the vehicle, as the choice between parking and charging outdoors compared to in a multi-story, the indoor option will help the car run like normal.
Most electric cars come with useful apps for drivers phones, allowing them to heat the car from the comfort of their home.
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If drivers turn on their car’s heating before they leave the house, it will both heat up the cabin to their desired temperature and also warm up the battery to aid performance.
Most people charge their cars overnight, and if the car is still plugged in when they start heating the car in the morning, then none of the battery’s electricity is used up – it all comes from the grid instead.
When it reaches those colder temperatures, the car’s battery management system likes to reserve a certain percentage of the battery capacity in order to heat the battery up.
The reserve percentage is generally about 15 to 20 percent.
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