E-cars in summer and winter: How do the temperatures affect the range?
Created: 12/24/2022, 3:00 p.m
By: Sebastian Oppenheimer
Extreme cold and extreme heat affect the range of electric cars.
An expert test now shows what losses can be expected.
Winter is usually no reason for drivers to jump for joy: slippery roads, icy windows or even frozen doors can spoil this time of year.
But electric car drivers have a completely different problem when it’s cold: the range shrinks.
But by how much exactly?
The American equivalent of the ADAC - the American Automobile Association (AAA) - has examined how extreme heat and extreme cold affect the range.
E-cars in summer and winter: How do the temperatures affect the range?
Five different electric cars were tested by the AAA on a temperature-controlled test stand.
Above all, the result in the cold was drastic: According to the experts, the Stromer had a range loss of 41 percent at minus 6.5 degrees Celsius with the heating on.
This means that an electric car with a range of 400 kilometers would then only have a range of 236 kilometers.
According to experts, e-cars lose up to 41 percent of their range in extreme cold.
(Iconic image) © Joerg Boethling/Imago
E-cars in summer and winter: heating eats up a lot of range in the cold
A comparison measurement at the same temperature with the heating switched off shows how enormous the energy consumption of the heater is: Here the testers came up with a range loss of just 12 percent.
With a standard range of 400 kilometers, 352 kilometers would still be possible.
Of course, there are numerous other consumers in a car, such as the radio, heated seats or the low beam - but they use significantly less energy than the heater.
But not only cold - heat also affects the range: At an outside temperature of 35 degrees Celsius, the range of the Stromer with the air conditioning switched on decreased by 17 percent.
Without air conditioning, the loss was just 4 percent.
Charging an electric car: These ten go the furthest after 20 minutes
View photo gallery
You can find even more exciting car topics in the free newsletter from our partner 24auto.de.
also read
Salary at Audi: What employees earn from beginners to managers
READ
Parking: What is a working day and does Saturday include it?
READ
Windshield antifreeze in the test: three products "downright dangerous"
READ
Audi with future problems in the VW group - old criticism and new difficulties
READ
Christmas bonuses at Audi and Mercedes – that’s how much employees get
READ
Fancy a journey of discovery?
My space
E-cars in summer and winter: tips for maximum range
However, the AAA points out that even gasoline-powered vehicles lose range in extreme temperatures.
At minus 6.5 degrees Celsius, the range is reduced by 11 percent after a cold start, and by as much as 17 percent at 35 degrees and with the air conditioning running.
In order to keep the range of an electric car as large as possible, the experts at the automobile club have a few tips:
Pre-heating or pre-cooling: As long as the car is still connected to the charging cable, the interior temperature should be controlled - then more power for the range will remain in the battery.
Not heating or cooling at full level: If you drive in a pullover instead of a t-shirt, you don’t have to turn up the heating as much and thus save electricity.
The opposite applies in the case of air conditioning use.
Parking in the garage: If the car is in a garage, the heating or air conditioning system has to work less on days with extreme temperatures.
Plan ahead: Check the weather forecast before going on a long journey.
Extremely hot or extremely cold weather may require more charging stops.