Electric cars in winter: How cold weather affects EV range and charge

Like everything powered by lithium batteries, electric cars can perform less well in the cold. Here’s what that means for you, and how to work around it.

Electric cars should be pre-conditioned before driving in cold weather (Polestar)

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Electric cars perform less well in cold weather. Lower ambient temperatures affect an EV’s range, but also how quickly the battery charges and how effective its regenerative braking system works.

This is true of other products too, such as your smartphone, laptop and camera, since it’s the lithium batteries that work less well when cold. And it is also true of the 12-volt batteries used by petrol and diesel cars, which perform less well when the temperature drops.

But for EVs the effects can be more obvious. You might not notice your iPhone losing battery more quickly when outside on a cold day, or that your petrol car took an extra second to start on a frozen morning – but you’re likely to spot when your EV falls short of its normal range by between 10 and 30 per cent.

That figure comes from EV charging company Pod Point, which also stresses how battery performance returns to normal once the cold weather clears. It is also important to remember how preconditioning an EV reduces the effect cold weather has on range, and that there are plenty of tips and tricks to help get the most out of your EV when temperatures fall.

Do electric cars have less range in winter?

Because batteries perform less well when cold, electric cars generally have less range when temperatures fall through the winter months. EV charging company Pod Point says: “Electric vehicle batteries operate via a complex chemical process. In extreme temperatures, whether it’s close to freezing or heat waves, an EV’s battery won’t necessarily be 100 per cent efficient, and you can expect to see a decrease in range by around 10 to 30 per cent.”

Annual tests conducted in sub-zero winter weather by Norges Automobil-Forbund – the Norwegian Automobile Federation – have found how EV range can fall by between four and 30 per cent, and that charging speed can also be affected.

The most recent test, conducted in January 2024, found the HiPhi Z, a Chinese E, lost just 5.9 per cent of its advertised range when driven in cold weather, while the Polestar 2, Volvo C40 Recharge, Toyota bZ4X and Volkswagen ID.7 all lost 30 per cent or more. The Tesla Model 3’s range fell by 29.9 per cent and the Kia EV9 lost 12.5 per cent.

And remember – despite being much colder than the UK, there are more fully-electric cars on Norway’s roads than petrol-powered cars.

Do electric cars charge more slowly in winter?

Battery temperature can affect EV charge speed (PA Archive)

Yes, because cold weather slows down the chemical reactions occurring inside the battery both when it is being used to drive the car, and when it is being charged.

Because these batteries have an ideal operating window, electric cars charge more quickly when their battery is warm. That’s why most EVs will precondition their battery when approaching a charge station, so that when you plug in it’s at the optimum temperature for a speedy top-up.

Naturally, cold weather makes the battery even colder than normal, so charging without preconditioning will be slower than normal. Once earned up, the battery should charge just as quickly as it does in warmer weather – so long as the charge station is also working inside its optimum temperature window.

Is an EV’s regenerative braking affected by cold weather?

Yes. Because regenerative braking also relies on battery chemistry – in this case energy is pushed back into the battery by the motors as a car coasts or brakes – it will work less well when cold.

Drive an EV on a cold morning with no preconditioning and you’ll notice how it doesn’t slow down as normal when you lift the accelerator. This can be alarming if you’re an EV driver who prefers their car to have strong regenerative braking – but, of course, the brake pedal operates the friction brakes (the discs, calipers and pads) as normal.

Once the car and its battery pack has warmed up, regenerative braking strength will return to normal.

Should I precondition my electric car in winter?

Yes, absolutely. Preconditioning your EV before plugging into a public charger will help the battery charge more quickly, and preconditioning before you leave home (and while plugged into your wallbox charger) will not only bring the cabin temperature up to keep you comfortable, but it will warm the battery without stealing any charge.

That way, from the moment you unplug it, your EV will be operating as efficiently as possible, instead of working hard (and inefficiently) to warm you and its battery up while on the move.

How to precondition your EV

This will vary slightly from one EV to another. But, generally speaking, if you use the car’s own navigation system to find a charge station, it will start to precondition its battery once you’re around 30 to 45 minutes away from the charger. That way, when you arrive the battery will be at the best temperature to charge quickly.

As an example, Tesla states how, if the charge location is less than 30 to 45 minutes away, Model 3 drivers should “consider preconditioning the battery before driving”.

It is also usually possible to precondition an EV’s battery manually, by diving into the settings menu. You’ll want to do that if you use other navigation apps to find a charge station, such as those running on your smartphone.

Preconditioning your EV before you start driving in cold weather is also a good idea. That way, the car can get itself (and the cabin) up to temperature while plugged into the charger, and therefore using no battery charge to warm everything up.

Does your EV have a heat pump?

Generally speaking, more expensive EVs tend to come with a heat pump as standard, while for others they’re available as an optional extra. A heat pump is an energy efficient way of using refrigerant to move heat from one place to another. In an EV’s case that mostly means taking warmth from the battery and using it to heat the cabin.

The heat pump can also be used to keep the battery at its optimum operating temperature, therefore helping with range and charge speed. Non-electric cars haven’t bothered with heat pumps since so much heat is created by the engine, that cabins warm up pretty quickly.

It’s worth spending a little extra to buy an EV with a heat pump, as they are better at heating the cabin than the electric heaters used by EVs without them. Heat pumps are also used by the EV to defrost and warm the cabin while parked and charging – something you can usually do remotely via the car’s smartphone app.

Cold weather doesn’t just affect electric cars

Petrol and diesel engines also work less efficiently when cold, and their batteries also suffer more in the winter. Yuasa, a producer of 12-volt car batteries, says: “Cold temperatures directly affect the performance of car batteries. In fact, at zero degrees celsius a battery will lose about 30 per cent of its cranking performance. If your car will not start it’s usually because there is an issue with your battery.”

However they are powered, all cars also tend to work harder in cold weather because their driver has cranked up the interior heating, and might also be using the air conditioning to stop the windows from steaming up.

Summing up

Ultimately, it is important to remember that your EV’s range will likely fall a little when it is especially cold.

That said, AA boss Edmund King reminded motorists last winter how just 2.3 per cent of all EV callouts the breakdown company received in January were because of batteries running out of charge. “There is no evidence that the UK’s colder weather means EVs struggle, even if range is slightly reduced,” he said, adding: “Many EV drivers adapt to the colder conditions by pre-heating and de-icing their vehicles remotely before they leave home”.

You should keep an eye on the indicated range, as well as the average efficiency for your current journey. Are you seeing fewer miles per kWh? Then it might be worth factoring in an extra charge stop, or spending a few extra minutes plugged in at the stop you’d already planned to make.

The best tip is to precondition your EV while it’s still plugged in, ensuring everything is up to temperature – and the cabin is nice and warm, too – before setting off. It’s also worth parking in your garage, if you have one and your EV fits, and it can often be more efficient to use the car’s heated seats and heated steering wheel if you have them, instead of cranking up the cabin air temperature.