Winter Weather Performance

[TaxmanHog]

Nice article from AAA on the subject of particular interest to those of us in the snow belt.

https://magazine.northeast.aaa.com/...ric-vehicles/are-electric-cars-good-in-winter

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[Maquis]

The 41% average drop in range is pretty accurate. And that’s at 20F.
The biggest issue I see based on new EV owners posting on the Mach-E forum is that quite a few people don’t do their research and are shocked at the cold weather range. Scores of folks insist that their car is broken, Ford installed the wrong battery, etc.
It‘s important to do your homework before dropping this amount of coin on a new vehicle!

 

[RickLightning]

The 41% average drop in range is pretty accurate. And that’s at 20F.
The biggest issue I see based on new EV owners posting on the Mach-E forum is that quite a few people don’t do their research and are shocked at the cold weather range. Scores of folks insist that their car is broken, Ford installed the wrong battery, etc.
It‘s important to do your homework before dropping this amount of coin on a new vehicle!

You had me at "don't do their research"...

Or read the manual.

But of course it's not just EVs, it's everything. People are more likely to read the manual on how to use their weedwacker than they are a $60 - $80,000 vehicle.

The amount of F-150 Lightning owners that will turn the car back in within 6 months will be noticeable.

 

[sotek2345]

Besides the range reduction, I have found our Mach-e to be wonderful in handling the slippery conditions (snow/ice) that come with winter. The electric propulsion train gives the traction control systems much more speed and authority and Ford seems to have put that to great use.

 

[discothan]

I read that if you put your EV out in the freezing cold, it will recharge itself.

Did your grandparents put/store used batteries in the freezer claiming the cold recharges them?

 

[Maquis]

Besides the range reduction, I have found our Mach-e to be wonderful in handling the slippery conditions (snow/ice) that come with winter. The electric propulsion train gives the traction control systems much more speed and authority and Ford seems to have put that to great use.

Agreed. The extra weight / low center of gravity also helps.

 

[Sklith]

With Norway's new vehicle registrations last year being 65% all-electric, I don't think the negative effects of winter will hurt EV sales in the long run.

Sure, some first-time EV owners in cold climates will get screwed due to their lack of research but I hope this happens less often soon. Manufacturers can help by letting the owners know about inefficiencies in the cold by either showing a warning when they get inside or severely shortening the guess-o-meter's range.

 

[metroshot]

The 41% average drop in range is pretty accurate. And that’s at 20F.
The biggest issue I see based on new EV owners posting on the Mach-E forum is that quite a few people don’t do their research and are shocked at the cold weather range. Scores of folks insist that their car is broken, Ford installed the wrong battery, etc.
It‘s important to do your homework before dropping this amount of coin on a new vehicle!

^^^ 100% true.

I am a moderator on a Honda Clarity EV/PHEV/FCV website and every fall/winter, there are folks complaining of low range per charge and decreased capacity.

They ask it their car is defective because it does not hold the same charge as summer time.

So funny yet so tragic that people who live in colder states didn't realize that temperature has direct inverse relationship with EV batteries.

Running climate cabin heating has huge impact on range too!

I'm so fortunate to live in a warm (hot) state in the Southwest part of the US so even in winter months I still get 100-110% of charge everyday.
The best part is in the summer I get 110-130% range even after 3 years of use....

The LIghtning will be perfect for me as I don't see the huge range losses.

 

[greenne]

Besides the range reduction, I have found our Mach-e to be wonderful in handling the slippery conditions (snow/ice) that come with winter. The electric propulsion train gives the traction control systems much more speed and authority and Ford seems to have put that to great use.

That's good to know. I'm considering a Ioniq 5(awd) for my wife and was wondering how the electric motors would work in slippery conditions. Range is less of a concern for her as she does mostly local driving. I will say from my Ioniq 5 test drive the instantaneous torque is amazing..even driving from stoplight to stoplight...

 

[Sklith]

It's possible we might have EV models made specifically for cold and hot climates. A cold-climate EV may be able to go without a liquid cooled battery, include a heat pump, and battery heater. VW's already doing this to an extent by not offering a heat pump in the USA ID.4 but they do have them in Canada.

Something we'll need to be aware of when buying used EVs in the future.

 

[Tony Burgh]

You had me at "don't do their research"...

Or read the manual.

But of course it's not just EVs, it's everything. People are more likely to read the manual on how to use their weedwacker than they are a $60 - $80,000 vehicle.

The amount of F-150 Lightning owners that will turn the car back in within 6 months will be noticeable.

People who reserved but didn’t make the 2022 waves should pay attention. Bargains may be available from fools wanting to be separated from their money. I’d trade my 2015 Lariat for their Lightning Lariat even up.

 

[gorwell]

With Norway's new vehicle registrations last year being 65% all-electric, I don't think the negative effects of winter will hurt EV sales in the long run.

Norway's a lot different than the US. Not really a country to really base EV Car adoption by, let alone EV trucks. Norway doesn't really drive Trucks.

Norway also has a lot of incentives for EV, which is far from the case in The US.

They also drive less:

"Per Statistisk Sentralbyra, or Statistics Norway, Norwegians drove an average of 12,289 km in 2015, or 7,636 miles per year. This translates to an average of 21 miles a day, or about 57% of the average US daily mileage"

 

[sotek2345]

People who reserved but didn’t make the 2022 waves should pay attention. Bargains may be available from fools wanting to be separated from their money. I’d trade my 2015 Lariat for their Lightning Lariat even up.

I'll go one better. I just bought a 2017 Raptor to hold me over while I wait for my Lightning. Also offering a straight up trade for a Lightning Lariart (ER of course)

 

[Sklith]

Norway's a lot different than the US. Not really a country to really base EV Car adoption by, let alone EV trucks. Norway doesn't really drive Trucks.

Norway also has a lot of incentives for EV, which is far from the case in The US.

They also drive less:

"Per Statistisk Sentralbyra, or Statistics Norway, Norwegians drove an average of 12,289 km in 2015, or 7,636 miles per year. This translates to an average of 21 miles a day, or about 57% of the average US daily mileage"

Norwegians have electric trucks and busses.

I find it hard to believe that Norwegians feel forced to buy EVs simply due to incentives, many of which have been taken away in certain areas such as bus lane access and discounted ferry access.

Has it occurred to you at all that EV owners who have shorter commutes tend to purchase shorter-ranged versions?

edit: typo

 

[TaxmanHog]

As a newbie to EV's, I'm paying attention, planning how to make the range of racing trips to the track Epping NH, a 220 mile round trip and regional national events east of the Mississippi will be a bigger challenge. (hauling a 14x7 dual axle with bike and pit equipment)

Come winter, racing is suspended, so I'll only be riding around town or 150 mile max round trips, which should be no problem. Now I'm convinced our Lightning's charging station will be in the detached garage so it is able to pre-condition while plugged in.

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