Because they come with an internal combustion engine (ICE), hybrid cars only need to be warmed up in cold weather for a moment or two to be driven safely. You can also drive an electric vehicle right after starting it. However, it takes a lot of battery power to warm up the cabin, significantly reducing your driving range. Experts recommend warming the cabin while the car is still plugged in to preserve battery life. Learn more about the differences between hybrid vs. electric cars.
Do electric cars need to warm up in cold weather?
Yes. An article in Wired magazine recommends that you warm up the interior and the battery of an electric car in winter before driving it away from the charging station. The effects of cold weather on electric cars include a faster battery drain when using the cabin heater, which reduces your driving range. To get the maximum range for your electric vehicle in cold weather, warm it up while it’s still plugged in — for about 5-10 minutes.
Once you’re warmed up and are on the road, you’ll only need the heater to maintain warmth in the cabin, which doesn’t use as much battery power. Additionally, if you have heated seats or a heated steering wheel, using those instead of the cabin heater helps preserve your battery life and driving range.
Do you need to warm up a hybrid car or FCEV?
Fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) and hybrid cars in winter don’t need the same preparation as electric cars. And in fact, warming up hybrid cars in cold weather is more about your comfort than proper car care. You only need to warm up a hybrid car for about a minute, the same as you’d need for a gasoline-only car.
According to Sustainable America, driving the car will warm it up faster than idling, and some states are instituting anti-idling laws to reduce pollution. But warming your car up delivers benefits beyond warming the cabin. It also gives the window defrosters a chance to do their job and makes it easier for your windshield wipers to clean the glass.
Range and tires for hybrid and electric vehicles in winter
Whether you drive an all-electric or a hybrid vehicle, keep an eye on your range, as all cars get worse mileage in colder weather. Switching from all-season tires to winter tires, which can provide extra safety while driving in snowy conditions, can also reduce your mileage. You don’t ever want to find yourself stranded in the cold. Following some essential winter car maintenance tips can keep your car running smoothly during the colder months.
Thinking about buying an electric vehicle? Learn more about car insurance for electric cars and the pros and cons of electric cars.
FAQs
To get the maximum range for your electric vehicle in cold weather, warm it up while it's still plugged in — for about 5-10 minutes. Once you're warmed up and are on the road, you'll only need the heater to maintain warmth in the cabin, which doesn't use as much battery power.
How cold is too cold for electric cars? ›
Scientists generally consider lithium-ion batteries safe to use in a relatively narrow temperature range—between around 32 to 140 degrees Fahrenheit (zero to 60 degrees Celsius), but estimates vary.
Does cold weather damage EV batteries? ›
Inside EV batteries, lithium ions flow through a liquid electrolyte, producing electricity. But they travel more slowly through the electrolyte when it gets cold and don't release as much energy. That cuts into the range and can deplete a battery faster. The same happens in reverse.
Are electric cars good for winter driving? ›
Because an EV is solely powered by battery, you can expect to lose some range in the winter and will need to plan accordingly. When it's freezing out, more energy is needed in an EV to maintain battery temperature, supply heat to the cabin, run defrosters, etc. Heaters are one of the big energy draws in an EV.
Do electric cars need to warm up in winter? ›
Should your EV not have a preconditioning feature, warming the vehicle up for a few minutes before driving will improve battery performance. And guess what? Unlike gas-powered vehicles, running your EV in your garage or out on the street does not produce harmful fumes.
How long will an electric car battery last in a snow storm? ›
So even if your EV battery can only hold 70 percent of a full charge in freezing weather, that still is enough to drive about 130 miles before recharging.
What are the problems with EV in winter? ›
Their batteries work best in warmer temperatures, and the vehicle will actually use some stored energy to warm up its battery if it's cold. An EV also needs to use its battery to run the cabin heater, heated seats and so forth. All of these issues can combine to noticeably reduce range.
Do electric cars lose charge when parked in cold weather? ›
Fully electric vehicles, which run exclusively on battery packs, typically lose an average of 41% of their range when outdoor temperatures drop to 20 degrees Fahrenheit and the heat's cranked on, AAA researchers have found.
How to warm up an electric car battery? ›
When your car is plugged into a charger, you can schedule it to heat up the battery with power coming from the charger, then charge the battery and heat up the cabin. In most EVs, you'll find the preconditioning feature in your car's infotainment system and the accompanying mobile app.
Should I leave my EV plugged in in cold weather? ›
Keep your car plugged in and plan ahead
Keeping your car plugged in ensures the battery is already warmed up, so that when you turn your car on, it won't need to expel extra energy. You should also plan ahead and coordinate charging stations along your route.
A recent study by Recurrent Auto on cold weather and electric cars identifies the Hyundai Kona, Ford F-150 Lightning, and Audi e-tron as the top three models for winter driving range.
Do EVs need winter tires? ›
This additional weight means that electric cars can quite often require additional braking times, and this, of course, happens more frequently when driving on snowy and icy roads. Putting winter tires on your electric vehicle also helps with traction, to deal with the instant torque that is output by electric engines.
What is the best temperature for electric cars? ›
An EV battery has an ideal operating temperature, preferably around 20-40 degrees Celsius depending on the car model, which can be difficult to achieve in winter. If the temperature is lower than this, it will affect both charging speed and range.
How cold is too cold for EV? ›
Running the cabin heater, seat heaters, defroster, and other accessories that combat the cold weather inside the car all sap range. This has a significant impact even before the temperature drops to freezing. In our tests, we found that the range starts to drop at 40° F.
Do electric cars drain faster in the cold? ›
Weather-related battery drain can especially be a serious issue for EV drivers in cold climates as frigid temperatures can drain the battery significantly faster. EV range can drop by up to 32% in freezing temperatures, so you'll likely need to charge your EV more frequently during the winter months.
Is life with an electric car in winter really a nightmare? ›
Reality check: Most electric vehicles experience some loss of driving range in cold weather. In Norway — where half of all new cars are plug-ins — tests show that EVs lose about 20% of their driving range and take longer to charge in cold temperatures, according to the Norwegian Automobile Federation.
What is the best outside temp for EV? ›
EVs Tend to Perform Better at 70°F
According to Geotab, the ideal operating temperature to get the most range out of your EV is 21.5°C (70°F). At this temperature, an electric vehicle can achieve, on average, 115% of their rated range.
What is the temperature for charging electric cars? ›
Firstly, the optimum temperature for an EV's lithium-ion battery is between 15 and 35 degrees celsius.
Do electric cars work in extreme heat? ›
On average, EVs lose 15% of their range when the temperature reaches 95 degrees Fahrenheit. 1 That's a smaller drop than you can expect in cold weather, but it's still potentially disruptive. Plus, charging and storing your EV in extreme heat can shorten the battery's life.
On the Road 2 min read