EV Range Falls Sharply in Extreme Weather

Electric-vehicle driving range can fall almost 60 percent in extreme cold and 33 percent in extreme hear, according to a report from the AAA Automotive Research Center.

Many of the battery-electric vehicles now offered by automakers provide a range of at least 100 miles in ideal conditions. An EV that can reach 105 miles amid a 75-degree temperature would only travel 69 miles in 95-degree heat and 43 miles in 20-degree cold.

For its study, AAA conducted a simulation to measure the driving range of three fully electric vehicles in cold, moderate, and hot weather. Vehicles were tested for city driving to mimic stop-and-go traffic to better compare with EPA ratings.

AAA performed testing between December and January. Each vehicle completed a driving cycle that followed standard EPA-DOE test procedures. The vehicles were fully charged and then driven on a dynamometer in a climate-controlled room until the battery was fully exhausted.

"Electric motors provide smooth operation, strong acceleration, require less maintenance than internal combustion engines, and for many motorists offer a cost effective option," said John Nielsen, AAA's managing director of automotive engineering and repair. "However, EV drivers need to carefully monitor driving range in hot and cold weather."

Originally posted on Automotive Fleet