Temperature Extremes Hurt EV Range, Says AAA Report
AAA warned U.S. drivers Thursday about a “substantial drop” in electrical vehicle driving range during periods of extreme cold and heat. Frigid temperatures can cut driving range by as much as 41 percent, it reported. The roadside assistance provider tested…
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five EVs with minimum EPA-estimated driving ranges of 100 miles, simulating real-world driving conditions using a dynamometer in a closed, temperature-controlled testing cell. Tests, done with the Automotive Club of Southern California’s Automotive Research Center, were designed to determine the effects of cold and hot weather conditions -- when using air conditioning and not -- vs. driving at an outside temperature of 75 degrees Fahrenheit. At up to 95 degrees, with air conditioning used inside the vehicle, driving range decreases by 17 percent, it said. Extreme temperatures can diminish driving range, but the use of HVAC in these conditions -- particularly the heat -- has the biggest effect on mileage, it said: An EV with a compromised by driving range requires more frequent charging, raising cost of operation. The study found that turning on heat during 20-degree temperatures adds almost $25 in charging cost for every 1,000 miles traveled compared with combined urban and highway driving cost at 75 degrees. When vehicles are traveling with the heat on and the outside temperature is 20 degrees, driving range is reduced to 59 miles for every 100 miles traveled, it said. The association urged EV owners to be aware of range reduction and the need to charge vehicles more often to minimize the risk of being stranded by a dead battery. It suggested making time to preheat or cool the inside of the vehicle while still connected to the charger to regulate cabin temperature before driving begins.