Heat and gas-powered vehicles
Because a vehicle with an internal combustion engine (ICE) requires oil, warming it up helps the oil flow. If an engine has spent too much time in very low temperatures, the oil may become so thick that it can’t move, preventing your engine from starting. Drivers in very cold climates often resolve this issue with a battery blanket or block heater.
However, an ICE vehicle needs to be driven for a few minutes to fully warm up the engine. This is why it’s often recommended to not speed onto the highway immediately after turning on the ignition.
Heat and electric vehicles
It’s common knowledge that EVs don’t perform as well in the winter as they do in the warmer months. This has to do with their reliance on a lithium-ion battery.
Lithium-ion batteries require a chemical reaction to function. In cold weather, this reaction slows down, which is part of the reason for reduced range.
Another reason, though, is that an EV often uses battery power to keep the cabin warm. In fact, a 2024 study by Recurrent Auto involving 18 popular EV models showed that battery efficiency dropped to 70% of their range in freezing conditions. Consumer Reports published similar results at the beginning of this year: EVs maxed out at 75% of their range when driving at 100 km/h in cold weather.
Recent development: heat pumps for EVs
Over the past few years, new technology has reached the EV market: heat pumps. Whereas gas-powered cars use excess heat from the engine to warm the cabin, and most EVs rely on the battery to power the heating system, heat pumps pull heat from outside to warm up the cabin, thus saving battery power.
This may, of course, sound counterintuitive. How does a device pull heat from cold air? Cold is only the absence of heat. Therefore, so long as molecules are still moving, there is heat.
Pre-conditioning EVs in winter
EVs do benefit from driving when they’re warm because the chemical reactions in the lithium-ion battery speed up. Leave your EV plugged in overnight and schedule its system to warm up the car before you get in the following morning. This is called pre-conditioning.
One major bonus of EVs is that they don’t produce tailpipe emissions. Therefore, you can pre-condition (warm up) the vehicle with the garage door closed or in an underground parking garage.
Tips for preserving battery power in winter
Follow these tips to preserve EV battery power in winter:
- Avoid quickly accelerating and hitting the brakes. These pull extra energy from the battery.
- If possible, either park your EV in a sheltered area, or cover the windshield with a snow-and-ice cover. Defrosting windshields takes extra energy from the battery. If you’re plugged in, this isn’t an issue. But when you’re out and about, following these tips can help extend your battery’s winter range.
- Do your best to avoid brief trips with frequent stops and cold starts. Consumer Reports found that this kind of drive can zap battery energy by as much as 50%.
- If you’re new to the EV market, consider buying a model with a heat pump. This, too, will help preserve your EV battery’s range in cold temperatures.
For more information on how to warm up your EV, visit your nearest NexDrive service centre. One of our EV experts will be more than happy to help you.