Which wiper blades are best?

To keep your view of the road clear, your electric vehicle (EV) needs a dependable set of windshield wiper blades. But how do you choose the right kind to get the best results?

Let’s go over what types of wiper blades are available and what to consider when choosing a pair for your EV.

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Step 1: Understand the three types of winter blades

Winter wiper blades come in three main types: conventional/traditional, beam, and hybrid. These vary by price point and construction.

Conventional

You’ll usually find conventional blades—which some still call traditional blades—on gas-powered vehicles. They have an external plastic or metal frame with a rubber blade attached. They work best in spring and summer, when freezing temperatures can’t affect them.

If you prefer conventional blades, we recommend buying separate sets for the warmer and colder months: conventional winter wiper blades have extra rubber coverings over the joints to help reduce the amount of ice that can form.

Beam

Beam wiper blades, generally standard for EVs now, use an internally embedded spring-metal beam instead of an external frame. They can hug your windshield more closely than a straight conventional blade because of their design. This gives you a cleaner windshield, even in the icy-cold temperatures of winter. Beam wiper blades tend to be more expensive than conventional blades.

Hybrid

As the name suggests, hybrid wiper blades combine features of both conventional and beam wiper blades, making them a common style in modern EVs. An aerodynamic rubber shell covers a sturdy metal frame to support all-weather performance.

Step 2: Assess weather conditions

Like your tires, windshield wiper blades use different compounds for winter and summer blades.

Summer wiper blades

Spring and summer weather bring an onslaught of rain and bugs. Nothing like a good splat to remind you that spring has arrived.

Windshield wiper blades made for the summer have a lightweight design, easily gliding over the windshield. When the temperature drops, however, snow and ice reduce their flexibility and therefore their effectiveness.

Winter wiper blades

Winter wipers have an extra layer of synthetic rubber (usually silicone) to handle the cold. This extra protection helps the blades stay supple so they can better hug the windshield.

Beam-style wiper blades are a winter favourite. They come with a piece of high-strength, tensile steel along the length of the wiper and have tension springs within them to stay flexible in the cold. You can also find booted-frame winter blades, which have rubber boots over the joints to prevent ice from forming and damaging the blades faster.

Step 3: Choose a brand

Apart from ensuring you select the right size of wiper blade, brand rarely matters. Your owner’s manual may recommend one, but ultimately you can choose what brand fits your vehicle and budget.

Step 4: Change your blades

Keeping your windshield free from anything that can occlude your vision is the law. This is where high-quality, functioning wiper blades come in. To stay safe year-round, change your windshield wiper blades before the first snowfall. Depending on where you live, this may be anywhere between late September and early December. In the spring, when the last of the snow melts, switch back to summer blades.

For those who live in milder climates in Canada, changing your blades with the season may not be necessary. However, inspect your blades for tears, cuts, or delamination on them as the seasons change.

No matter what type of blades you have, natural rubbers will deteriorate over time, especially when exposed to extreme temperatures. To keep your view clear, get a new pair of winter wiper blades each year and a new summer set every one or two years.

To change your own wipers, refer to the packaging during installation. For expert help, visit your local NexDrive service centre to get fitted with new blades in a flash.