Electric cars: This is how you get the best possible range from electric cars in winter

Cold weather affects the range of electric cars

In winter, the differences between electric cars and combustion engines are clearly noticeable. And that applies in both a good and a bad sense. For example, since the combustion engine has to warm up first, icy windows thaw much more slowly than on one Electric car. Even with a cold start, the battery-powered car heats up immediately. The disadvantage, however, is that the cold affects electric cars significantly more than combustion engines. Although combustion engines have a significantly higher consumption when heating up after a cold start, this can be made up for with a quick stop at the gas station, as Stern magazine explains. This is different with an electric car, which heats exclusively with electricity. Depending on the situation, type of car and weather conditions, this can cost ten to 30 percent of the range, explains the Swiss daily newspaper Blick.

Tip: Good preparation for electric cars

To counteract the loss of range, there are a few tips you can follow to get the best possible range out of your electric car, even in cold weather. The preparations for a smooth start in the morning begin the evening before when choosing a parking space, as the Efahrer portal explains. If you don’t have a charging option at home, it’s important to fill up the battery again on the way home. The parking lot where the electric car is parked overnight should be protected as well as possible. In such a case, the car will not freeze as much as in an outdoor parking lot. If there is a charging option on site, you should charge the vehicle so that it is fully charged when you start your journey, explains Blick. It is also more efficient to heat up the car using the app before setting off. Because the vehicle is still connected to the charging plug, this process does not cost any range.

Heating electric vehicles properly

But in most cases, stationary air conditioning isn’t enough. In winter, hardly anyone goes without a warm interior in their vehicle and the heat pump and the electric auxiliary heater have to work hard to keep the temperature inside the car pleasant. In addition, most people are only too happy to switch on the heated seats and steering wheel. If heated exterior mirrors and a heated rear and windshield are added, the range noticeably suffers. It is clear that the more additional consumers you connect, the more the range of the electric vehicle is reduced. If you are already on the move, you can save some electricity and thus increase your range if you use the seat and steering wheel heating and turn the heating down a little, explains Blick. In addition, the front and rear window heating should be switched off immediately as soon as they are no longer needed. If you’re alone in the car, you can also save a lot of energy if you just heat the driver’s area.

E. Schmal / editorial team finanzen.net