Cold saps up to 40% of EV battery life, CAA test finds

CAA conducted a road test of electric vehicles to see just how far they can go in the winter. Julie Beun from CAA joined us today.

Cold weather has a negative effect on the battery life and range of electric vehicles (EVs), a recent test has found, but some EVs perform better than others.

The Canadian Automobile Association (CAA) conducted a real-world test of more than a dozen EVs from Ottawa to Mont Tremblant, Que., many of them the most popular models in Canada, to see how well they handle subzero temperatures.

The CAA test found that vehicles drove between 14 and 39 per cent less than their official ranges.

“CAA is responding to a top concern of Canadians when it comes to EVs,” said CAA National’s Ian Jack in a news release. “We measured the effective range of electric vehicles in cold weather and how quickly they charge. These insights are critical for both current EV owners and those considering making the switch.”

The test came after a survey of more than 16,000 EV owners, with range and availability of chargers the top concerns for most.

The test featured 14 EVs, which includes seven out of 10 of the top sellers in Canada. Models came from sport, luxury, SUV, sedan and truck categories. Temperatures during the drive varied between -7 C and -15 C. Each vehicle was driven until the battery ran completely out of power to determine range in winter conditions. The results were compared to the estimated driving range published by Natural Resources Canada.

The CAA says that officially posted EV ranges are based on overall, year-round numbers and in Canada, only a single average is published.

“The range that we’re given is an average for the year, which doesn’t do anybody any good in the winter because we know that EVs tend to lose range in cold weather,” CAA North and East Ontario’s Julie Beun told CTV Morning Live on Monday. “Our CAA EV owners’ guide that we released a couple of weeks ago found that 65 per cent of EV owners have reported that they experience a drop of range in the winter, so this just quantifies what that looks like.”

Here is the CAA’s list of the EVs with the longest winter range and the difference between the official range determined by Natural Resources Canada:

1. Chevrolet Silverado EV: 456 km of 724 range (-14%)
2. Tesla Model 3: 410 km of 584 km range (-30%)
3. Polestar 2: 384 km of 444 km range (-14%)
4. Kia EV9: 349 km of 435 km range (-20%)
5. Volkswagen ID.4: 338 km of 468 km range (-28%)
6. Chevrolet Equinox EV: 337 km of 513 km range (-34%)
7. Ford Mustang Mach-E: 334 km of 483 km range (-31%)
8. Honda Prologue: 334 km of 439 km range (-24%)
9. Ford F-150 Lightning: 296 km of 515 km range (-35%)
10. Kira Niro EV: 285 km of 407 km range (-30%)
11. Hyundai IONIQ 5: 262 km of 410 km range (-36%)
12. Toyota bZ4X: 255 km of 406 km range (-37%)
13. Volvo XC40 Recharge: 248 km of 409 km range (-39%)

CAA notes that its calculations were adjusted to reflect that Chevrolet Silverado EV started at 73 per cent state of charge and that Ford F-150 Lightning started at 89 per cent state of charge. Due to a complication, CAA says data from the range test for the Kia EV6 was not available. CTV News Ottawa’s Tyler Fleming rode in the Kia EV6 during the test. For more on how it performed, see here.

Charge test

Charging speeds were also tested during the experiment. Each vehicle in CAA’s test was connected to a DC fast charger. The test measured how many kilometers of range were added in a 15-minute session.

“When we started off, we had the cars in an underground garage in Ottawa. Everybody was charged in the same conditions… However, once we got to Mont Tremblant, and we were experiencing -20 type temperatures, we found that the charge in cold weather was significantly lower,” said Beun. “This is also an important factor for EV owners and a message to government and municipalities about creating public infrastructure for fast charging, so people are not just relying on charging at home.”

CAA found significant variations in how much charge an EV could gain in 15 minutes, highlighting the importance of considering charging rates for those who frequently drive long distances.

Here is CAA’s list of which vehicles charged the fasted in 15 minutes:

1. Tesla Model 3: 205 displayed km added
2. Chevrolet Silverado EV: 199 displayed km added
3. Chevrolet Equinox EV: 131 displayed km added
4. Polestar 2: 120 displayed km added
5. Volkswagen ID.4: 112 displayed km added
6. Ford F-150 Lightning: 109 displayed km added
7. Kia EV9: 105 displayed km added
8. Volvo XC40 Recharge: 90 displayed km added
9. Ford Mustang Mach-E: 71 displayed km added
10. Hyundai IONIQ 5: 64 displayed km added
11. Kia EV6: 58 displayed km added
12. Kia Niro EV: 35 displayed km added
13. Toyota bZ4X: 19 displayed km added

The Honda Prologue was not included in the charge test as it encountered an error and data was unavailable. All vehicles were charged using 350 kW chargers, while the Tesla was charged at 150 kW due to compatibility requirements with the non-Tesla adapter.

“The vast difference in results highlight the importance of truth in advertising when it comes to EV range, and of comparing numbers if winter performance matters to you,” said Jack. “CAA would like to see a made-in-Canada standardized labeling system for EVs that includes winter driving performance rather than just a single average.”

CAA has a few tips for drivers on ways to maximize EV performance in cold weather:

Precondition the EV: Warm the cabin while it is plugged in before starting your drive. Many EVs allow you to schedule preconditioning for a specific departure time, which maximizes range and comfort.

Clear snow and ice: Remove excess snow and ice from the vehicle to reduce weight and aerodynamic drag, helping to extend your range. In fact, in some provinces this is the law, ensuring drivers can see where they are going and keeping roads safer.

Use heated seats: Heated seats consume less energy than cabin heaters, allowing you to conserve battery power.

Park indoors: Whenever possible, park in a garage or other sheltered area to keep the battery warmer, which can improve both range and charging speed. If not possible, park the car on the sunny side of the street.