As more and more consumers seek out new information while they mull the possibility of transitioning to an all-electric vehicle, a slew of commonly questions arise. “Can I take my EV through the car wash? How long will it take to charge? Where is all that electricity going to come from?” and most importantly today, “Will my EV lose range in winter weather?” The short answer is yes but probably not as much as you may think … Unless perhaps you own a VW ID.4. More below!
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Why do EVs lose range in colder winter weather?
Science! Current battery chemistry in lithium-ion cells requires a liquid electrolyte and reactions to occur in order for an EV’s battery modules to deliver electricity in the form of range for your journey. Colder temperatures in winter slow those physical and chemical reactions down, resulting in less available range.
Another reason for winter range loss is the efficiency of the electric motor itself. Compared to traditional internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles, EVs are much more efficient in their energy usage. For example, much of the heat produced during engine combustion goes to waste but can also be redirected to heat the cabin of your vehicle. That’s why features like remote start are popular in colder climates, so your engine and cabin have time to warm up before you depart.
EV motors produce excess heat too, especially when charging at home and converting AC power to DC. However, that heat produced is used to warm the EV’s battery to prevent long-term damage and maximize range. Furthermore, that heat is usually not sent to the cabin to warm up those leather seats you absolutely had to have, so cabin heat can also draw from the EV’s pack, contributing to range loss.
Battery preconditioning on a home charger and the widespread implementation of heat pumps have significantly helped EVs drive longer and more efficiently in winter conditions, but until solid-state batteries truly scale, the cold will remain an inhibitor of EV range.
All that said, which EV you’re driving may also have a role in how much range you’ll be able to gather on an average winter day. As you’ll see below, not all EVs are equally equipped to handle the cold.
How the data was gathered
The study of winter range loss across thirteen popular EV models comes from Recurrent – a company that provides free battery monitoring for over 10,000 EV owners in the United States alone. Each vehicle battery is checked several times per day through onboard telematics (with the driver’s permission of course).
Those battery insights over the weeks and months allow Recurrent to draw conclusions about an individual vehicle’s current range, how that range will fluctuate in different conditions, and how it compares to hundreds or thousands of similar vehicles.
In this instance, Recurrent aggregated and anonymized data from 7,000 vehicles in its EV community, as well as tens of thousands of data points from on-board devices that provide data on energy usage. The result is both estimated and verified range loss in EVs comparing temperatures of 70℉ to 20-30℉. Take a look.
Which of these popular EVs loses the most range in winter?
Before you dig in below, we want to ensure you understand the two types of winter range data below:
Estimated winter range: Based on on-board telematics and reflect the OEMs proprietary range calculations and software.
Verified winter range: Based on original Recurrent research using a combination of on-board devices and real-time usage data providing more than 35,000 datapoints.
For our best and worst below, we’ve only chosen EVs with verified winter ranges. Here are the results.
Lowest amount of verified range loss
Per verified Recurrent data, Tesla’s Model Y is the clear winner on the list, offering just 18% loss of range in freezing temperatures. The Long Range AWD version of the crossover sedan delivered 48% of its EPA estimated range in temperatures between 20-30℉, compared to 66% of EPA range at 70℉.
For any Tesla fans out there that say their EV doesn’t lose range in the cold, hate to break it to you but it does. Tesla’s tend to use EPA efficiency to display your remaining range, so you may not notice, but there is definitely a difference. All that said, Tesla has some of the best numbers on the list, particularly in its larger vehicles.
Highest verified range loss
The Volkswagen ID.4 tops our list as the verified worst performing EV above and it was designed by a German automaker with plenty of experience in winter conditions. Go figure.
The 82 kWh battery of Volkswagen’s all-electric SUV lost 30% of its EPA range in colder conditions. A main culprit of this energy loss is the EV’s lack of heat pump, at least in the United States. So, it must draw additional battery power to heat the cabin.
You may be able to find an ID.4 with a heat pump in Canada, or better yet, Europe. Or, you can bundle up in your favorite parka, scarf, and mittens, then warm up the cabin with your own body heat to keep that range. Who wants to try and report back to us?
Despite clear evidence that winter weather does affect EV range, there are several measures you can take to limit the toll it takes on your EV’s battery. In addition to temperature conditions, other factors like driving style and cargo also affect how much of your EV’s EPA range you’ll be able to utilize.
Here are some tips to send you off with:
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Rivian will power its DC fast-charging network with renewable energy company RWE’s Champion Wind farm in Texas.
The two companies just signed a 15-year power purchase agreement (PPA) for electricity from RWE’s repowered Champion Wind in Nolan and Mitchell counties, west of Abilene.
The 127-megawatt (MW) Champion Wind is getting new turbine nacelles and blades, which will extend the wind farm’s lifespan. Originally commissioned in 2008, the wind farm is expected to be fully upgraded by mid-2025. When the wind farm is back online, it’ll be capable of generating enough electricity to power nearly 1 billion miles of renewable driving every year for Rivian, or the equivalent of powering 36,000 homes annually in Texas.
This wind power is set to support Rivian’s DC fast-charging Adventure Network with renewable energy. Rivian has set a specific goal to enable 7 billion miles of renewable driving.
Paul Frey, Rivian’s VP of propulsion, charging & adventure products, said, “Champion Wind is a powerful enabler for Rivian drivers to become active participants in building a cleaner grid every time they charge their vehicle. This project shows the potential to meaningfully decarbonize the grid and support a more circular economy through reuse and recovery of existing infrastructure, all while maintaining highly competitive economics.”
Siemens Gamesa is supplying 41 turbines with new nacelles and blades on existing towers. The nacelles and blades are being manufactured in the US. In addition, as part of the repowering project, six new Siemens Gamesa turbines rated at 3.1 MW each will also be added to the wind farm.
The decommissioned wind turbine blades from Champion will be repurposed. RWE is working with REGEN Fiber, an Iowa-based company that recycles wind turbine blades to make reinforcement fibers for the construction industry. Those fibers are then used in concrete to add strength and durability, extending the lifespan of infrastructure.
RWE is the third-largest renewable energy company in the US.
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Rivian is bringing back its “All-Electric upgrade offer” from now until November 30th, but with some changes to the program.
Earlier this year, Rivian offered $1k-$5k off a new Rivian if you trade in an old gas car, from April to June. The offer was available for specific vehicles, and with a sliding discount scale based on which Rivian vehicle you order.
Now the program has come back, but with quite a few changes from the previous version.
As of today, October 31, if you buy a new Rivian R1T or R1S new inventory vehicle from the R1 Shop, you can get a $3,000 discount if you also prove that you own or lease a qualifying gas-powered vehicle.
This is simultaneously simpler, more lenient, and more restrictive than the previous offer, in various ways.
First, the discount is a flat $3k (or $4,100 CAD), rather than having a scale based on what model you order, which is more streamlined.
Second, the discount applies to every gas or hybrid vehicle owner – you don’t have to trade in your vehicle, and you’re not limited to a specific list of vehicles. Just prove that you own or lease a gas car (copy of registration, proof of insurance, etc), and you get the discount.
However, third, it’s more restrictive as to what vehicles you can purchase. The current offer applies only to Rivian new inventory vehicles in the R1 Shop, and excludes demo vehicles, pre-owned vehicles, or custom build vehicles. It also does not apply to Rivian’s base Dual Standard models, but everything else is fair game.
In order to qualify, you need to place your order between today and November 30, and you must take delivery of the vehicle before December 31. Check out all the specifics of the offer on Rivian’s site here.
Electrek’s Take
Rivian is clearly trying to round out its yearly numbers with this offer, as the market for pricy cars is somewhat soft with increased interest rates. It just slightly lowered its annual delivery guidance, now planning to see roughly similar deliveries this year than last.
But its R1 vehicles just got a huge refresh to help the company with costs and to offer new features. The R1S is still one of the most popular high-priced vehicles in the US, and the company’s products earn universal acclaim from owners.
The interesting thing is that Rivian had a similar offer earlier this year, before the refresh, to help clear out inventory of older vehicles. It didn’t see it fit to offer the discount last quarter, perhaps buoyed by the updated model, but after a rough Q3 of deliveries it now brought the offer back.
Rivian is still guiding to reach a slight gross profit in Q4, though we’re sure we’ll hear more about that in its upcoming quarterly earnings next week.
If our coverage of Rivian has helped inform you about the brand, feel free to use our Rivian referral code to get 6 months of free charging or 750 Rivian Rewards points with your purchase.
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Hyundai’s new low-cost EV is getting a bold design upgrade. The Hyundai Casper EV Cross was spotted for the first time in public, revealing new design elements.
Although we knew a rugged “Cross” variant was headed to Europe, this was the first time the domestic model was spotted with an upgraded design.
The Inster EV is Hyundai’s overseas version of its domestic Casper Electric model. In Korea, Hyundai’s Casper EV starts at around $20,000 (27.4 million won). Hyundai said its new EV can be bought for under $8,000 (10 million won) with subsidies.
In Europe, it starts at under $27,000 (25,000 euros). The Cross variant is built for “those looking for an EV with a more adventurous look,” Hyundai said.
Although it offers the same versatility as the standard model, the Inster EV Cross gains rugged design elements, including new front and rear bumpers, black claddings, skid plates, a roof rack, and more.
Here’s our first look at the Hyundai Casper EV Cross
After a rugged new variant with the Casper EV logo was spotted in Korea for the first time, a Cross model is expected to debut shortly.
The new video from HealerTV reveals added design elements, including the roof rack and more aggressive black trim.
The reporter notes that the Hyundai Casper EV Cross has a “much more mechanical and futuristic feel than the existing model.”
It almost appears “robot-like” with an added off-road feel. The Inster EV Cross gets up to 223 mi (360 km) WLTP driving range. In Korea, the Casper Electric is rated with up to 195 miles (315 km) driving range.
Although Hyundai Casper (Inster) EV is not expected to launch in the US, the low-cost model was spotted driving in California for the first time this month.
In the meantime, off-road fans can get in line for Hyundai’s upgraded 2025 IONIQ 5, which will be available with a rugged XRT trim. The 2025 IONIQ 5 XRT model was also recently caught testing ahead of deliveries.
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