If you don’t live in the southern hemisphere or near the equator, then cold temperatures are waiting for you, if they haven’t already arrived. As winter approaches, here are six tips for getting the most out of your electric car’s battery.

Electric cars in winter

Range is one of the most important performance measures of your electric car, and it can be affected by the cold. It is more difficult for the ions from lithium-ion batteries to move around in cold weather, which can affect the range of your car.

Cold weather also affects the charge and your car battery likes to be in a certain temperature range. If it’s really cold outside, it’s best for the battery to warm up first before it can charge at faster speeds. It means that charging may take longer in winter.

The whole process is controlled by the car’s battery management system which protects and optimizes the performance of the battery cells.

Here are six tips for getting the most out of your electric vehicle as the winter months approach.

1. Park your car in a garage if possible

Not everyone has a garage, but if you have one, put your EV there. (And if it’s full of stuff, then clean it – your car needs it.)

Keeping your vehicle indoors during the winter can make a difference in its battery performance. The heat from the garage will help your car maintain battery charge longer and recharge faster.

Also, if you are outside and need to park, if you have a choice between parking outside or in a parking garage, go for the latter.

2. Warm up your car in the morning

Most electric vehicles come with apps that allow you to heat your car up before departure. If you turn on the heater in your car before you leave the house, it will warm the cabin to the desired temperature and also heat up the battery to improve performance.

Most people charge their cars at home overnight. If the car is still plugged in when you start to heat it in the morning, the battery charge will not be tapped.

3. Do not let the battery charge get too low.

When it is really cold, the car’s battery management system reserves a certain percentage of the battery’s capacity – usually around 15-20% – to heat the battery.

So if you generally keep your battery charged above 15-20%, and ideally at a minimum of 50%, then you will have a nice headroom to keep your car’s performance as optimized as possible.

4. Heat the passenger, not the car

Since electric vehicles of course do not have an internal combustion engine, there is little additional waste heat that helps warm the cabin.

However, exploding heat in cold weather can drain your EV’s battery and reduce its range. Try to restrict the heating only to the driver, whether by turning the air vents on or off, or by controlling the seat or steering wheel heating settings. It consumes less electricity than heating the whole car.

5. Inflate your tires

When the temperature drops, the air in your tires contracts and the pressure drops. Check your tire pressure regularly to maximize winter range. You want your car to drive with as little resistance as possible.

Also, if you live in an area with heavy snowfall, you will probably want to consider winter tires. You can read more about it here, if you’re a Tesla Model 3 driver, for example.

6. Use eco mode

Most electric vehicles have some form of ‘eco mode’, in which you can increase mileage and reduce energy consumption by limiting the energy supplied to the drive motor and cab heaters. You can accelerate more slowly, but it can also make driving safer in icy or snowy conditions.

Read more: How does a Tesla Model 3 behave in an Arctic Circle winter?

Do you have any other tips for getting the most out of your EV in cold weather? Let us know in the comments below.

Thanks to David Lewis, electrical manager at guide EV and leasing broker Select car rental UK!

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