It is well known that cold temperatures have a major impact on the range of electric vehicles, but new research suggests that the faster an EV drives, the less of an impact the cold weather has.
Research into the driving ranges of 500 electric sedans and 2,000 electric vans conducted by Geotab, a fleet vehicle telematics provider, came to the somewhat counterintuitive conclusion that the maximum range of an EV occurs at a higher speed in the cold than it does at an ideal temperature.
At a mild temperature of 68 °F (20 °C), the ideal speed for an EV is 19 mph (30 km/h). However, at a temperature of 32 °F (0 °C), range maxes out at a speed of 37 mph (60 km/h). That’s because, at such low speeds, the heater has a greater impact on range than the aerodynamics, so the less time you spend running the heater, the less your battery is drawn down.
Read: Here’s How Much Cold Temperatures Actually Affect EV Range
Intriguingly, at higher speeds, the impact of the heater was reduced for the EV. That’s because once you start driving at 60-70 mph (96-113 km/h), the effect of drag as the vehicle moves through the air has a much greater impact on range than the heater. As a result, once you reach speeds of over 70 mph (113 km/h) the temperature has a much reduced effect on range.
It is important to note here, though, that at no point is an EV’s range greater in the cold. At 68 °F (20 °C), an EV with a 65 kWh battery’s maximum range is a little less than 400 miles (644 km), estimates Geotab. At 32 °F (0 °C), an EV’s range tops out at just over 250 miles (402 km).
Even at the EV’s ideal cold-weather speed (37 mph/60 km/h), it will go farther if the weather is better. Whereas the EV goes around 250 miles (402 km) in the cold, in mild weather, it goes around 350 miles (563 km) at that speed.
It is interesting to know, though, that when the winter comes, you should expect less of an impact on range during highway journeys than you do during low-speed drives around town. Of course, the people who go the farthest are the ones who don’t crash when grip is low, so always remember to drive to the conditions.
