Written by | Little devil
The shrinkage of electric vehicles in winter is inevitable, but according to the use of heat pumps and different thermal management technologies, the range shrinkage of each model is also very different.
After analyzing 6 electric vehicles including the Audi e-tron and ford Mustang Mach-E, we picked up the book and then looked at the winter endurance performance of the other 7 global mainstream electric vehicles.
The real level of winter endurance of 13 mainstream electric vehicles
捷豹I-PACE
-6°C to -1°C endurance performance: 97% of EPA endurance
Battery life below 21°C: 100% of EPA endurance
The Jaguar I-PACE is one of the few luxury electric vehicles on this list, and in addition to its style and design, this car is also known for its large-capacity but inefficient battery.
Why I-PACE batteries can only run so little battery life per kilowatt hour is still a controversial topic. However, car owners in the Current community generally report that even the oldest models can provide a reliable range of more than 320 kilometers.
Despite the apparent curvature in the chart, the I-PACE only shrinks its range by about 16 kilometers in cold weather — losing only about 5 percent of its total endurance when the temperature is around freezing. This is due to the fact that I-PACE uses a heat pump system to heat the cockpit instead of using a high-voltage battery.
In addition, I-PACE has a sophisticated thermal management system that extracts waste heat from the motor when needed to warm the battery or cockpit, helping to maintain the vehicle's endurance.
Nissan Leaf
Model version: SL/SV Plus 62kWh battery version
-6°C to -1°C endurance performance: 91% of EPA endurance
Battery performance below 21°C: 105% of EPA endurance
The Nissan Leaf is a pioneer in electric vehicles and an affordable option. Unfortunately, it is also considered to perform poorly in extreme heat and cold. This may be due to Nissan choosing a passive battery thermal management system for the car.
In addition to the obvious mileage attenuation shown in the chart, the car exposes a number of problems in low temperatures. First of all, in the low temperature environment, the regenerative braking function of the vehicle will be limited, because its battery cannot be charged quickly, and the lower the external temperature, the smaller the amount of power that the Leaf battery can hold.
Nissan does not recommend parking an electric car below -25°C for more than seven days because it may freeze the battery; however, the 2018 Leaf manual advises owners not to keep their cars below -18°C.
Finally, if the LEAF is equipped with a battery heater, it will not operate at less than 15% charge and the charging cable will also be disconnected from the vehicle.
Tesla Model 3
Model version: Long battery version with 75kWh battery
-6°C to -1°C endurance performance: 95% of EPA endurance
Battery performance below 21°C: 96% of EPA endurance
Tesla is very famous for two things in the winter: one is that the vehicle has a very active thermal management system, which can play a role in both high and low temperatures, and the other is that the prediction of the vehicle's endurance is very accurate, basically the driver can run how many kilometers when he sees how much endurance the vehicle shows.
As shown in the figure, in the Model 3 data, although all lithium-ion batteries have decreased in extreme temperature conditions, the usable range has little change in cold or hot environments.
That's because Tesla's in-vehicle computers synthesize a consistent experience, that is, in the real world, the winter and summer mileage shown will be lower than in normal temperature.
Tesla will also limit regenerative braking in the winter to protect the battery from destructive charging in the cold. Once the car is warmed up, the regenerative braking function comes back.
Similarly, if you use a supercharger to charge the Model 3, charging will be very slow before the battery warms, so Tesla recommends that the owner preferably drive for a period of time before charging the vehicle.
Tesla Model Y
Model version: Long endurance full drive version
-6°C to -1°C endurance performance: 98% of EPA endurance
Battery life below 21°C: 97% of EPA endurance
It is understood that the Model 3's heating system only uses the waste heat of the motor to heat the battery itself, while the Model Y uses a more complex heat pump system to help regulate the temperature without occupying the high-voltage battery energy.
Model Y's patented heating system states: "There are 12 heating modes and 3 cooling modes. The system even utilizes the thermal mass of the battery to store heat. Then, when extracting the thermal energy stored in the battery pack, the battery can act as a heat source."
Tesla Model S
Model version: P100D
-6°C to -1°C endurance performance: 94% of EPA endurance
Battery life below 21°C: 98% of EPA endurance
The Model S was Tesla's original mass-market model, and after its release in 2012, the popularity of sports cars made Tesla a household name.
Unlike the lower-priced Model 3 and Model Y, the Model S is often considered a high-end model, but it did not initially have a complex heating system that guarantees the sustainability of the Model 3 and Model Y.
However, there are some rumors that Tesla offers heat pumps in newer models. However, After consulting or consulting Tesla's technical support department, Recurrent got the answer that there is no heat pump system installed in the Model S or Model X.
Tesla Model X
Model version: 75D
-6°C to -1°C endurance performance: 93% of EPA endurance
Battery life below 21°C: 93% of EPA endurance
The Model X is an SUV built on the Model S platform and was launched in 2016. While neither model is equipped with a heat pump system, they both offer an optional "Zero Weather Pack" that, depending on the model year, includes some or all of the following features: rear heated seats, steering wheel heating, wiper heating, glass water sprinkler heating, exterior mirror heating, camera heating.
All of these features help reduce reliance on air conditioning for heating and also defrost necessary car components. Of course, setting the departure time and preheating the car and battery is also a useful task.
Volkswagen e-Golf
Model version: 36kWh battery version
-6°C to -1°C endurance performance: 88% of EPA endurance
Battery life below 21°C: 111% of EPA endurance
Before the introduction of ID.3 and ID.4, the Volkswagen e-Golf was also an electric vehicle loved by European and American consumers. Drivers who drive Volkswagen will tell you that driving the e-Golf in the winter has the familiar good traction and handling, but those who can only rely on resistance heating will also complain that the e-Golf has dropped significantly in winter battery life.
Volkswagen's advice is to reduce reliance on air conditioning heating, use more heated seats as an option, and remotely warm up the cockpit remotely when plugged in.
In Europe and Canada, the e-Golf can use heated mirrors and heated windshields in cold weather, but these features are difficult to find in models in the U.S. market.
In the U.S., some of the car's premium options include a heat pump system, which is very useful for owners living in colder areas of the north. Volkswagen warned not to park the e-Golf for more than a few days at -25°C, which would freeze the battery.
Since the overall battery capacity of the car is small (24-35kWh), it is best to preheat the battery before entering the cold area.
Some suggestions to reduce the shrinkage of winter battery life
Most electric cars can be pre-processed through a connected service app that heats the battery and cockpit with mobile phone controls before you actually get on the bus.
Some models also offer a "Winter Climate" kit designed to keep the battery temperature in an ideal area, and be sure to take advantage of these pre-treatment features before you go in low temperatures.
In cold weather, you have to be prepared for longer charging times. To protect high-voltage batteries, many cars limit the charging voltage when the battery is at low temperatures. Thermal management systems typically lift voltage limits when the battery is warm enough to safely accept full charge.
On top of that, if your car has a battery pretreatment feature, usually part of the "Winter Climate" kit, warm the battery to room temperature before charging. Or, charge it immediately after a ride, which ensures the battery is warm.
When driving, use steering wheel heating and seat heating instead of relying solely on air conditioning. These features use less power, can effectively reduce energy requirements, and are aimed at providing heat to drivers or passengers.
Since roads can be icy or cold, it's best to turn off regenerative braking when driving in winter. If the battery temperature is low, regenerative braking may also be limited by the battery management system, because the battery cannot charge as quickly as it does at operating temperatures.
In addition to regenerative braking, some hardware features such as automatic folding exterior mirrors are also best turned off, as the exterior mirrors may be damaged or frozen when the weather drops below freezing.
If possible, it is best to plug your electric car into the power supply and store it. Some electric cars have a very aggressive thermal management system, so if you're on a business trip or vacation, consider lowering the charging threshold to around 70% so that your car is plugged in all the time.
This allows the vehicle to extract energy from the charging wall box to stay warm, rather than consuming its own battery. Otherwise, when you get home, you'll find that the remaining battery may be low.
In summary, if you live in a very cold place, then when buying a car, it is best to know whether the vehicle is equipped with a heat pump, steering wheel heating and seat heating are also very important configurations to reduce winter endurance shrinkage.
If you are already an electric vehicle owner, it is also important to understand the real endurance of your car in winter, so that you can grasp the condition of the car in real time and avoid embarrassing situations such as vehicle nests and rescue on cold days. 【iDailycar】