this post was submitted on 01 May 2026
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73
How well can Electric vehicles(EVs) handle the heat — and the cold? AAA put them to the test (text.npr.org)
submitted 2 weeks ago by Deep@mander.xyz to c/technology@lemmy.world
25 comments fedilink hide all child comments
 

Electric vehicle batteries are a lot like people, in one important respect: They're most comfortable in temperatures around 65 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit.

When the weather gets much colder or hotter than that, a battery works less efficiently. It has to work harder, too, to keep the vehicle's cabin comfortable for its equally picky human occupants.

The result? Electric vehicles can't drive as far or as efficiently in extremely hot or cold weather.

AAA has been testing exactly how big an effect temperatures have on modern EV batteries. In its latest research, shared exclusively with NPR, it found that hot temperatures reduced range by an average of 8.5%. Cold weather cut vehicles' range by a whopping 39%.

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[–] frongt@lemmy.zip 10 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (2 children)

And in REALLY cold weather they literally idle them continuously, because if they get that cold they will not start at all.

And if you get stuck out in the woods, you have to literally light a fire under your engine to warm it up enough.

But I think they're just talking about regular cold weather, like Minnesota. Trying to use an EV in the really cold places is just a bad idea.

[–] vagrancyand@sh.itjust.works 40 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)

Counter-point, Norway is almost exclusively EV at this point. EVs are fine in cold weather if you have a sensibly built society. At least they aren't worse than gas or Diesel.

[–] folekaule@lemmy.world 3 points 2 weeks ago

Location really matters in Norway, too. On the coast, the climate is pretty temperate with lows just below freezing, whereas up North (with the reindeer), the temperature can drop below -40 in the winter.

[–] endlesseden@pyfedi.deep-rose.org 2 points 2 weeks ago

also sensibly built EVs. most modern EVs use liquid cooling around the batteries and sensors can detect temperatures too high or too low to engage pumps and heating elements to warm the fluid and prevent battery issues.

cooling stopped being a major issue a few years ago, in battery packs, the cells are cooled via liquid cooling automatically and kept in balance. efficiency calculations in warmer climates are generally better than combustion engines as the waste heat is vented off and in some cases even reused. while petrol and diesel engines compound heat, they require careful operation and often the spec is wrong for warm environments, risking overheating.

[–] Blaster_M@lemmy.world 32 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Alaska: runs electric school buses reliably

[–] prex@aussie.zone 7 points 2 weeks ago

Facts? Facts!? Bah!