Tips for winter EV driving in NZ

Keep your EV charge to at least 50 percent before you leave home. Photo: Andrei Diomidov Photography

When it comes to owning an electric vehicle, one of the first lessons you learn is that lithium-ion batteries don’t like extreme weather, such as hot summer days and cold winter drives.

The use of air conditioning in both those scenarios drains the battery faster than usual driving, with winter seeing a 40 percent lower than usual.

As we head towards winter in New Zealand, it’s time to adapt the way you use your electric vehicle.

Here are five tips from the Automobile Association NZ on getting the most out of driving your EV in winter.

1. Keep your battery charged to 50% or higher

Be prepared for reduced range and lower performance by ensuring your battery is always charged to at least 50 percent before you leave home in winter. Even when you’re not driving your vehicle, you should maintain a base charge rate of 20 percent in winter. This gives you some reserve energy which may be required to start your car if the battery is very cold. 

2. Leave more time for charging 

It takes longer to charge batteries in cool temperatures because the ions are moving more slowly. Your battery can be up to 30 percent slower to charge at zero degrees than at 25oC. Plugging in overnight at home is an ideal way to give your battery the time it needs to fully charge. 

On longer trips, don’t assume you’ll have your usual summer range to get you between charging stations – plan to charge sooner and more often. More powerful chargers won’t always solve the problem, as onboard electronics can limit charging speed to protect the battery.  

3. Try to park your EV inside when the charge is low

Leaving your EV parked outside in cold weather can be risky. As the battery gets colder, it needs an increasing amount of power to start the car. (The same is true for petrol engines – it takes more fuel to start your car on winter mornings.) 

You don’t want to get into your car in the morning and have it fail to start, which could happen if it’s cold enough and the charge was low. Instead, park it in a warmer spot whenever you can, and don’t let it get too cold when the charge is low. 

4. Use the preheat option 

If your EV allows it, preheat your car at home before you hit the road. This not only gives you a nice cosy car to hop into, but it also means you aren’t working the battery as hard in the cool temperatures. Instead, the car heats up slowly in a warmer environment, and you won’t need to crank the heat up as high once you get going. And by warming up your EV while it’s plugged in at home rather than once you’re on the move, you’re further reducing battery drain.  

5. Switch on the heated seats and steering wheels 

The winter tip is to heat your passenger, not your car. Using your car’s heater in low temperatures drains a lot of power from your battery, reducing your range. Instead, switch on the heated seats and heated steering wheel if you have these options. By applying heat directly to your body, you can stay toasty warm on a cool morning without blasting hot air to warm up the entire interior. 

• Courtesy of AA NZ