01/24/2025

Why Cold Weather Is No Longer an EV Battery Killer

Heat pumps allow EV batteries to last longer

Cold winters are bad news for EV batteries. But with a heat pump — the same climate-friendly heating system that helps buildings stay warm with less energy — electric cars can run longer in freezing temperatures.

On average, EVs lose about a fifth of their range when temperatures hit 32 degrees Fahrenheit, according to data from Recurrent, a company that tracks the battery performance of electric cars. That’s mainly because chilly passengers crank up the heat, which draws down the battery.

Having a heat pump can cut range loss in half, Recurrent data show. Under most conditions, heat pumps drain a car’s battery less than the old school electric resistance heaters that early EVs relied on. That means the best EVs today lose only 11 percent of their range in freezing weather.

Please select this link to read the complete article from The Washington Post.