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Kia Stouffville
Posted on February 27, 2025
Canadians have a lot to think about during the colder winter months. Not only do we need to take care of our chapped lips and dry skin and make sure that wearing fur-lined parkas doesn't get us into any trouble with animal rights activists -- but winter driving also brings its own set of worries.
Many Canadians are still uncertain about electric cars, citing winter performance as a deterrent. However, it is important to note that cold temperatures do affect battery power; nonetheless living with an EV during the colder months should not be something to fret over.
If you plan to drive an electric vehicle in winter, be mindful of the following 5 tips to ensure your safety while driving.
No matter what type of vehicle you have, our automotive experts suggest installing winter tires since they are especially important for electric cars. All-wheel drive may help with some driving conditions, but it cannot replace the benefits that come from having suitable winter tires.
Having the proper tires on your car will improve its grip on the road, which can increase your safety when accelerating and braking. Ensuring that you have quality tires is an essential element for any vehicle for it to remain stable while driving. (Winter tires on a car enhance its grip on the road, leading to increased safety during acceleration and braking. Quality tires are a crucial component for a vehicle's stability and safe operation.)
Cold weather can certainly harm battery performance. If you're out in the cold, likely, your phone will not last as long or operate at its normal capacity. You may also experience reduced range with an electric vehicle (EV) due to colder temperatures outside.
If you're concerned about your range, pre-warming your battery before leaving can help keep a few extra kilometers on the clock. Most electric vehicles provide the ability to schedule charging so that it's completed, and the battery is ready by when you depart in the morning since batteries tend to work better when warmed up first.
When driving a gas-powered car, the heat generated by the fuel being burned in its engine is used to warm up your cabin. But with an electric vehicle (EV), no such heat source exists - so it has to generate warmth from scratch using battery power instead. This will have some effect on the range as you use more energy for heating and less for traveling.
It's important to keep in mind that it was very cold out there, so the conditions weren't ideal. It is reasonable to expect less range due to the low temperatures, but it won't be a huge difference. As I said previously, the decrease in range will mostly come from using your climate control system rather than just because of how chilly it is outside.
If you're in the same situation as me and don't have a charger at your workplace or residence, then public charging stations may be necessary for you to get sufficient power. The only downside is that it will require some planning on your part. I prefer Level 3 fast charging; however, if you can spend a few hours, then Level 2 would also serve its purpose - although a one-time full charge is preferred over multiple small top-ups every so often.
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