Now that the heat is starting to fade and the cooler days are starting to arrive, there is one thing to remember: Extreme climates do nothing for electric cars. We already know that cold directly harms them, but what about heat? A study carried out by Recurrent confirmed that it can be even worse in extreme cases, so if we want to take care of the health of the battery, it is best to protect it from excessive temperatures. In particular, this report wants to help those looking for second-hand electric cars to figure out where the best places to do this search are.
The company that produced this report set out to find out how much electric range a Tesla Model Y would have when used in areas with cold and coastal climates compared to those with warmer climates. The results of this study concluded that vehicles used in hot climates get a lower battery range than those exposed to colder environments (not extreme cold). They concluded that the maximum accepted threshold for the battery to start to degrade is about 30ºC.
The study was conducted in the United States, between the northernmost and southernmost states of the country. In the north, where the cold climate prevails, the electric vehicles tested show an electrical range greater than that tested in the south of the territory, where the climate is warmer. The typical difference between one environment or another is one loss of approximately 3% of average autonomy. For the analysis they used a total of 12,500 Tesla Model Y units.
To reverse the effects of heat, cold or bad climates, Recurrent advises having well-insulated garages or parking the electric vehicle, usually in the shade. However, if there is no option to park on the street in very high temperatures, the advice is to do it when the battery is half charged, because it will cause less damage.
The study also highlighted the fact that the new LFP chemistry batteries are more durable in extreme temperatures, especially in the heat. They also advise, when buying an electric car, to make sure it has an active thermal management system or a charge limiter when the battery reaches high temperatures.
Precisely because of the effect of temperatures on batteries, almost all companies conduct tests of their electric cars in the development of all types of climates, especially extreme, cold and hot. This type of tests was recently seen on the Rolls-Royce Specter during its tuning before going to the market.
