Electric Cars and Charging Station Performance in Cold Weather
What most electric car owners don't know is that even the best electric cars are susceptible to decreased performance during cold weather. Car owners should expect some changes in the performance of their cars and then work on their protection accordingly.
New drivers might not know the right protocol for their hybrid cars during the cold. This leaves them wondering why their cars behave strangely a little under the weather. If you own a Tesla Model 3 or any other electric car, you must learn the connection between cold weather and the poor performance of your car and charger.
What to Expect from Your Electric Car and Charging Station during winter?
Winter causes your electric car to deliver a 20-30% lower range than other seasons. And there can be multiple reasons for the decrease in the range. It is possible that your battery is not giving its optimal performance, or it might need a higher energy consumption to give you the full range.
To understand this concept, you must understand that EV car batteries are made of Lithium-ion and have an optimum temperature between 15 and 35 degree Celsius. During the colder months, the temperatures drop significantly, and that causes your EV battery to slow down and thus produce lesser power than usual.
The range of an EV car decreases during the winter months as we heat our vehicles more often during the colder months. This takes up a lot of energy and drains out the battery, which is already working with a low power due to the cold. This causes your battery performance to decrease significantly during winter.
Moreover, other problems affect the performance of your electric car. In most cases, regenerative braking does not work as effectively as it should during the winter months. This is because the battery power is already low, which means that it does not let the battery get back lost energy during deceleration. This is why you might have to use the manual brake over regenerative braking.
How to Get the Best Performance from your EV during winters?
Here are some things you can do to improve the performance of your EV car and charger in the cold.
Park Your Car in the Garage
One of the most useful tips for increasing your EV car performance is making sure you park your car indoors rather than leaving it in the driveway. It can make a significant difference to your car battery if you keep the car inside the garage.
The garage is much warmer than the outside, and that will ensure that your battery holds a charge for longer. It will also help you charge your car quicker because your battery is not extremely cold. Even if you have left the car outside, you must go and park it in your garage as soon as you get an opportunity.
Heat the Car in the Morning
There are different EVs, but most of them come with the option of heating them before you travel. Use this feature and heat your car before you leave so that it heats up while you get ready to take the drive. Heating your car will also heat the body and the battery. This can help you give a much better performance than not heating it.
This way, you will also be able to improve the performance of your battery in the longer run. Start preheating your car while it is still plugged in the circuit. If you do this, the car won't need electricity to heat up in the morning. For those who do not want to use the heater, the seat heater can also help you get the job done. It requires lesser power and can be a good alternative for the sake of your battery.
Alter Your Driving Style
You shouldn't drive your car the same way in winter as you would drive it in any other season. You must drive your car as smoothly as possible and avoid sudden breaks as they can use up a lot of energy. If you take it slow and drive very carefully, you might be able to save significant amounts of power.
Charge the Battery When It Is Hot
Charging your battery right after you come back from a drive is the best time. This is when the battery is already hot and can charge in the best way possible. The cars are powered so that the electronics protect the battery from high voltage charges when the battery is cold.
This will also reduce the battery's power, which is why it is a better idea to charge your car after you have driven it for a while. This will keep the battery hot and allow it to charge it faster.
Fill Up Your Tires
It is a natural phenomenon that the air contracts during the cold. Keeping this in mind, the air in your tires can constrict, which is why you must keep them inflated at all times. The best practice when driving your EV during the winters is to ensure that it drives with very little resistance. The more resistance your car has, the more energy you will be consuming.
If you live in an area where it snows a lot, then you must try and get winter tires; they are the perfect fit for the Tesla Model 3 as they can help you save on the resistance.
Use the Eco Mode
One of the most promising features of the EV car is the Eco Mode. With the Eco Mode, you can give your mileage a great boost and also reduce the consumption of power. The Eco-mode limits the power supply to the motor of the car as well as the cabin heaters.
When you switch your car to eco-mode, your car will accelerate slowly, and that can help you drive more safely in the snow.
Drive Slow
When driving your EV in the cold, you must make sure that it is a smooth drive. The more resistance you have, the more power your vehicle will use. This is why it is best to drive your car as slowly as possible. This way, there will be less resistance, and you will also safely navigate through the cold in your EV car.
Drive with One Pedal
The one pedal approach allows you to remove your foot from the accelerator when you reach a stoplight. This allows the regenerative braking to slow down the vehicle and regenerate a little electricity.
Preheat the Battery
EV cars also come with the option of preheating your battery. This is yet another great feature that allows drivers to preheat their batteries before they have to go somewhere. You can also preheat your battery in the morning before you head out or when you are traveling to a fast-charging station.
This helps your car reach the optimal charging temperature, which means that it will charge faster and better. More so, your power will not be diverted when you charge your vehicle.
Let an Electrician Vancouver Help You
If you use all the above-mentioned tips and you still feel that there is something wrong with the EV charger, then you must definitely reach out to an electrician Vancouver and let them help you!
Map Out Your Route
Always use a backup plan when you are charging on the road. Learn all the right charging locations on your route so that you can charge your car easily.
How to Choose Your Winter EV Charging Station?
With the winter coming, you must choose the best EV charging station. Here are some ways you can choose a charging station.
Certified Operating Temperature
When you choose a charging station, you need to ensure it works at an optimal temperature. There are some charging stations made to work within the temperature bracket of -40°F to 122°F, which is best even for the harshest weather conditions. FLO chargers are a great solution for such requirements.
Level 2 Charging Station
Level 1 charging can be slow for your needs. To get the best charging outcomes, you can switch to level 2 stations as they offer quicker charging and continue to work without any interference from the cold weather. It is said to decrease your charging time by up to 80%.
High-Quality Cable
When getting an EV charger, you need to ensure that wires are of good quality. Your cables can become stiff in the winter, and that can harm your charging station. Choose high-quality cables so they do not freeze and work at their optimal level.
Why Do You Need Help from an Electrician Vancouver?
EV cars are not easy to deal with on your own, which is why you must get help from an electrician Vancouver and allow them to take a look at your charging station. With a quick check, they will be able to help you understand what is wrong with it and what the best thing you can do is in order to ensure that it works well.
Reach out to a qualified electrician Vancouver and learn from their expertise. They can also help you make the necessary changes to your care routine and ensure that your car gives you the optimal service you need! Contact them to install your EV charger for you!