If you’re interested in buying a new electric vehicle (EV), you probably have several battery-related questions, including, “Will running the air conditioner decrease my EV range?” No one wants to be left with an empty one on a hot summer day or snowy winter evening battery remain.
The short answer is yes. Running the air conditioner or turning up the heat affects the range of your electric vehicle. However, several factors contribute to how temperature affects things. From where you live, the model of EV you drive, how new it is and more.
Basically it’s complicated. Newer vehicles like the Tesla Model Y and Polestar 2 EV have an improved heat pump that’s much more efficient, meaning the effects of cold weather are less than ever. Find more details on the HVAC (heating, ventilating, air conditioning) and EV range here.
EV batteries are like people
Before discussing EV range and how weather can affect things, it’s important to understand why. Electric vehicle batteries are like humans and work best in the same temperature range as humans.
Cold temperatures slow down chemical reactions in battery cells, reducing range and increasing charge times. And at the other end, heat will cause the charging speed to decrease.
The ideal range is around 40-110 degrees F. Anything too cold or too hot will not perform optimally. Hot or cold temperatures can affect range, battery life, charging times and more. As such, EV batteries have integrated heating and cooling systems that help maintain the best operating temperatures.
How does air conditioning affect EV range?
During the warm summer months, running the air conditioner in a petrol vehicle lowers your MPG, which is also the case in an electric vehicle. However, it’s not nearly as bad as some people would like you to believe. I’ve seen comments online that air conditioning reduces an EV’s range by 50%, which is not true, especially for modern EVs.
For example, in 2019, research from AAA indicated that when outside temperatures reach 95 degrees F in summer and air conditioning is used in a vehicle, range can decrease by about 17%. And while that’s certainly not good, it’s not terrible either. The EPA estimates that gas-powered vehicles can lose up to 25% when using air conditioning.
However, in a comment to The edge, a Tesla spokesman disputed AAA’s findings and suggested that based on real-world data from millions of Tesla cars on the road, users won’t see a drop approaching 17%. Tesla claims that using air conditioning at 95 degrees Fahrenheit only decreases your Model S’s range by about one percent.
Obviously that’s a drastic difference, and the truth probably lies somewhere in the middle. Air conditioning lowers the MPG in a petrol car and does something similar in electric vehicles.
And while your first instinct is to roll down the windows, it doesn’t get much better. Aerodynamics and drag can also reduce range, so most manufacturers recommend rolling down the windows at slow speeds. However, at speeds over 55 MPH it is better to roll them up and use the air conditioning.
While using the air conditioner certainly won’t cut your EV’s range in half, it’s still something to consider on your summer adventures or next car trip.
How does using the heater affect EV range?
The bigger problem for EVs is the cold, with most owners using the heater and heated seats to warm up.
In the same AAA study linked above, the company suggests that using the heater in an electric vehicle can reduce your driving range by up to 41%. That’s only on the high end in extreme conditions on a given vehicle, so don’t let that number worry you.
For example, over half of new cars in Norway are plug-in electric vehicles, and their results are far more promising than what AAA says. According to the Norwegian Automobile Associationharsh winter temperatures and the use of heaters can reduce battery range and efficiency by approximately 20%.
Tesla, the leading EV manufacturer, has an entire support page dedicated to cold weather best practices. It includes things like winter tires, preheating the battery before charging, and warming up the car at home before hitting the road.
In addition, Tesla recommends using seat warmers to keep warm, as they use less energy than cabin heaters and improve range. If you need the cabin heater, feel free to turn it up. Tesla has disputed AAA’s report that temperatures below 20 degrees F can reduce range by 41% and said owners would not experience anywhere near as much a decrease. Still, the company didn’t share a number to put drivers’ minds at ease.
The battery analysis company recurring published a study in late 2021 detailing cold weather and EV range. According to the results, results vary for each model, and older EVs like the Chevy Volt can experience a large range loss. However, newer vehicles from Tesla, Audi and Nissan are much, much lower, often under 10%.
In conclusion, most EVs experience some loss of range in hot or cold weather, and your mileage will depend on the conditions. The same is true for gas-powered vehicles on the road today.
With modern EVs, it’s not a drastic difference like 40%, but it’s something owners should keep in mind when traveling. As EV and battery technology continue to improve, range will also improve.
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