In order to explore the impact of temperature on EV range, Geotab analyzed anonymized EV data from 5.2 million trips taken by 4,200 EVs representing 102 different make/model/year combinations.
Day-to-day range is affected by temperature primarily due to auxiliary heating and cooling.
Range is the distance an EV can drive on a single charge. A vehicle’s published range is based on standardized testing.
EVs, like gas vehicles, perform differently in real-life conditions, depending on:
terrain
passenger load
speed
driver behavior
outdoor temperature
THE BEST AND WORST PERFORMERS
Overall, the best performers (those in the 90th percentile) obtained 32% more range than the average, and had twice the range as those in the worst 10th percentile. This suggests there is some leeway with how far you can expect to drive on a single charge, which may be partially within your control.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Most EVs follow a similar temperature range curve, regardless of make or model.
While both cold and hot temperatures impact range, colder climates have a larger impact.
70F (21.5C) is the vehicle trip efficiency sweet-spot.
Energy from the battery powers the systems that regulate the temperature of the cabin and battery.
As battery sizes have increased with new EV models, range loss has become less of an issue. Larger capacity means little impact on most daily trip needs, and charging infrastructure continues to expand for that occasional road trip.
