People who own an electric vehicle are always talking about the driving range, which will affect their daily driving and charging habits. Even if you do your homework about how far your electric cars can drive, other factors can affect driving range. Among all those factors, weather plays a big role. This article is going to explore how the weather affects your EV’s driving range. 

Cold Weather

People who own an electric vehicle might notice that the driving rage is a little different from winter to summer.  Research suggests that drivers can expect 15-20% fewer miles from an EV in the winter, which would reduce even further in icy conditions. Not just the driving range, cold weather can also affect your charging time. Electric car batteries tend to work at a certain temperature. When the battery is too cold, it can't accept the same rate of charge as when it's warm.

Hot Weather

On average, EVs lose about 17% of their range when the temperature reaches 95 degrees Fahrenheit. Unlike in cold weather, the batteries in EVs will work less efficiently. Hot weather will accelerate the chemical reaction in batteries which will reduce the driving range. Charging the car in hot weather might cause it to overheat. By reducing the charging speed, the system reduces the amount of heat generated, helping to keep the battery at a safe temperature. 

How the weather affects your EV?

• There's a great chance that your EV's battery consists of lithium, which performs best at certain temperatures, ideally between 68 to 86 degrees Fahrenheit. The battery's range can be affected if you drive too long in extreme weather. 
• Another factor is the heating and cooling system. When you are driving in extreme weather, the heating and cooling system might work automatically to protect the battery. And part of the energy will be used to cover this need.