The good piece must not freeze. In the past, the battery had to be kept warm so that the six volts might wake the boxer up the next morning. Today, the batteries cost 300 times as much and still require attention if the electric car is to keep its suitability for everyday use in the cold. In these last few days of a mild autumn, it seems advisable to help the many newcomers through the winter with their first electric car with a few tips.
Fortunately, technology now ensures that the battery can take care of itself during operation. Its temperature is kept within a window (20 C° to 40 C°) by means of ventilation, cooling or heating, in which it works most effectively. Cooling and especially now heating costs electricity and therefore range. Reacting to this correctly is what characterizes the shrewd electric car driver. He also knows the other tips with which he can better control the negative effects of the cold.
First the positives: In most compact electric cars, the front axle is driven, which benefits traction and steerability on slippery roads. Of course, all-wheel drive is best at that. Anyone who has opted for rear-wheel drive will learn to love it because of the high torque of the electric motor – or hate it because of the constant oversteer on slippery roads. And then there is the adjustable power of recuperation. It can be so strong that it overwhelms traction on slippery roads. So: roll better instead of electric engine brake.
Most models offer driving modes to choose from, with the mode usually marked “Eco” not only providing less power at the top, but also allowing gentler starting with “braked” torque. This mode not only saves electricity, but at least makes starting on ice easier.
In traffic jams, there is rarely a risk of stress from the traction battery because the engine does not require any energy when stationary. The driving battery can also be relieved if the interior heating is turned down. With some models, you can set which space is to be heated. In addition, it can sometimes be cheaper to switch on the heated front seat instead of the vehicle heating – with or without a heat pump. The operating instructions will help here. In any case, the lighting should be switched from driving to parking lights.
But at this point a big warning sign is appropriate. The light is certainly fed from the vehicle’s twelve-volt battery, perhaps also the heated seats, the infotainment system and the telephone. After a few hours of traffic jams, the end may not be due to an empty driving battery, but to the vehicle battery, which electric car owners often do not even know they have on board.
Against this background, the tips for traffic jams sound almost self-evident:
– Keep a woolen blanket within reach, as well as warm shoes.-
– Turn down the interior heating. With certain models, the heating can be directed towards the occupied seats.
– Switch to recirculation mode.
– Ventilation only as short as possible.
– Depending on the on-board electronics: switch off the seat heating, heated windscreen and rear window.
– Reduce infotainment, practice doing without the phone.
Even before the time of the beetle, it was clear that batteries and cold are naturally enemies. We’re just talking regarding chemistry when loading and unloading. And everyone knows that cold impedes or even prevents reactions. That’s why nobody is surprised if it takes longer to charge the battery in the cold and if there is a lack of power when driving with a cold battery.
In order to avoid this within the said temperature window, the following tips are useful for anyone who wants to have something from their battery for a long time – in terms of service life and range:
Many electric cars can be programmed. When the driver tells them the departure time, the car warms up the battery and the interior. This is best done while the car is still plugged in, preferably on the home wall box. Because electricity is cheaper there.
If the electric car had to spend the night under the open winter sky, the insulation will protect the battery. Nevertheless, the drive will take a longer warm-up period – just like the boxer used to. Most charging stations recognize whether the candidate is too cold. They then load less violently than they might.
There is another parallel to the boxer. Its fuel consumption increased significantly on short journeys in winter. The ADAC also found this effect in the winter of 2022 in its consumption drives with current models: consumption increases in winter for short journeys. The result was a range that was reduced by up to 50 percent. Commuters won’t like to hear that.
On long journeys, the range fell by up to a third due to the supercooled electrochemistry and the additional ancillary consumers such as heating for the interior, seats and windows, but also for the battery. If you want more, you have to slow down even more or freeze like you used to with the air-cooled boxer in the Beetle. (Peter Schwerdtmann/cen)
