The EV Myth
EVs lose range in winter. It’s so bad you really should stick with petrol in cold weather.
Petrol vehicles perform perfectly in all conditions.
EV Myth Busted
It’s a common misconception that petrol vehicles don’t lose range in winter. It’s not as noticeable, but a petrol car can easily lose 15% to 24% of it’s range in the cold. Lubricants are more viscous leading to higher friction, fuel doesn’t vapourise as well and the alternator needs to work harder to charge the battery (ironically the same affliction EVs have with poorer battery performance in the cold).
It’s true that EVs can lose around 20% to 30% of their range in winter, so they’re a little more prone to range loss, but not nearly as big a difference as is commonly believed.
In both cases, reducing the heat, making sure tyres are properly inflated and driving conservatively will increase range.
If you’re stuck in traffic, then the EV might even have the advantage. A petrol car uses a lot of fuel while idling, while an electric car doesn’t consume much power at all while idling (a bare minimum to keep the car systems running). Driving to the ski fields can involve a lot of idling, waiting for traffic to clear.
