Most people who have driven range in the winter have probably noted that the cold can have a drastic effect on range.
New figures from Recurrent Auto however, shows that cars equipped with a certain detail lose less range when it’s cold.
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Data from 18,000 electric cars
For several years, Recurrent Auto has collected real-time data from 10,000s of electric cars on American roads, and published reports on how these perform in various conditions.
The latest report is based on data from 18,000 electric cars, and offers insights into which cars are best at maintaining their range in cold weather.
The detail that saves the range
The data in the report shows that virtually all cars that are best at maintaining their range in the cold are equipped with a heat pump to heat the passenger compartment.
The cars equipped with a heat pump retain an average of 83 percent of their range in subzero weather, while the corresponding figure for cars without a heat pump is 75 percent.
The best performer is the Tesla Model X, which retains 89 percent of its range.
At the bottom of the list we find the heat pump-less Volkswagen ID.4, which only retains 63 percent of its range.
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Same car with and without heat pump
Perhaps the clearest, most telling example is that the report includes data from examples of the Tesla Model 3 both with and without a heat pump.
A Tesla Model 3 with a heat pump maintains an average of 87 percent of its range in subzero weather, while the corresponding figure for a Model 3 without a heat pump is 78 percent. Only at 18 degrees Celsius do the cars have an equally good range.
The report notes that the variations in range for different electric cars make limited difference to everyday life for the average electric car driver, but that it can be an important factor to take into account if you plan to go on longer winter trips.
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Cars with a heat pump
Tesla Model X, 89%
Tesla Model S, 88%
Audi e-tron, 87%
Tesla Model 3, 87%
Tesla Model Y, 86%
Hyundai IONIQ 5, 85%
Hyundai Kona, 84%
BMW iX, 83%
Nissan Ariya, 82%
Kia EV9, 81%
Chevrolet Equinox, 74%
Cadillac Lyriq, 72%
Average: 83%
Source: Recurrent Auto
Cars without a heat pump
Rivian R1S, 83%
Rivian R1T, 80%
Tesla Model 3, 78%
Nissan Leaf, 77%
Tesla Model S, 74%
Ford F-150 Lightning, 74%
Chevrolet Bolt, 69%
Ford Mustang Mach-E, 66%
Volkswagen ID.4, 63%
Average: 75%
Source: Recurrent Auto