Electric cars are full of advantages over gas vehicles. Lower fuel prices, environmental sustainability, and fantastic performance are all touted frequently as reasons that you should buy an electric vehicle. One downside that should be considered, however, is its performance in the cold. Because chemical reactions run slower when ambient temperatures are lower, batteries, which transfer energy through chemical reactions, are less efficient in the winter.
This year, as record low temperatures strike much of the United States, owners of electric vehicles may be concerned about the range of their cars in the cold. Luckily, Ford has released a list of tips for owners of the F-150 Lightning that will help ensure that nobody is left outside in a car without charge. The first of these is to park your car in a garage, which will provide insulation and keep the temperature of the battery higher. Another tip is to utilize the FordPass app to preheat the car when charging. This will keep the battery temperature higher, which will extend the higher efficiency temperatures to when you are driving. This way, it will take far longer for the battery temperature to drop to ambient temperatures, providing increased range.
Another strategy is to utilize the heated seats and steering wheel to stay warm. This prevents the need for the HVAC system, which is a large energy drain. Other tips include brushing snow off of the truck, which will decrease weight and drag, and driving at moderate speeds, which conserves energy. This tip is also good advice for driving in the snow; high speeds when turning increase the risk of sliding on ice. Although winter driving is tough, this advice is key for extending your range. However, drivers need not be too worried. The F-150 Lightning provides up to 320 miles of range. Even with decreased efficiency, the range should be enough to handle any cold-weather excursions. With these tips, you can rest easy that your EV will be able to keep running, just like the gas vehicles that you are used to.