The winter is here, and so is the trouble. Why? Low temperatures come with plenty of car challenges, especially for electric vehicles. Even the best of them succumb to these merciless temperatures.
EV vehicles don’t do well in winter. All thanks to physics for being what it is – you will be left with less power for driving after experiencing a drop in your vehicle’s range due to low temperatures, affecting your car’s overall range.
Now that we are done with the bad news, here comes the good one – many of the car-related problems in winter have been successfully tackled by the experts. There are 10 tips that you can try to maximize your EV vehicle’s range in winter.
Also, in this guide, we have made a short comparison of the Honda Passport vs Pilot so that you can have options if you are planning to switch from an EV to a gasoline-powered vehicle.
10 Tips to Get the Best Electric Vehicle Range in Winter
Tip 1 – Park your Vehicle Inside
If you have a garage space, park your vehicle inside, as it will help the battery hold charge for longer and recharge more quickly.
Tip 2 – Precondition before Departure
Preconditioning your EV’s battery in extreme winter can spike its efficiency. Here preconditioning means heating your vehicle using apps or other things before driving. Once the battery is heated to your desired temperature, it will perform to its full potential.
Tip 3 – Don’t let your Battery Charge Drop below 50%
Keep your battery charge above 50% or at least above 15% to 20% to achieve an optimal level of performance. EV has a battery management system that conserves 15 to 20% of charge to heat the battery.
Tip 4 – Switch off the Heater while Charging
While charging your EV using a direct current fast charger, switch off the heater or lower its temperature if possible. This will help improve the range of your vehicle in winter.
Tip 5 – Prefer Heat Seater over the Heating System in Winter
In cold conditions, try to use the heat seater than the car’s heating system because if you precondition your vehicle, you won’t feel the need to use the heater. You could use the seat heater for the driver’s comfort.
Tip 6 – Remove Snow before Departure
Remove snow from the car’s body before departing since EVs are designed keeping aerodynamics in view, so a mound of snow on the roof will add nothing but unnecessary drag to the car.
Tip 7 – Get the Right Tires for your Car
Surprisingly, tires can drastically affect your EV’s range in cold temperatures. Summer tires tend to get stiffer in winter hence, become more prone to slipping. Also, apart from the slippage danger, you are possibly dispelling power that otherwise could be used for acceleration. On the other hand, if you get winter tires installed, you will get a better range in the snow.
Tip 8 – Use Eco-Mode
Does your EV have an eco-mode? Perfect, you will need it in winter. Using this feature in winter will reduce power consumption and boost mileage. It limits the amount of energy supplied to the driving motor or cabin heaters.
Tip 9 – Keep your EV Plugged in When Parked
For better performance of your vehicle in winter, keep your EV plugged in when parked.
Tip 10 – Use Cruise Control to Prevent Unnecessary Acceleration
Using your EVs cruise control will help you avoid unnecessary acceleration and keep your car’s speed constant. Since winter can affect the system’s efficiency, cruise control will help you keep your vehicle’s speed constant on road trips.
Honda Passport vs Pilot
| Features | Honda Pilot 2022 | Honda Passport 2022 |
| Starting MSRP | $38,080 – $51,870 | $39,665 |
| HP | 280 | 280 |
| MPG Combined | 22 | 21 |
| Towing capacity | 5000 lbs. | 5000 lbs. |
| Seating capacity | 8 | 5 |
While the above table doesn’t show much big of a difference between the two SUVs, if you are to pick one, we would suggest going for Honda Passport as it is comparatively lighter than the Pilot and travels 0 to 90 mph in mere 6.1 seconds.
On the other hand, if the space is what matters to you more, go for Honda Pilot as it offers bigger room than the Passport.
Conclusion
These are the 10 helpful tips you can follow to get the best electric range in winter. However, if you find it too overwhelming, we have also suggested some SUV options to make your winter travel easier.
