The range of electric vehicles in winter has been reduced by more than 60 , why is it so in winter?

Mondo Cars Updated on 2024-01-30

Winter is the season when the range of electric vehicles is seriously affected, and there are two main reasons for this phenomenon. First of all, lithium-ion batteries, as the main type of battery used in electric vehicles, have an electrolyte that becomes viscous at low temperatures, resulting in a decrease in battery activity, thereby reducing the usable capacity of the battery and indirectly leading to a significant reduction in range. Secondly, in the low temperature conditions of winter, the air conditioning system of an electric vehicle requires a lot of energy to maintain a comfortable temperature inside the car. Because the air conditioning of electric vehicles is completely dependent on electricity**, and the vehicles are relatively poorly insulated, the energy consumption of the air conditioning system is also higher, further exacerbating the decline in range.

For lithium-ion batteries, the low temperature environment in winter is not friendly. The normal operating temperature of the battery is generally between 20°C and 40°C, below which the reaction rate inside the battery will slow down and the battery activity will be reduced, which will affect the usable power and power supply capacity of the battery. This is one of the main reasons why the range of electric vehicles is drastically reduced during the cold winter.

In addition, another important reason for the reduced range of electric vehicles in winter is the increased energy consumption of the air conditioning system. Unlike gasoline vehicles, which provide heat to the interior of the vehicle through engine cooling in winter, the air conditioning system of an electric vehicle is completely dependent on electricity**. And electric vehicles are relatively poorly insulated, making it easier to dissipate heat inside the car, which in turn requires more energy to maintain a comfortable interior temperature. As a result, the energy consumption of the air conditioning system of an electric vehicle will be greatly increased in winter, which will further reduce the range of the vehicle.

In addition, electric vehicles also need to consume additional electricity in winter to carry out some auxiliary work, such as defrosting and de-icing the glass to ensure the driver's visibility, and heating the battery on the chassis to ensure battery activity and reliability. All of this increases the vehicle's energy consumption, further affecting the range.

In conclusion, there are two main reasons for the severe reduction of the range of electric vehicles in winter: one is the decrease in battery activity of lithium-ion batteries at low temperatures, resulting in a reduction in battery usable capacity;Second, a lot of energy is needed in winter to carry out auxiliary work such as air conditioning, defrosting and deicing, which increases energy consumption. The combination of these factors makes the range of electric vehicles significantly reduced in the cold winter.

Lithium-ion batteries are currently the main type of battery used in electric vehicles, and their own characteristics in winter have caused the range of electric vehicles in the cold season to be seriously affected.

Lithium-ion batteries use a liquid electrolyte, and the viscosity of the electrolyte increases as the temperature drops. At low temperatures, the electrolyte becomes more viscous and viscous, and the internal reaction rate of the battery slows down, resulting in a significant reduction in the battery's usable capacity. This means that with the same battery capacity, the electric car will be able to provide much less power in winter, which in turn will lead to a significant reduction in range.

In addition, the low temperature environment in winter will also increase the internal resistance of the battery, which will reduce the power supply capacity of the battery. Internal resistance is the resistance inside the battery that causes the flow of electrical energy inside the battery to be blocked. In a low-temperature environment, the rate of chemical reaction inside the battery slows down and the internal resistance increases, thereby reducing the battery's power supply capacity. This further limits the range of electric vehicles in the winter.

In addition to the characteristics of the battery itself, the low temperature conditions in winter also pose challenges for the air conditioning system of electric vehicles. Unlike gasoline vehicles, which provide heat to the interior of the vehicle by dissipating heat from the engine, the air conditioning system of an electric vehicle is completely dependent on electricity**. And electric vehicles have relatively poor thermal insulation, which makes it easier to dissipate heat inside the car and requires more energy to maintain the temperature inside the car. As a result, the energy consumption of the air conditioner of electric vehicles in winter increases significantly, further reducing the range.

In addition, additional energy is required in winter for work such as defrosting and de-icing to ensure a safe view for the driver. This will also increase the energy consumption of electric vehicles, placing an additional burden on range.

In summary, the loss of the range of electric vehicles in winter is mainly due to the combined effects of factors such as the reduction of battery capacity and power supply capacity due to the characteristics of lithium-ion batteries, as well as the increase in energy consumption of air conditioning systems at low temperatures.

The endurance of electric vehicles in winter has been a matter of great concern, and the recent test of a car ** shows that the endurance of electric vehicles at low temperatures is even as low as 10% of the nominal range. This phenomenon once again validates the serious impact of winter on the range of electric vehicles.

First of all, lithium-ion batteries, as the main energy storage device of electric vehicles, show certain "cold sensitivity" characteristics in low temperature environments. The increased viscosity of the electrolyte causes the chemical reaction inside the battery to slow down, resulting in a decrease in the battery capacity. Previous experimental data show that the range of electric vehicles at low temperatures may be reduced by more than 60%. This also means that in extremely cold weather, electric vehicles can provide very limited power to meet the demands of long-distance driving.

Secondly, winter is the season when air conditioning is in high demand, and the air conditioning system of electric vehicles is completely dependent on electricity**. Unlike gasoline vehicles, electric vehicles are less insulated and easier to dissipate heat inside the vehicle, so they require a lot of electrical energy to maintain a comfortable temperature in the car. At low temperatures, the battery's ability to supply power is already limited, and when combined with the increased energy consumption of the air conditioning system, this will further reduce the amount of power available to the vehicle, resulting in a significant reduction in range.

In addition, the additional energy consumption of electric vehicles will be increased in winter. In order to ensure a clear view for the driver, operations such as glass defrosting and de-icing are required with electricity. In addition, in order to ensure the activity of the battery and the normal operation of the tram chassis, it is also necessary to heat the battery on the chassis. These operations require additional energy consumption, further limiting the range of electric vehicles in winter.

Combining the above factors, it can be seen that the range of electric vehicles in winter has been affected in many ways. The "cold-sensitive" nature of lithium-ion batteries leads to a reduction in battery capacity, increased power consumption in the EV's air conditioning system, and additional operations such as defrosting and de-icing will further consume power, resulting in a serious reduction in the range of the EV in winter.

These issues are already bothering many EV owners in the winter. Their complaints and demands have also prompted to some extent the public testing of car tests** to verify the performance of electric vehicles in winter. The test results confirmed that the range of electric vehicles in winter was indeed severely reduced, and made people realize that this is not the result of poor driving habits of the owner, but the characteristics of the battery itself and the high energy consumption in winter.

This situation has also sparked some discussion about electric vehicles. On the one hand, some cities have returned to gasoline vehicles after using electric buses, which also reveals the disadvantages of electric vehicles. Problems such as the high cost of battery replacement and the high cost of maintenance have made it impossible for some cities to continue to use electric vehicles. On the other hand, the first batch of owners of electric private cars have gradually faced the choice of battery replacement or replacement of the whole vehicle, which further highlights the range of electric vehicles in winter.

These problems have made consumers more hesitant to choose to buy an electric vehicle. They see the drawbacks and limitations of electric vehicles, and they also realize that the technology of electric vehicles still needs to be further developed. Solid-state batteries, as a new battery technology that has been widely developed, are seen as potential solutions to solve these problems. Solid-state batteries have higher energy density, are not afraid of cold and heat, and have a longer life and higher safety performance, which can significantly improve the range of electric vehicles in winter.

In general, the range of an electric vehicle in winter is affected by many factors, including the characteristics of the battery, the increased power consumption of the air conditioning system, and the additional energy demand. These factors have led to a serious reduction in the range of electric vehicles in winter, which has brought certain troubles to the promotion and popularization of electric vehicles. In the future, with the continuous development of battery technology and the commercial application of solid-state batteries, the range of electric vehicles in winter is expected to be further improved.

Related Pages