Winter range: what really changes in the cold
Why range drops when it is cold, roughly how much to expect, and the habits that win most of it back.
Two things cost range in winter: a cold battery works less efficiently, and heating the cabin takes energy that a petrol car gets free from its engine. Short trips suffer most, because the car spends a larger share of the journey warming up.
How much you lose depends on the car, whether it has a heat pump, your speed and the temperature. Owners commonly report somewhere between a tenth and a third less range on cold days. Ask in your brand community for numbers from your own model.
What helps
- Precondition while plugged in, so the cabin and battery warm up on grid power rather than from the battery.
- Use seat and steering wheel heating: they warm you for a fraction of the energy of heating the air.
- Check tyre pressures: they drop in the cold and cost range.
- Before a rapid charge, let the car warm the battery (many do this when you navigate to a charger). A cold battery charges slowly.
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