Use of electric car
Electric cars in the heat: protect the battery and guarantee range
High summer temperatures might tempt you to the pool or to get yourself an ice cream, but very hot weather can be challenging for electric cars – especially for the battery. We’ll show you how to protect your electric car with a few simple tricks.
Key points at a glance
Challenges in the summer heat: high temperatures significantly weaken the performance and service life of electric car batteries. Overheating can lead to a decrease in charging speed. In extreme cases, the charging process can stop completely.
Optimal charging technology:: Electric vehicles should be charged more slowly in summer and at shorter intervals. You should avoid using fast-charging functions.
Air conditioning and energy consumption: pre-conditioning the vehicle during charging is a good idea to minimise energy consumption during the journey.
Driving style: a consistent and anticipatory driving style conserves the battery. Avoid abrupt braking or accelerating to minimise energy consumption.
Parking: opt for spots in the shade.
High summer temperatures can pose challenges for electric cars. We’ll show you how the heat affects your electric car and how you can optimally protect it.
What is the heat doing to your electric car?
High temperatures are a problem for us – and the technology in your e-car too. This applies not least to Lithium-ion batteries in electric cars. You prefer to work at a constant 15 to 25 degrees Celsius. If the battery reaches a temperature of over 50 degrees, its electronics deteriorate faster and the overall charging power decreases.
The reason for this is the material the batteries are made from. Excessively high temperatures trigger a degradation reaction. Specifically, The electrolyte in the battery evaporates and is gradually permanently damaged. As a result, the battery performance decreases.. The good news: Most modern electric cars have a corresponding Battery cooling. In addition, the batteries are usually located in the underbody of the vehicle, which protects them from direct sunlight.
What’s the best way to charge my electric car in summer?
The vast majority of charge management systems in modern electric cars automatically throttle the charging power when the battery temperature rises noticeably. This is intended to provide a possible Prevent battery overheating. However, the following points can be taken into account when charging your electric car in midsummer:
Do not charge at full power: when outside temperatures are high, the charging rate should be decreased. This is often possible via an app.
Reduced, but more frequent charging: Only charge the battery up to around 80% and connect the car to the charging station a little more often. This helps to keep the heat of the battery generally low.
Use charging stations in an underground car park: What’s right for the car’s battery is no different for the charging stations: i.e. they’re also sensitive to heat. If you are out and about and need to charge your car, you should therefore prefer to head to stations located in underground car parks or in the shade.
Pro tip: pre-conditioning the vehicle
One of the main power guzzlers for every car – whether it’s an electric car or a combustion engine – the air-conditioning. In contrast to a combustion engine, however, an electric car has one huge advantage: The interior of the electric car can already be cooled down while the car is still at the charging station.
In this case, the air conditioning unit draws energy from the power grid and not from the car battery. So you can sit in a perfectly cooled car and use less energy as the Interior temperature then only needs to be maintained. For most electric cars, the Preliminary air conditioning either via the on-board computer or via an app.
This option is not available to Mobility customers, as they do not have access to the vehicle before making the reservation.
Your driving style makes a difference
Not only would your former driving instructor be happy to see that you drive with foresight and distance, but your car battery will also thank you. Why? Abrupt braking or strong acceleration warms the battery. This in turn leads to more energy being used to cool the battery. Whether in summer or winter, The driving style is a essential factor for service life a car battery. You can also find more tips on using electric cars in our video:
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It’s just common sense: Get out of the sun!
Although this is obvious advice that’s repeatedly recommended by car manufacturers, it’s still important to mention here again. It’s always worth to park in the shade. Sunlight is not a risk factor in itself. This is because the heat is not enough to overheat a battery, causing it to suffer damage. However, the sun’s rays can still affect the range of the car.
By parking in the shade, the battery cools down faster and more strongly after use – correspondingly less energy is required for cooling. Energy that can be used for a longer range.
The prejudice that electric cars have a higher risk of fire than combustion engine cars is still widespread. In our article “Electric cars: does the battery pose an increased risk of fire?“ find out why heat is not a safety risk for electric vehicles and what you can do if a fire does occur.