Tips for driving an electric car in warm weather.
Driving an electric car in warm weather.
The UK is experiencing its fair share of hot weather at the moment and it’s likely that the high temperatures will continue through much of the summer, too. The hotter temperatures not only make it trickier for us humans to go about our daily business, but they also affect how our cars work.
EVs in particular can be a little susceptible to changes in temperature, but how can you make sure that you’re making the most of it in warm weather? Let’s see some of the effects that hotter temperatures have on your car and what you can do to help.
Small impact on the range
During winter time, an electric car’s battery has to work much harder to send its energy to the motors. That’s why, when it’s colder, you tend to get a much lower range than you would do in summer.
When it’s warmer, you do tend to run auxiliary functions more - such as air-conditioning - and this also has an impact on the car’s range. However, it’s significantly less than during the winter, so you shouldn’t notice too much of a change.
A good time to pre-condition
Pre-conditioning your electric car is one of the greatest benefits of using an EV. When it’s plugged into the mains, you can remotely cool down the vehicle to your desired temperature so that you know it’s spot-on from the moment you step in.
This is also the most efficient way of doing it. The reason? Once you’ve unplugged, you’ll need to rely on the car’s batteries to cool the car down. If you do this before you’ve disconnected the cable, you’ll put far less strain on the car’s batteries and, in turn, use up less range. If you want more tips on how to get the most out of your battery click the link in the useful links.
Windows at low speeds, but roll them up at high ones
As with internal combustion engined cars, how you use your windows can have a big impact on an electric vehicle’s efficiency. Now at slow speeds, it could be a good idea to switch off the air conditioning and drop the windows, using the breeze to cool the car down.
However, if you’re travelling at higher speeds, the drag generated will offset any savings to be made, so you’re better off rolling them up and activating the air-con instead.
Try parking in the shade
If you’re not able to plug in and charge - or you’re stopping somewhere for a little while - then parking in a shaded spot can prove very beneficial to the electric car owner. By doing so, you’re keeping the interior of the car cooler, which means you won’t have to rely on the air conditioning as much when you return.
But just bear in mind that trees do tend to produce more sap in the summertime, so you might have to give your car a bit of scrub-down after it’s been parked up under one!
Check tyre pressures
Checking your tyre pressures is just as important in summer as it is in winter. If they’re over-inflated, to begin with, you risk a blowout when you start travelling and the air inside the tyres heats up and expands.
So always check your tyre pressures and make sure they’re inflated to the manufacturer’s recommended levels. These can be found either in the vehicle handbook, behind the fuel filler door or inside the metal kickplates behind the driver’s door.
Make sure you’ve got water on board in case the worst happens
It’s always best to prepare and, in hot weather, that means ensuring that you’ve got plenty of water on board in case you break down or get caught in heavy traffic. This is the same as in any car, of course, but it’s a tip worth remembering for EVs, too.
It’s also worthwhile packing a hat and some suncream, just on the off-chance you’re stuck at the side of the road in the midday heat.
