The auto expert spoke about the features of electric cars in winter
The widespread opinion about the twofold loss of charge in cold weather does not correspond to modern technological realities. The decrease in power reserve by 10-30% at subzero temperatures is explained by the laws of physics: electrochemical processes slow down in lithium-ion batteries. Ilya Rashkin, the founder of EM Rus, told Izvestia about this on November 19.
"The colder it is, the slower the ions move, and the less energy the battery releases at the moment. Add in the everyday habits of a driver who switched to electric not so long ago — the heating, headlights, power windows are on, as a result, the power reserve is reduced by about 10-30%. In severe frosts — up to 40%. But it is important to understand that energy does not disappear anywhere, just part of it gets stuck in the system before the battery warms up," he explained.
For comparison: at +30 degrees, electric cars lose an average of up to 5% of their travel, and at -10 degrees — up to 25%. This is not a breakdown, but a reaction to the climate, which the designers plan in advance.
The problem of losing charge in the cold, according to the expert, is not really a problem. Proven solutions already exist. For example, when developing electric vehicles, it is now important that the car behaves equally confidently in both heat and frost. Therefore, a thermal stabilization system is included in the design — it maintains the optimal temperature of the cells and allows you to maintain a power reserve even at subzero temperatures.
The thermal stabilization system is a circuit with a liquid coolant that evenly distributes the temperature throughout the battery. It works like a climate control for the battery: it does not allow it to cool down in the parking lot and does not allow it to overheat during charging. As a result, the machine maintains stable dynamics, and the battery life does not decrease even after 1 thousand cycles.
"For Russia, such solutions are not a luxury, but an element of reliability. After all, an electric car in our reality must work efficiently after the night, drive through snowdrifts and charge from a regular outlet. And when engineering adaptation works, it becomes a competitive advantage, not an excuse.
The skills of drivers also help engineers. A few simple habits help to keep the charge even in the cold," Rashkin said.
He recommends warming up the battery and interior while charging, and turning on the climate control in advance while the car is connected to the mains, then the heating energy will be taken not from the battery, but from the outlet.
In addition, you should keep the charge at least 20-30%. In the cold, the battery requires "energy to warm up", and if the charge level is too low, the machine may limit the power.
"If possible, park in the warmth. Even a five-degree difference between the street and the garage gives a few extra kilometers of travel. Keep an eye on the tire pressure. It falls in the cold, increasing rolling resistance and energy consumption.
Use the recovery mode and the "eco mode" of driving. This will reduce peak losses and stabilize battery performance," concluded the specialist.
We cannot cancel winter, but we can make it stop being an argument against progress. And in this sense, every cold start is not a weak point of an electric car, but a step towards making the technology truly ours, adapted to the climate, infrastructure and habits of the country.
Earlier, on November 12, auto expert Vadim Strelbitsky dispelled the myth of low reliability of modern automobile engines. The motors have not lost their reliability compared to engines of previous generations and differ in that they are more technologically advanced and demanding.
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