The auto expert named the reasons for the rapid discharge of the battery in the electric car in winter

Auto expert Anton Mukhin named the reasons for the rapid discharge of the battery in an electric car in winter and ways to solve this problem.

In an interview with Auto Mail on Thursday, December 18, the expert explained that a faster discharge of an electric car in winter is a normal phenomenon, since part of the energy in the cold season is spent on heating the interior and maintaining the operating temperature of the battery. In such a situation, according to him, it is optimal to warm up the car in advance, for example in the garage.

He noted that first of all it is important to understand whether the power reserve has really decreased and what is the reason for this. The indicator can be influenced by weather and road conditions, driving style, as well as seasonal factors, including the use of winter tires, which slightly increase power consumption.

If the owner is sure that the reason is a decrease in battery capacity, this may be due to natural degradation during high mileage, which occurs gradually. In this case, the expert recommended that the battery be diagnosed in a specialized service to ensure that there is no imbalance.

He also added that in some cases, a simple way can help — charge the battery to 100% and leave the car on a slow charge so that the control system can perform balancing. In general, according to the expert, modern batteries in electric vehicles and hybrids are designed for hundreds of thousands of kilometers, so the first owners, as a rule, do not face a serious decrease in capacity.

It drives quietly, barks loudly: what surprised the affordable Russian electric car

Test drive of the new electric crossover Evolve i-Joy

In November, expert Ilya Rashkin told Izvestia that in cold weather, the power reserve usually decreases by 10-30%, which is due to physical processes: at low temperatures, the electrochemical reaction slows down in lithium-ion batteries. 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.

In September, auto expert Sergey Kanaev expressed the opinion that electric cars remain a "luxury item" in Russia today, and their mass use is not relevant. The expert also drew attention to the fact that in cold weather, the battery capacity decreases, and accordingly, the distance that such a vehicle can cover is reduced, RT notes.

Earlier, auto expert Oleg Moiseev told NSN that demand for cars has decreased in 2025, and especially for electric vehicles. In his opinion, electric cars will not become a mass-produced product in the near future, writes 360.ru .

All important news is on the Izvestia channel in the MAX messenger.