Experts explain what to consider when driving an electric car in winter
When winter comes and driving conditions change, owners of electric vehicles, as well as owners of cars powered by an internal combustion engine, must take into account the factors that affect driving and riding. Experts from Moller Auto, the company that represents the Volkswagen and Audi brands, offer three important practical recommendations for every electric car owner.
Take advantage of the many ways to save battery power in your electric car
The cold season will affect the battery life of an electric car, but it is possible to acquire skills in the use and driving of the car, which will help to prolong its life. For example, a car's internal combustion engine not only pollutes the environment but also makes noise when idling. In addition, it consumes a lot of energy, making it inefficient compared to heating the cabin while driving.
Conversely, it is recommended to warm up your electric car before driving. Therefore, if you charge your electric car at home overnight, turn on the cabin heating function in the morning before disconnecting it from the mains. When the interior is heated by connecting the vehicle to a power source, electricity from the power supply is used, not from the vehicle battery. This saves you some battery power that can be used to heat the car interior. Models such as the Volkswagen ID.5 are equipped with a heat pump that effectively heats the interior of the car. This allows to travel a longer distance.
In addition, all electric vehicles have one feature – their batteries recover energy by braking. This is called heat recovery. In this process, the electric drive system acts as a generator, converting most of the kinetic energy into electricity, which is stored in a high-voltage battery. The regenerative charging of the battery depends on the amount of kinetic energy, i.e. how intense the deceleration is during braking and how long the deceleration lasts. For those who want to maximise the recovery effect, experts recommend braking with the brake pedal partially depressed and, if possible, avoiding sudden deceleration. Thus, with a quiet driving style, until the last moment – a complete stop – it is possible to stop with the effect of recovery, which means that when braking, less energy is lost and the vehicle travels a greater distance. Recuperative braking can be effective in exploiting the possibilities offered by vehicle-specific assistance systems, as well as having good driving skills.
Experts also remind us that owners of certain car models can opt for an economy mode in winter, such as Efficiency for Audi e-tron owners.
Driving an electric car on icy and snowy roads can be different
All electric vehicle drivers must remember that the design of an electric vehicle is different from that of a vehicle with an internal combustion engine. Many electric cars have the battery under the car, which means their centre of gravity is lower. This feature makes the tyres of an electric car grip the surface better, making it more comfortable to drive on snowy roads.
Importantly, most electric cars are heavier than internal combustion engine cars, so driving on icy roads should be done at lower speeds, as the car may become harder to control. However, experts point out that the quality of winter tyres, the quality of the braking system, the state of repair and maintenance of the braking system, and the driving skills of the driver will determine the car's behaviour on the road in such driving conditions.
All cars must be checked regularly
Compared to cars powered by an internal combustion engine, electric cars have fewer moving parts and fewer technical fluids. This can give drivers of electric cars the wrong impression that they need less maintenance.
Experts point out that, like any other vehicle, electric cars need regular maintenance to ensure their long service life. They may not need to replace as many parts or fluids, but there are some items that need to be checked regularly. One of the elements of an electric car that needs regular maintenance is the braking system. Although driving an electric car requires much less use than driving an internal combustion engine (due to the above-mentioned recuperation), and the brake system parts need to be replaced less often, the performance of the brakes determines the road safety while driving. Regular maintenance is also required on the steering system, air conditioning and rims, and tyres need to be replaced when the season changes or they wear out. These vehicles should be subject to a general roadworthiness test at similar intervals as internal combustion engine vehicles.
Experts from Moller Auto, which represents the automobile brands Volkswagen and Audi, advise that car maintenance should be better entrusted to certified service technicians with the necessary knowledge of the design and operation of the car, experience and equipment that can be used for high-quality technical inspection and repair of the car. This is especially important in the case of an electric vehicle with a high-voltage electrical system, since only the technicians of authorized dealerships know the subtleties of these models and can ensure proper maintenance of the car in accordance with the standards provided by the manufacturer.