With the transformation of automobiles towards electrification, consumers are gradually becoming more accepting of pure electric vehicles, and pure electric vehicles are becoming more and more common in the market. However, at the same time, the shortcomings of pure electric vehicles have also been exposed.
Electric vehicle fires are frequent these days, and even with continuous technological updates, they remain difficult to eliminate. Besides safety concerns, the biggest headaches for owners are range and charging issues, especially in winter's low temperatures. Battery performance degrades, range drops significantly, and charging speeds slow down, turning electric vehicles into "electric nightmares," causing considerable distress for many owners. So how can these problems with electric vehicles be improved in winter? The China Association of Automobile Manufacturers recently released a winter driving guide for electric vehicles, which can effectively alleviate range anxiety for owners and provides relevant suggestions on battery activity and smooth driving.
Currently, the most common power batteries on the market are mainly ternary lithium batteries and lithium iron phosphate batteries. As chemical materials, their most comfortable operating temperature is around 20℃-25℃. Temperatures that are too high or too low will reduce the activity of lithium ions in the battery, which will not only affect the driving range, but also reduce the charging and discharging efficiency.
Since the battery is "lazy" and the range is naturally sluggish, making the lithium-ion battery more active can optimize the range in winter.
For pure electric vehicles that pursue intelligent technology, most models have remote control functions. Based on this, car owners can start the battery preheating function through the car's system or mobile app before using the car and before charging to bring the battery to a suitable temperature. Secondly, the location where the vehicle is parked is also crucial. Try to avoid parking in open-air parking lots and choose indoor or underground parking lots to better maintain a suitable battery temperature.
In addition, turning on the air conditioning/heating in a pure electric vehicle in winter will also consume some battery power. As we all know, the air conditioning/heating in traditional gasoline vehicles in winter comes from the residual heat of the engine, while the air conditioning/heating in pure electric vehicles comes from the battery power. Therefore, to a certain extent, the winter range of pure electric vehicles will also be affected by "turning on the air conditioning".
Replacing air conditioning heating with intelligent technology is the most effective solution. Similarly, most pure electric vehicles are equipped with seat heating and steering wheel heating functions. After turning on these functions, not only does the perceived temperature rise more significantly, but the power consumption is also lower than that of air conditioning heating, providing excellent heating effect, and there is no need to worry about reduced range, which can be described as killing two birds with one stone.
Developing good driving habits and maintaining a steady speed for safe driving is also very important for optimizing range performance.
Compared to traditional gasoline-powered vehicles, electric vehicles offer faster acceleration and a quicker start, a major advantage that makes them popular with many consumers. Overtaking and speeding are effortless on the road. However, it's crucial to avoid "reckless driving" in winter. Sudden acceleration generates a large current discharge, which is detrimental to battery health and consumes a significant amount of energy, leading to a rapid decrease in range. Therefore, in winter, electric vehicles should be driven gently from a standstill, maintaining a steady speed whenever possible. Avoiding sudden acceleration and sustained high-speed driving will effectively improve the vehicle's range and extend battery life.
In addition, while driving, car owners can also optimize the vehicle's range by reducing the use of smart products such as in-car navigation, audio, and reversing camera, and turning off unnecessary functions.
While the suggestions from the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers cannot completely eliminate range anxiety in winter, these tips can significantly optimize vehicle range, serving as a temporary and effective solution. In the long run, with continued development and breakthroughs in battery technology, battery energy and lifespan will improve. At that time, electric vehicles may no longer be affected by cold temperatures, and range anxiety and charging speed will no longer be issues.
