AUTONEWS

How much does air conditioning use up an electric car's battery during hot weather

Using air conditioning in the summer generally reduces the range of an electric car less than using heating in the winter.

An electric car that has been parked in the hot summer sun for several hours can get quite hot, so the air conditioning often needs to be turned on at full power when you get in the car. How much does intensive cabin cooling actually put on the battery and can it significantly reduce the range of an electric car?

Measurements by the German automobile club ADAC show that air conditioning can consume several kilowatts during the initial cooling of a very hot cabin. However, consumption drops significantly once the desired temperature is reached in the car, reports

The most energy is consumed during the initial cooling phase...The biggest challenge for the air conditioning system occurs after the car has been parked in the sun for a long time. The system then has to lower the temperature in the cabin by tens of degrees in a very short time. As a result, short city trips can result in a proportionally greater reduction in range. On longer trips, this initial jump in energy consumption is spread over a much greater distance.

However, using air conditioning in summer generally reduces the range of an electric car less than using heating in winter. Heating the cabin at very low temperatures can require significantly more energy, especially in electric vehicles that do not have a heat pump, reports Tportal.

How can energy consumption for air conditioning be reduced? One of the most efficient ways is to cool the car while it is still connected to the charger. The energy needed for the initial cooling is then taken from the electrical network, not from the car's battery.

Briefly ventilating a very hot cabin before turning on the air conditioning also helps, as does using sun visors and parking in the shade whenever possible.

Why is EV range loss less in the summer than winter?  The difference between comfortable cabin temperature (e.g. 70F) and outside temperature is usually smaller in the summer than in the winter. In the summer, you may want to change the inside temperature 20 or 25 degrees, but in the winter, you may be looking at a temperature change of more than 50 degrees!

Pro tip: Much like in the winter, you can save your range for the road by pre-cooling your car while it’s still plugged in. If you’re not starting your trip from home, things like sun shades or parking in the shade can also really help.

How to protect an EV in the heat? Modern electric cars can withstand the heat thanks to robust thermal management systems that keep the batteries cool and safe.

However, here are a few things to consider:

Try to avoid letting your EV sit with extremely low states of charge. This is extra risky in the summer because an EV uses its battery power to keep the battery cool. Keep your car charged to at least 50%, or plugged in with a charge limit of 80%.

If you’re able to park your car in the shade - do it! That doesn't mean you can't leave your car in the airport parking lot for a week, but it is something to consider if you live in a very hot climate.

LFP batteries stand up better to the heat. If you know that you will frequently be leaving your car in the sun for weeks, or letting your car sit with the battery charge under 20%, consider getting a car with an LFP battery. This type of lithium ion battery degrades less in the heat.

Why is EV cooling different from ICE cooling? The good news is that A/C has much less of a negative impact on EV range than a resistance heater, and range does not really begin to dip until at least 90 degrees.

Overall, cooling your EV’s cabin will be less range intensive than heating it. Plus, here’s what’s cool about cooling an EV:

With a gas car, the engine produces a lot of waste heat that the air conditioner has to work against to keep the cabin cool. An EV does not produce the same amount of heat when running so the AC doesn’t have to work as hard. This means it uses the same amount of energy to cool your car whether you’re driving or idling.

You can pre-cool your EV when it’s plugged in. This is great because the most energy intensive part of air conditioning is the initial cool down. It may take 3-5 kW of energy to get a 95 degree car to a comfortable temperature, but it takes only around 1 kW to keep it there.

Cold air happens immediately - no more waiting for the air compressor to kick in as the engine warms up!

What’s the same? Basic air conditioner maintenance. While electric air conditioners are simpler systems than mechanical ones, you should still check your air filters and hoses regularly.

Although air conditioning reduces the range of an electric car, the period of highest energy consumption is relatively short. Once the temperature in the cabin stabilizes, significantly less energy is required to maintain it, so there is no reason to avoid using air conditioning during the summer heat.