AAA Foundation: Range Reduced When Electric Cars In Extreme Weather

Research from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety shows that electric car drivers need to pay attention when dealing with temperature extremes.

“In extremely frigid temperatures of around 20 degrees Fahrenheit or lower, we found that if you’re using your heating system, that substantially drops the range of your electric vehicle,” said Shawn Steward with AAA Kansas.

The average driving range can be decreased by up to 41 percent.

“For every hundred miles of urban or highway driving, the range at 20 degrees would be reduced to 59 miles,” said Steward. “When colder temperatures hit, we urge electric vehicle owners just to be aware of that reduction in range and the need to charge your vehicle more often.”

It’s important to note that charging stations are not yet as ubiquitous as gas stations.

“According to the U.S. Department of Energy, there are currently 185 public electric vehicle charging stations,” said Steward. “That includes 772 charging outlets in the state of Kansas.”

Interest in electric vehicles continues to gain momentum. AAA Foundation research says 20 percent of drivers say they would likely go green when considering their next vehicle purchase.