CanadaAnnounced this week that as part of efforts to combat climate change, the sale of new ICE passenger cars and light trucks will be banned until 2035, aReport from Reuters explained.
Canada is joining a growing list of countries banning fuel-guzzling vehicles, with the UK saying it will ban ICE vehicles by 2030 and Norway – another country with extremely cold winters – has announced it will do the same as early as 2025.
Although the exit from ICE vehicles is undeniably a necessity, alongside other measures required to mitigate the effects of climate change, an important stumbling block remains in cold-weather countries: Extreme climates reduce the range and extend the charging times of electric vehicles.
Batteries in the cold
Cold climates can drastically reduce the EV range.A 2019 Report from AAAstated that cold weather can reduce the range of electric vehicles by up to 40 percent.
In a world where EV ranges are still far from providing the same accessibility as ICE vehicles, the effects of lower temperatures could make the transition to electric vehicles difficult.
The AAA Study the link opens a PDF found this at 20 degrees F -6 degrees C, the average EV range decreased by 12 percent when the car heater was not on. However, switching on the heating while driving reduced this range by 41 percent.
This is because EVs use energy to heat the battery coolant to keep it from freezing in cold weather, as well as to heat the passenger compartment.
Slower loading times
While internal combustion engines generate their own heat during operation, electric vehicles must generate that heat elsewhere in cold temperatures, usually by using the battery thermal management system.
Another problem is the charging times in extreme climates. A. Study 2018 Details like Cold temperatures influence the electrochemical reactions in the lithium-ion batteries used in cars and force the battery management systems of electric vehicles to limit the charging rates in order to avoid damage to the battery.
This study found that when an EV battery was charged at 77 degrees F-25 degrees C, a DC quick charger could charge a battery 80 percent in 30 minutes. At 32 degrees F 0 degrees C, however, the battery charge was 36 percent lower after the same amount of time.
Tips for EV owners in cold countries
While the impact of cold weather on electric vehicles is an obstacle to widespread adoption in areas with extreme climates, the new announcement from Canada and several other countriesmeans that at some point people will have no choice.
Although innovations will undeniably come to the fore – the AudiFor example, e-tron already includes a heat pump, heated seats for more efficient heating and a cold weather option that preheats the car while it is charging – some additional planning may always be required for electric car owners in regions with cold climates.
As Anna Stefanopoulou, director of the University of Michigan Energy Institute, tellswired, EV owners in cold countries should try not to let their car’s battery drop below 20 percent, as this initial charge will help prevent slowing down charging times.
Drive Electric Vermont indicates that preheating the vehicle interior before departure leaves more energy to charge the battery. Likewise, a slightly slower ride can increase the range by reducing the air resistance.
Hybrids and hydrogen as an alternative?
For drivers who want to be environmentally friendly without additional planning and thought, another option is self-charging electric-combustion engine hybrid vehicles that use their combustion engine to get going.
Hydrogen vehicles also have the potential to perform better in cold weather. Toyota, for example recently touted the achievement including fuel cell vehicles in cold climates compared to electric vehicles.
While sustainable transportation is unstoppable in the years to come, a little more planning and foresight will help vehicle owners prepare for the switch to either electric or fuel cell vehicles.
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