Electric vehicles struggle to hold up amid heat wave roasting US
Eden Villalovas
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Electric vehicle owners can expect to take on additional preparations as the summer months heat up and vehicle performance declines.
The United States has broken a number of extreme heat records this year, and millions have received weather advisories as the heat wave is set to continue in the U.S. Southwest. An increase in temperatures means EV drivers may see their car battery power running low more frequently.
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It’s been documented that cold weather has been proven to impact the range of electric vehicles, causing some cars to lose up to 35% of their range in freezing conditions, as shown in a study conducted by Recurrent Auto.
Additionally, warmer temperatures can also have a number of adverse effects on EVs, such as reducing the battery’s state of health faster.
As temperatures rise, EV batteries tend to degrade faster than expected and require a battery replacement, a Recurrent Auto study from March indicates. Heat can affect the life of Lithium-ion batteries, which most plug-in hybrids and nearly all-electric vehicles use.
“Once you’re above [104 degrees Fahrenheit] you start to have a breakdown of the passive emission layer on the anode, and that breakdown will then cause consumption of the liquid electrolyte, which will shorten the lifetime of your battery,” Greg Less, the technical director of the University of Michigan Battery Lab told Recurrent.
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Hot temperatures don’t have as much of an effect as cold temperatures, according to AAA. When temperatures reach up to 95 degrees Fahrenheit and the air conditioning is on in the vehicle, the driving range decreases by 17% on average.
Most EV batteries have a life expectancy of 15 to 20 years within the car, according to multiple studies, but proper care plays an important factor in the longevity of the vehicle. Recurrent encourages EV owners to park their car in the shade during warm months and cool down the car before charging.