While the list for winter maintenance requirements on electric trucks and vans is fairly short compared to their internal combustion counterparts, experts agree that powertrain battery management should rank at the top.
With over three million miles of commercial electric vehicle experience, which includes traversing harsh Colorado winters, Lightning eMotors CEO and co-founder Tim Reeser said the greater lesson to keep in mind is how to battle range reduction amid freezing temperatures.
Reeser said they’ve seen up to a 30% drop in range when winter comes calling since chemical reactions within the battery are slowed
“We've got enough data on this now to feel very strong that we know the answer and that 30 percent is a good number,” he said.
According to the the Department of Energy, range can drop by as much as 41% in 20 degrees Fahrenheit. Roughly two-thirds of energy consumption was attributed to heating the cabin.
Simply put, cold weather slows down battery performance according to Ford. "Temperatures below 40°F cause the electrolyte fluid to be sluggish limiting how much power is available to discharge and how fast the vehicle can charge. When temperatures are low, you could see a reduction in range, which is normal," Ford states on a webpage aimed at improving EV range during winter.
Range can also be diminished when EVs require additional power to traverse snow-covered roads, Reeser said.
