The Chevrolet Bolt EV‘s European twin, the Opel Ampera-e may have exposed a pretty well-known scenario for electric vehicle drivers in colder states.
First reported by Leftlane News, Opel’s dynamic range calculator shows up to a 64 percent drop in range when the battery electric vehicle is operating in sub-zero temperatures. The calculator is able to show estimated range with inputs of average speed, ambient temperature and whether the air conditioning or heater is operating. Choosing a worse-case scenario shows a 104-mile range in minus zero temperatures, operating the vehicle at a slow speed and with the heater on.
Again, this is a worst-case scenario, but it could raise some concerns for owners in colder climates, even though it’s a well-documented issue battery range suffers in the cold. This calculator should certainly not be taken as definitive evidence of poor performance either. After all, range differs greatly among owners; one Bolt EV driver has managed 310 miles on a single charge.
If anything, it’s a solid reminder climate controls can have substantial effects on an EV’s range. The Bolt EV will be available nationwide by the end of September this year.
Comments
I don’t doubt these findings at all. I’m a 2014 Volt owner who lives in a northern state. During 70*F days, I can get about 50 miles out of a charge driving cautiously, even with some freeway mixed in.
On a cold 10*F degree day, my range is around 25 miles, or 1/2 of my max. I have no doubt that at 0*F to -10*F, the Bolt’s range could be less than half of the EPA number.
What about long term reliability.
If I wanted a used BOLT (Or a tesla, or a leaf), Do I want one from south texas, where it deals with high temps all the time (which we know decreases battery performance), or do I want one from Alaska, where its -54 degrees half the time. Or is it moot?
For a Bolt, Tesla, or Volt (or any EV with active cooling/heating), it wouldn’t make much if any difference where the vehicle came from.
For a Leaf, where the pack is passively cooled by ambient air, you want one from a colder climate. Heat is much more damaging than cold.
Brain, Do you know if the active cooling in the Bolt operates when the car is off and unplugged?
Out 2017 Volt (rated at 53 or so EPA) acchievs over 60 miles up in Minneapolis, drops to mid 40s range in the winter. More than enough for the the commute. A heat pump would alleviate the significant power consumption on those moderate winter days…. maybe something to option out down the road GM? For the record, our 2012 Malibu (2.5 four cylinder) struggles to achieve over 20mpg in the winter (below 10F) in city errand driving while the Volt would achieve 40-50 mpg in mixed “hybrid” driving.
The loss of range is mostly due to the cabin heater in the Bolt and partly due to the battery thermal heater system. When we use the cabin heater our range is only about 160 miles in below 32°F temperatures. However, when we use only the driver and passenger in-seat heaters and the steering wheel heater, our range increases a lot to about 215 miles in below 32°F temperatures. It’s amazing how those heating systems help us stay warm without the cabin heater on and increase our range. Of course we wear heavy coats too.