CAA Logo

Electric Vehicles

EVs in Winter

Driving in winter in an EV

CAA conducted a real-world winter EV performance test, where we measured the effective range of electric vehicles in cold weather and how quickly they charge.

Vehicles representing more than two-thirds of Canadian EV sales were driven from Ottawa to Mont Tremblant in sub-zero temperatures — a long route that included a mix of highway and winding back roads.

The CAA EV Winter Test measured how many kilometres EVs drove before their batteries ran out of charge, and how long it took to get a reasonable recharge.

Scroll down to read about the full results and what you need to know when driving an EV in the winter.

Results highlight the impact of sub-zero temperatures

14 to 39%

Across the board, the vehicles drove 14 to 39 percent less than their official range. CAA found the cold weather affected EVs very differently, with some doing much better than expected while others did not.

100km

Each vehicle in CAA’s test was connected to a DC fast-charger. The test measured how many kilometers of range were added in a 15-minute session. On average, EVs managed to add around 100 kilometers of range, which amounted to 28 percent of battery charge.

2/3

CAA is responding to a top concern of Canadians when it comes to EVs. More than two thirds of Canadians in a recent poll told CAA that the drop in range during winter conditions is a top barrier to buying an EV. And among Canadian EV owners, more than 65 percent say they have experienced lower battery range in extreme cold weather.

Each vehicle was driven until the battery ran completely out of power to determine range in winter conditions. The results were compared to the estimated driving range published by Natural Resources Canada (NRCan).

In Canada, only a single average is published, so consumers don’t have an accurate picture of winter range. These results highlight the importance of truth in advertising when it comes to EV range.

CAA would like to see a made-in-Canada standardized labeling system for EVs that includes winter driving performance rather than just a single average.

Watch the full journey in our recap video here.

Full Results

Expand to see the detailed results by vehicle make.

* Calculation was adjusted to reflect that Chevrolet Silverado EV started at 73% state of charge and that Ford F-150 Lightning started at 89% state of charge. Note: due to a complication Kia EV6 did not participate in the range test, but did participate in the charge test, see results below.
Vehicle Rank Total km Official Range Difference
Chevrolet Equinox EV6337 km513 km-34%
Chevrolet Silverado EV1456 km724 km-14%*
Ford F-150 Lightning9296 km515 km-35%*
Ford Mustang Mach-E7334 km483 km-31%
Honda Prologue8334 km439 km-24%
Hyundai IONIQ 511262 km410 km-36%
Kia EV94349 km435 km-20%
Kia Niro EV10285 km407 km-30%
Polestar 23384 km444 km-14%
Tesla Model 32410 km584 km-30%
Toyota bZ4X12255 km406 km-37%
Volkswagen ID.45338 km423 km-20%
Volvo XC40 Recharge13248 km409 km-39%
Note: Honda Prologue was not included in the charge test as it encountered an error and data was unavailable. All vehicles were charged using 350 kW chargers, while the Tesla was charged at 150 kW due to compatibility requirements with the non-Tesla adapter.
Vehicle Rank Displayed km Time to charge Charging speed
Chevrolet Equinox EV3131 kms42 mins100 kW
Chevrolet Silverado EV2199 kms42 mins233 kW
Ford F-150 Lightning6109 kms45 mins128 kW
Ford Mustang Mach-E971 kms46 mins85 kW
Hyundai IONIQ 51064 kms45 mins80 kW
Kia EV61158 kms43 mins85 kW
Kia EV97105 kms33 mins139 kW
Kia Niro EV1235 kms77 mins36 kW
Polestar 24120 kms40 mins94 kW
Tesla Model 31205 kms37 mins96 kW
Toyota bZ4X1319 kms92 mins33 kW
Volkswagen ID.45112 kms34 mins104 kW
Volvo XC40 Recharge890 kms40 mins87 kW

Tips

Video Thumbnail

Heated Seats

Video Thumbnail

Winter Tires

Video Thumbnail

Parking indoors

Video Thumbnail

Preconditioning

Cold weather strategies for EV owners

CAA has a few tips for drivers on ways to maximize EV performance in cold weather:

  • Precondition the EV: Warm the cabin while it is plugged in before starting your drive. Many EVs allow you to schedule preconditioning for a specific departure time, which maximizes range and comfort.
  • Clear Snow and Ice: Remove excess snow and ice from the vehicle to reduce weight and aerodynamic drag, helping to extend your range. In fact, in some provinces this is the law, ensuring drivers can see where they are going – keeping roads safer.
  • Use Heated Seats: Heated seats consume less energy than cabin heaters, allowing you to conserve battery power.
  • Park Indoors: Whenever possible, park in a garage or other sheltered area to keep the battery warmer, which can improve both range and charging speed. If not possible, park the car on the sunny side of the street.
  • Consider winter tires: Due to the added weight of EVs, it can be hard to control slides on icy roads, so consider winter tires on your EV.
  • On longer trips: Drivers can enjoy less overall time charging if they incorporate frequent short charging breaks, rather than stopping once and charging the vehicle to 100%. EVs charge fastest when they’re almost empty, and slower when they’re almost full. If possible, waiting until you are at 10% and then until maximum 80% is ideal way to minimize overall charging time.