6 tips for taking care of electric vehicles in hot weather

Research shows that turning on the air conditioning reduces the range of an EV by up to 17%. This means that if an EV driver plans a 100km trip, they can only travel about 83km in hot weather. In addition, according to a survey of 6,000 electric cars, the vehicle's battery will lose energy faster when driven in hot temperatures. This proves that hot weather negatively affects the EV's powertrain. Therefore, owners should be aware of the 6 tips below to ensure their electric car lasts over time.

1. Park in the shade

Hot weather conditions can negatively impact battery life and reduce the charge of lithium-ion batteries in electric vehicles, similar to what can happen to phone batteries if left in the sun for too long.

To help EVs cope with the heat, owners should park in the shade if possible. If this is not possible, drivers should use passive cooling devices such as windshield sunshades to reduce the temperature inside the car.

In particular, fast charging at an uncovered station should be avoided, as the high current combined with hot weather can damage the car battery in the long term. Therefore, in the summer, owners should prioritize slower charging features, such as standard 7kW chargers, and try to keep the car out of the sun.

2. Use preconditioning

An additional feature that owners get on most modern electric vehicles is a pre-conditioning system. This allows the driver to heat or cool the battery and cabin before starting the journey.

To apply this function, we need to access the preliminary conditioning in the electric car's infotainment system or a connected smartphone application depending on the vehicle's capabilities.

It’s important to remember that pre-conditioning works best when your car is plugged in. Instead of drawing power from the EV battery, it draws power from the mains, so your battery life won’t be affected.

3. Only charge the battery up to 80%

As mentioned above, electric vehicle batteries are the same type of batteries found in electronic devices such as laptops and smartphones. So when charging, there is an optimal percentage that owners need to keep in mind to avoid overcharging.

Most manufacturers recommend against charging an electric vehicle to 100%, as this can cause the battery to overheat. Constantly charging the battery to full capacity in the heat of summer can accelerate the degradation of the lithium cells, leading to the loss of the ability to charge at full speed.

When temperatures are high, owners should only charge their electric cars to a maximum of 80%. It's okay to charge them fully occasionally if you need to use your EV for a long trip, but don't make a habit of doing so if you want to keep your battery healthy.

Therefore, when using an EV, the driver needs to change his or her perception of refueling. Unlike a petrol or diesel car, where we can fill the tank to the max to get the most range, the battery of an electric car is self-optimizing, so it rarely needs to be charged to 100%.

In fact, we can extend the life of the battery by limiting the number of times we fully charge an EV. Modern chargers and electric cars often come with smart features that let the user decide how much to charge the battery, so drivers should use them when plugging in overnight.

4. Use "Eco" mode when driving

Most EVs and hybrids have an “eco” driving mode setting for improved efficiency. This mode can automatically control fuel economy when the vehicle is in stop-and-go mode, improving fuel economy by up to 10%.

Since electric cars use more energy to generate heat, using eco mode on long journeys will significantly save the car's operating range. That means helping the EV to minimize the number of times it needs to be charged, helping to increase the battery's lifespan.

While driving in “eco” mode limits some of the EV’s functionality, it’s a worthwhile way to save energy. However, it’s important that the driver and passengers are comfortable in the car, especially if there are small children or pets in the car, as this can make the cabin hot due to the air conditioning running at a moderate level.

There are also other measures we can take to ensure that the battery does not drain too quickly. For example, regenerative braking, which allows the car to recover energy by taking the foot off the accelerator and slowing down without having to press the brakes.

5. Limit movement from noon to 3pm

When temperatures rise, electric vehicles can overheat and use more power than usual. The hottest time of day is usually between noon and 3pm, so try to avoid driving during those times. Using your EV during cooler times can help reduce the amount of power it uses.

6. Check tire pressure regularly and before any long journey.

Electric cars tend to be heavier than internal combustion engine (ICE) models because of their battery packs. For example, the Volkswagen e-Up weighs 330kg more than the standard petrol version.

Therefore, owners need to pay attention to tire pressure when driving EVs. This is especially true in hot weather, when under-inflated tires can reduce the vehicle's performance. In the worst case, the driver will experience a tire blowout, threatening the safety of the driver and passengers.

Therefore, owners should buy a tire pressure gauge for their cars to conveniently check this factor. Along with that, we can take the car to auto repair shops so that the technical team can perform the "tire balancing" process.