Cold Waves And EVs Don't Mix; Need Better Technology

EVs don't work that great in frigid weather, as many
frustrated Midwesterners saw this week during a cold snap.

Arctic cold blasts and EVs still don't mix.

At least if you want to get somewhere in that Tesla, or whatever EV you prefer. The problem: They don't hold charges very well in frigid temperatures. And it's hard to re-charge them when it's bitterly cold.  

That's a problem for everyone trying to wean us off fossil fuels, which are causing climate change. 

I can see the irony of Arctic cold messing up devices and inventions meant to blunt global warming. I'm sure the climate change deniers are gloating. 

However, climate change does not prevent winter. It can still get damn cold in the winter, especially for those of us in the northern tier of states.  Cold waves are becoming somewhat less frequent, generally not as long lasting and for the most part less intense than they used to be. 

Anyway, back to the EVs. As Axios reports:

"Not only does charging take longer in freezing temperatures, some electric vehicles owners are surprised to find out how much their car's driving range is compromised by winter weather."

So you have EVs that are taking forever to charge, and they have to be charged more frequently because colder than a Karen's glare out there. 

Around Chicago, Tesla supercharging stations were littered with dead cars and people waiting hours to at least attempt to plug in the vehicles. One man quoted by Fox32 Chicago said, "We got a bunch of dead robots out here."

Once car owners waited out the line and finally got their EV to a charger, it took hours to charge in the frigid temperatures. The temperature fluctuated in Chicago between just 3 above zero to 10 below continuously from late Saturday night through 6 a.m. this past Wednesday. Chicago temperatures are forecast to stay below normal until about Monday.

Experts say EV owners should pre-condition their batteries in cold weather, meaning you have to get the battery up to an optimal temperature to accept the right charge.

Good luck with that. Many people don't have garages. And how many heated public parking garages are there for EVs?

There are a lot of reasons that need to be fixed to make EVs better in cold weather. The chemical and physical processes in batteries slow down when it's cold, which is part of the reason why their range doesn't last and it takes longer to charge

Gasoline powered cars also use the heat from the engine to warm the passenger compartment on frigid days.  That engine heat is not available in EVs. Manufacturers are installing heat pumps in some of these vehicles to help, but it's not a cure-all.

It's true that internal combustion cars have their own problems in cold weather. Batteries die in those vehicles, too. Plus belts and such get brittle and can break.  But EVs still have a technological and public relations problem in the winter. 

Clearly, that EV technology has to get better before we can fully embrace EVs. They need a bigger range, there needs to be faster charging, and the problems with cold weather need to be addressed. 

I'm sure people are working on these fixes. I noticed last summer a Chinese company said it had developed materials and technology that would improve charging capacity for EV batteries, especially in frigid weather. We'll see if that helps. 

Plus, there are advantages to EVs in addition to the important work of reducing our reliance on fossil fuels. 

The last longer, are generally cheaper to fix, and there are some pretty good federal tax credits if you buy one. 

But like it or not, the public will not fully embrace EVs unless they become almost as convenient as gasoline powered cars.  Unfortunately, people aren't thinking about climate change when they're late for work. Or freezing in a parking lot with a dead car.