CAA’s 2025 EV Circuit challenge, where different brands and models were put to the test for real data on their winter performance. | PHOTO: COURTESY OF CAA
Do Electric Vehicles Perform Well in Cold Weather?
Three questions with Kurt Sampson, zero-emission vehicle advocate, who gives us the cold, hard facts about how temperature affects performance.
By Alexis Nicols
Electric vehicles (EVs) are becoming common on our roadways and accessible to more drivers. As we grow into being comfortable enough to start considering an EV as a next car or truck purchase, one question comes up: can EVs handle Canadian winters?
According to Kurt Sampson, zero-emission vehicle advocate at CAA Atlantic, the positives outweigh the negatives. CAA Magazine sat down with him to discuss the performance of EVs in winter.
Road performance
QUESTION ONE
How do EVs manage on snow and ice?
Kurt Sampson: Some features of EVs lead to their performing really well in winter. On a true platform EV (a vehicle designed from the start as an EV, not a gas-engine vehicle redesigned as an EV), the battery sits low in the middle of the car, giving it the perfect centre of gravity. That’s also why rear-wheel drive (RWD) EVs perform substantially better than RWD combustion vehicles — what we consider traditional gas-engine vehicles — in winter conditions. I have lots of friends who drive rear-wheel drive EVs all winter long — and I have one myself. Traction control is another edge. Combustion vehicles adjust for wheel slippage 10 to 15 times per second; EVs do it up to 2,000 times per second. Their ability to maintain traction and hold the road is on another level.
The EV displays data, providing a snapshot of the vehicle’s performance. | PHOTO: COURTESY OF CAA
Battery charging
QUESTION TWO
Does EV range decrease in winter, and is charging slower?
KS: Yes, but modestly, and there’s an easy fix. The worst-case scenarios I’ve seen are in the 40 percent reduction of range but good or reasonable-case scenarios? Personally, mine is around 5 to 10 percent. The trick is preconditioning. About half an hour before a long winter drive, I just tell the car, “Warm up.” The same trick applies to charging. Cold batteries move energy more slowly, but today’s best EVs will automatically precondition before a charging stop, so drivers get full charging speed on arrival.
Preconditioning refers to warming the battery and the car’s interior before you start to drive. While your vehicle is plugged in, you can warm it up, drawing power from the grid and conserving your battery for the ride.
Charging may be slightly slower in winter, but there are some tips to help maximize it. | PHOTO: COURTESY OF CAA
Future tech
QUESTION THREE
What new developments are emerging in EV technology?
KS: Heat pumps have been the biggest shift in recent years. You can essentially heat the interior of the vehicle with about 40 percent of the energy compared to using a resistance heater, and most of the best EVs have them. Newer models are also recovering waste heat from the inverter to further boost efficiency. And range anxiety is on its way out. We have EVs now with an 800-km-plus range. It’s just a matter of the charging infrastructure improving by having more access to chargers. If EV owners have the ability to charge their EV where they live, then the range in the winter is barely an issue. They will likely not even notice it.
The range for EVs is increasing and showing improvement in winter. | PHOTO: COURTESY OF CAA
One thing Sampson wants drivers to know: owners are not limited to purchasing tires labelled as “EV winter tires.” Tires marketed for EVs might have special features, such as lower noise and rolling resistance, but the same factors — such as size, performance and driving conditions — are key, regardless of whether opting for EV-specific tires or not. Ensure the fit and the weight rating. Decide whether you’re prioritizing ice and snow or tread life, and you’ll be set to power through winter. CAA
Related stories
Autonomous Cars: Separating Fact From Fiction
Greener Cars Without Going Electric
Everything You Need to Know Before Renting an Electric Vehicle
The EV displays data, providing a snapshot of the vehicle’s performance. | PHOTO: COURTESY OF CAA
Road performance
QUESTION ONE
How do EVs manage on snow and ice?
Kurt Sampson: Some features of EVs lead to their performing really well in winter. On a true platform EV (a vehicle designed from the start as an EV, not a gas-engine vehicle redesigned as an EV), the battery sits low in the middle of the car, giving it the perfect centre of gravity. That’s also why rear-wheel drive (RWD) EVs perform substantially better than RWD combustion vehicles — what we consider traditional gas-engine vehicles — in winter conditions. I have lots of friends who drive rear-wheel drive EVs all winter long — and I have one myself. Traction control is another edge. Combustion vehicles adjust for wheel slippage 10 to 15 times per second; EVs do it up to 2,000 times per second. Their ability to maintain traction and hold the road is on another level.
Charging may be slightly slower in winter, but there are some tips to help maximize it. | PHOTO: COURTESY OF CAA
Battery charging
QUESTION TWO
Does EV range decrease in winter, and is charging slower?
KS: Yes, but modestly, and there’s an easy fix. The worst-case scenarios I’ve seen are in the 40 percent reduction of range but good or reasonable-case scenarios? Personally, mine is around 5 to 10 percent. The trick is preconditioning. About half an hour before a long winter drive, I just tell the car, “Warm up.” The same trick applies to charging. Cold batteries move energy more slowly, but today’s best EVs will automatically precondition before a charging stop, so drivers get full charging speed on arrival.
Preconditioning refers to warming the battery and the car’s interior before you start to drive. While your vehicle is plugged in, you can warm it up, drawing power from the grid and conserving your battery for the ride.
The range for EVs is increasing and showing improvement in winter. | PHOTO: COURTESY OF CAA
Future tech
QUESTION THREE
What new developments are emerging in EV technology?
KS: Heat pumps have been the biggest shift in recent years. You can essentially heat the interior of the vehicle with about 40 percent of the energy compared to using a resistance heater, and most of the best EVs have them. Newer models are also recovering waste heat from the inverter to further boost efficiency. And range anxiety is on its way out. We have EVs now with an 800-km-plus range. It’s just a matter of the charging infrastructure improving — more access to chargers. If EV owners have the ability to charge their EV where they live, then the range in the winter is barely an issue. They will likely not even notice it.