[Scudetto]

I was wondering...

If left for a few days in sub-zero temps (let's go nuts here... say, -20) will an electric car start more easily than an ICE one? Will the cabin heat up quicker? (how is the cabin heated anyway if there's no engine heat? Erm, via an electric heater?)

Just curious

 

[Verbout]

I would imagine the battery technology is better than your normal cranking battery and would therefore get the car going quite easily, it doesn't have to crank and engine which initially takes a bit of juice out of its guts.

And I would think the cars have been tested extensively in the extremes of cold and heat.

Electric cabin heating! How else?

 

[Scudetto]

perfect.

a compelling reason to go electric

 

[Tony_S]

You can't charge the batteries much below freezing so a heated garage is a must.

 

[TheGrimJeeper]

Could be a problem' according to Battery University

Charging Batteries at High and Low Temperatures ? Battery University

 

[73GTVJim]

I was visiting a board mill in Sweden a couple of weeks ago and noted the charging points in the car park. In the depths of winter a standard ICE vehicle needs this to help start again after a shift.

I would guess that the bigger batteries in an E car would still be affected but it is normal practice to plug in on parking so it would be ready to go. With the in car apps I'd suggest you could have the cockpit toasty well before you dig it out to drive off.

 

[bazza]

There was an article on the BBC about the popularity of electric cars in Norway last week. It made a point that some of the people not changing were because their performance in very cold conditions is extremely poor - they stop being able to hold charge I think, so the range goes right down the toilet. ( I might be misconstruing, and it's simply that the amount of electrical devices in use - heater, lights, etc - drains them more quickly.)

 

[bazza]

Here you go:

Why do they love electric cars in the Arctic Circle? - BBC News

 

[TheGrimJeeper]

Very progressive in Norway.
Many of those perks are available in California too.


Can't see gov.uk or gouv.fr foregoing tax revenue...

 

[symon]

I would imagine that the electric motor itself generates a fair bit of heat.

A fan blowing over that and ducted into the cabin should provide a decent heater.

 

[Paddy OPlastic]

I believe it's the battery which generates the most heat.

 

[TheGrimJeeper]

What PoP said. The modern electric motors used by the like of Tesla
are A/C Induction motors and as such have very high efficiencies of around 90%.

I think most of the loss in these type of car are down to the DC-to-AC convertor. (Invertor).

I could be wrong.

 

[Cuore_Sportivo_155]

I would imagine the battery technology is better than your normal cranking battery and would therefore get the car going quite easily, it doesn't have to crank and engine which initially takes a bit of juice out of its guts.

And I would think the cars have been tested extensively in the extremes of cold and heat.

Electric cabin heating! How else?

only until the electric motors and batteries heat up.... then they start running the AC to keep the batteries cool....

 

[Verbout]

:thumbup:

 

[Cuore_Sportivo_155]

actually, the i3 won't start if the AC isn't operative... or so I'm told

 

[Scudetto]

thanks for your replies chap, and the link Bazza - interesting stuff

 

[ransoman]

I was visiting a board mill in Sweden a couple of weeks ago and noted the charging points in the car park. In the depths of winter a standard ICE vehicle needs this to help start again after a shift.

I would guess that the bigger batteries in an E car would still be affected but it is normal practice to plug in on parking so it would be ready to go. With the in car apps I'd suggest you could have the cockpit toasty well before you dig it out to drive off.

Those aren't charging points. Cars in countries/area's with extreme low temperatures have a mains powered block heater to keep the engine warm in winter so that the coolent doesn't freeze and the oil doesn't practically solidify.

Source: Fiancee's parents lived in Yellowknife for a few years and their winter temps go down to -40!

 

[TheGrimJeeper]

Source: Fiancee's parents lived in Yellowknife for a few years and their winter temps go down to -40!

That's not living, that's surviving in a frozen hellscape!!!