Mark Vejvoda, Vice-President of the Prince George Electric Vehicle Association, conducted a winter efficiency test on his Tesla, driving a 440-kilometre round trip from Prince George to McBride, B.C., in –30°C temperatures. Despite the extreme cold, Vejvoda found that the results were better than expected. Electric vehicles (EVs) generally experience up to a 30% loss in range when temperatures drop below freezing. A 2023 study by Seattle-based firm Recurrent measured range loss in various EV models at temperatures between –7°C and –1°C, revealing an average of 70% of their range in freezing conditions. However, this temporary range loss is not permanent battery damage, and the maximum range returns as temperatures rise. To mitigate range loss in cold weather, drivers can pre-heat their vehicles before use and opt for models equipped with heat pumps. Vejvoda's experiment aims to address concerns about using EVs in freezing temperatures, particularly in rural areas where charging infrastructure may be limited, emphasizing the feasibility of EV usage even in northern regions.
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