"Electric Cars Suck in the Winter"

About this video

• Video Title: Electric Cars Suck in the Winter
• Channel: Auto Focus
• Speakers: (No speaker names provided in the transcript)
• Duration: 00:09:36

Overview

This video discusses the experience of owning and driving an electric car (EV) during winter. The speaker addresses common concerns about EV performance in cold weather, such as reduced range and slower charging, while also highlighting unexpected advantages like instant heating and superior traction control in snowy conditions. The speaker shares their personal experience with a Rivian R1T and offers a "hot take" that they prefer driving their EV in winter over gasoline cars, provided they have a reliable place to charge overnight.

Key takeaways

• Reduced Range and Slower Charging: Cold temperatures significantly impact EV battery performance, leading to a noticeable decrease in driving range and slower charging speeds. For example, the Rivian R1T's range can drop from 285 miles to around 230-240 miles in winter, and potentially less in extreme cold.
• Overnight Charging Advantage: If an EV owner can charge their vehicle in a garage overnight to 80-100%, the reduced range may not significantly impact daily commutes, as the car starts each day with a full charge.
• Road Trip Challenges: The combination of reduced range and slower charging makes road trips more challenging and time-consuming in winter compared to gasoline cars.
• Instant Heating and Comfort: EVs offer the advantage of immediate cabin and battery preheating, whether parked inside or outside, and provide heat almost instantly upon startup, unlike gasoline cars that require an engine warm-up period.
• Superior Traction and Control: Due to their weight and advanced electronic traction control systems, EVs often provide better handling and control on slippery surfaces like snow and ice, with features like snow modes that further enhance safety.
• Heat Pump Efficiency: Newer EV models, like the second-generation Rivians, incorporate heat pumps, making them more efficient and quicker to heat up in cold weather, leading to better performance in extreme temperatures compared to older models.
• Immediate Driving Readiness: EVs can be driven immediately upon entering, even when cold, without the need to warm up the engine or fluids, unlike many performance gasoline cars.