Jukka Kukkonen, electrical and computer engineering instructor at the University of St. Thomas School of Engineering, recently spoke with KARE 11 about the real-world implications of owning an electric vehicle in cold climates, and how much the range of the battery is reduced in cold weather.
From the story:
“I probably lose 30 to 40 percent in the cold,” said Jukka Kukkonen, a former Ford Motor Company engineer who teaches an EV class at the University of St. Thomas and runs an EV consulting business called Shift2Electric. “As long as you are aware of it, you’re fine, but you have to know about it.”
Kukkonen says it’s no secret that batteries lose their power in cold weather. It’s why combustion-engine car batteries sometimes don’t crank in the frigid temps.
In the case of Tesla, he says the batteries use some of their power to consistently keep the batteries at an optimal temperature in the winter and summer.
The other major factor in frigid weather? The battery’s got to keep you warm.
