5 ms·

In my understanding, cold should be killing the batteries. Well, depends on what you mean by that. If you're talking about long-term longevity, cold actually h

by NickM 11y ago

In my understanding, cold should be killing the batteries. Well, depends on what you mean by that. If you're talking about long-term longevity, cold actually helps: lithium-ion cell capacities generally degrade more slowly in cold temperatures. I own a Model S as my only car, and it's worked great for me in winter. Cold temperatures definitely impact range (although this is more due to the extra power requirements of heating the car than anything to do with the batteries themselves). I've experienced maybe a 15% range loss in winter, or maybe as much as 35% in really cold temperatures well below freezing. Shorter trips lose more efficiency because the car doesn't have time to warm up, but then shorter trips usually don't need as much range ;). When the car gets 260+ miles of range on a charge in summer, then even losing 35% still leaves plenty of range for any situations I've found myself in during ~2 years of ownership.

listic 11y ago
Yes, I was primarily worried whether cold does permanent damage to the batteries, and whether running them in cold temperatures is actually within operational parameters/covered by warranty.
- NickM 11y ago
  Ah, okay. So for lithium-ion cells that are not currently being used, they can withstand extremely cold temperatures with no issues. I believe Tesla used to have wording in their battery warranty that said they wouldn't cover battery damage if you left your car parked in temperatures continuously below -40F for over 24 hours without plugging it in, but that has since been removed (whether due to improved battery chemistry or something else, I'm not sure). Very cold batteries can lose longevity if you charge them without heating them up first, but most electric vehicles have builtin battery heaters, temperature sensors, etc. If you plug in a car to charge, and its battery pack is too cold, the car will first use wall power to warm up the battery, then begin charging once it can safely do so.

by NickM 11y ago

listic 11y ago

Yes, I was primarily worried whether cold does permanent damage to the batteries, and whether running them in cold temperatures is actually within operational parameters/covered by warranty.

NickM 11y ago
Ah, okay. So for lithium-ion cells that are not currently being used, they can withstand extremely cold temperatures with no issues. I believe Tesla used to have wording in their battery warranty that said they wouldn't cover battery damage if you left your car parked in temperatures continuously below -40F for over 24 hours without plugging it in, but that has since been removed (whether due to improved battery chemistry or something else, I'm not sure). Very cold batteries can lose longevity if you charge them without heating them up first, but most electric vehicles have builtin battery heaters, temperature sensors, etc. If you plug in a car to charge, and its battery pack is too cold, the car will first use wall power to warm up the battery, then begin charging once it can safely do so.