A recent study by AAA indicates that extreme temperatures reduce efficiency and range, while increasing operating costs for electric vehicles (EVs) and hybrids.
[Above photo by AAA]
The AAA said its researchers tested six vehicles at cold, moderate, and hot temperatures to examine how electrified powertrains perform under non-ideal conditions.
Building on a 2019 study, AAA’s automotive engineering team – in partnership with the Automobile Club of Southern California’s Automotive Research Center – evaluated the powertrains of three EVs and three hybrids.
AAA said it used a chassis dynamometer – a device like a treadmill for cars – for its EV testing, with the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning or HVAC set at 72 degrees in the vehicles and the temperatures in the laboratory test cell at 20°F, 75°F, and 95°F.
AAA found that the impact of hot temperature of 95°F caused a 12 percent decrease in fuel efficiency (miles per gallon or MPG) for hybrids, while EVs witnessed a 10.4 percent reduction in efficiency (MPGe or miles per gallon of gasoline equivalent) and an 8.5 percent loss of driving range compared to a moderate temperature (75°F).
As a result, hybrids lose 22.8 percent in fuel economy in hot temperatures, while EVs demonstrated a 35.6 percent drop in MPGe and a 39 percent decrease in calculated driving range, AAA said.
Hot temperatures also increased hybrid operating costs by $13.02 per 1,000 miles. For EVs using home charging systems, hot temperatures boosted operating costs rose by $6.78 per 1,000 miles, while those using public charging systems saw operating costs climb by $16.25 per 1,000 miles.
Concurrently, AAA found that the impact of cold temperatures of 20°F or below on operating costs boosted hybrid fuel cost by $28.44 per 1,000 miles, with EVs experiencing an increase in operating costs of $32.11 per 1,000 miles when charged at home and $76.93 per 1,000 miles when using public charging.
“EVs are efficient in moderate temperatures but lose significant range in the cold,” said Greg Brannon, director of automotive engineering and research at AAA, in a statement.
“We expected this from our previous research but were surprised by the 23 percent reduction in fuel economy for the hybrids in cold temperatures,” he said. “Drivers should consider climate, energy costs, and driving patterns when choosing a vehicle that best fits their lifestyle.”
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