Tech Guide: Why Electric Vehicles Do Not Run Far in Cold Weather
When the weather turns cold, battery swelling becomes less common, but batteries in autumn and winter are still a worry, and new problems keep appearing: the vehicle no longer runs as far as before, it needs charging more often, and occasional swelling still happens...
Batteries are quite sensitive to temperature: they fear heat and cold alike and easily catch a chill in low temperatures. This is because lead-acid batteries have an optimal operating temperature of 25°C. Above 25°C, swelling and even spontaneous combustion are more likely; below 25°C, the internal activity of the lead-acid battery decreases, resistance increases, capacity drops, charging efficiency falls, and the battery stores less power.
To keep an electric vehicle running well in autumn and winter, battery maintenance matters. Winter battery care can be summed up in 6 points.
1. Always match the charger to the battery model.
Electric vehicles should use a dedicated charger made for them. Do not mix chargers of different specifications, or the rated voltage and current of the charger will not match the battery, causing swelling and other damage. Many households now own two or more electric vehicles of different brands and models with different batteries, so the chargers cannot be used interchangeably. The correct practice is one dedicated charger per vehicle, yet some users often swap chargers during daily use; mismatched charging voltage and current will lead to overcharging or undercharging.
2. Charge more often when the temperature drops.
The best time to charge is when the remaining power is between 30% and 50%, which avoids both early capacity loss and over-discharge. If you often carry a passenger or ride up slopes, it is recommended to recharge at about 50%. If you rarely ride and still have 60% to 70% of the charge left after a week, recharge it once. If the vehicle sits unused for a long time while you are away, self-discharge will drain the battery, and a depleted battery seriously shortens its service life, so give it one deep charge-discharge cycle every month.
3. Charge indoors whenever possible.
Winter outdoor temperatures are very low, so charging should be done indoors whenever possible, because the optimal ambient temperature for charging is 25°C and indoor charging helps the battery store more power. In addition, cold outdoor air can leave the battery iced or frosted, so before charging, let it sit for a while until the surface temperature rises close to room temperature and the battery is fully dry.
4. Avoid fast-charging stations, or use them as little as possible.
Long-term use of roadside fast-charging stations can also swell a battery, because these stations work by delivering a large current in a short time, which causes severe gassing and water loss and leads to swelling. Many cities have large numbers of fast-charging stations: they bring convenience to riders, but their high-current charging causes heavy gassing and water loss, and long-term use results in swelling and other damage.
5. Never overload or speed.
Overloading and speeding force the battery to discharge at high current, which damages the plates and shortens battery life.
6. Use a quality battery and get professional maintenance regularly.
Only a good battery lasts long. Do not chase low prices, or you may end up with refurbished or inferior batteries. If the battery quality is poor, no amount of maintenance will help. Choose high-quality batteries such as Xupai batteries. Xupai batteries are well made and well served, with a well-developed system covering sales, service, customer support, technical support and repair, providing consumers with better after-sales service.
