Winter is Coming: Tips and Tricks to get the most from your EV

[Auto Motive]

Hi owners! With winter fast approaching and temperatures dropping across the country, we want to make sure you and your EV are prepared to take on the winter weather.

Ford EVs have been tested in extreme conditions. They’ve endured months of real-world winter driving in Alaska and Michigan’s Upper Peninsula – and Ford EV batteries have been subjected to temperatures as high as 140°F to as low as minus 40°F in Ford’s atmospheric test chambers. Still, colder temperatures impact EV range – this is normal and can be minimized with some extra planning.

Here are some tips & tricks to maximize your range this winter:

1. Park your EV in a garage whenever possible – Garage storage helps to ensure that harsh weather conditions outside do not affect your vehicle, and maintaining a warmer storage temperature than outdoors will aid in vehicle and battery performance.
2. Keep your EV plugged in when parked – Keeping the vehicle plugged in works to maintain battery health and helps to prevent excessive discharge scenarios.
3. Precondition your vehicle before use to warm the battery while plugged-in – By preconditioning your vehicle, you’re allowing the battery to warm to optimum temperature before use, positively affecting range and driving dynamics. Preconditioning can be scheduled using the vehicle’s center touch screen or from the comfort of your couch using the FordPass app.
4. The best way to keep warm – If equipped, use the heated seats and steering wheel as primary heat to reduce energy consumed by HVAC.
5. Turn off the heat when charging your EV – When charging, turn off the heater if possible, or lower the temperature enough to remain comfortable (especially when using DCFC).
6. Use your vehicle’s Ford Onboard Navigation to locate a DC Fast Charging station - In doing this, the vehicle preconditions by warming up the battery within 20 miles of your destination. This allows the battery to accept a charge faster in cold weather, getting you back on the road quicker.
7. Brush all the snow off before driving to eliminate extra weight and drag – While your EV likely wouldn’t have a problem hauling Frosty the Snowman on your roof, loose snow and ice is a hazard for both you and other drivers.
8. Keep driving speeds moderate in cold temperature as high speeds use more energy – Higher speeds can negatively impact range, for best results, Ford recommends limiting your speed when possible.
9. Ensure your tires are at the proper pressure – Proper tire pressure not only works to maximize range, it also works to ensure that the correct amount of tire surface area is gripping the road. Tires that are over or underinflated can lead to range degradation along with safety and performance issues. You can find the proper tire pressure figures for your vehicle using either the sticker on the door jamb, the tire pressure app on your center screen, or the owner’s manual shortcut also located using the center screen.
10. Plan your route + be prepared for whatever winter brings: Before leaving, identify all the charging locations on your route and plan your stops strategically. As with all winter driving, expect the unexpected. Make sure you have a plan in the event you run into poor conditions.

So, bundle up, grab a cup of hot chocolate, and safe travels!

Good tips but for us with 2 ev used about 18 miles a day we use the ac or heater since range isnt an issue. We precondition on trips of 20 miles or more one way since shorter trips didn't ring up any additional miles vs not preconditioning. Thats on both the GTPE and Model Y.

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[MABachE131]

There’s an on/off toggle switch in the Charging menu in the car and also in FordPass.

The toggle turns off the entire schedule, then you have to go back later to turn it back on. We need an option to just skip a scheduled time.

 

[Jimrpa]

I'll put this here if people want more info about the charging and preconditioning side of things:

Mach-Lee's Cold Weather Charging Strategies

In short, bare minimum you want to stay plugged in at night when it's below freezing.

Also try to stick to using AUTO HVAC to save energy (68ºF suggested). Do not increase the fan speed unless necessary.

To be honest, I keep the heat between 74 and 76 (and seat heaters on auto) without issue.

 

[AngryMan]

The very last thing any EV builder should do or think of doing is pulling heated seats and steering wheels.These features should be standard across the board. Driving a freezing car to save range or firing up the heater and having zero range will pretty much guarantee that the buyer goes back to ICE vehicles and more than likely produce another anti EV blowhard

 

[Mach-Lee]

To be honest, I keep the heat between 74 and 76 (and seat heaters on auto) without issue.

A bit high, that will be somewhat of a range penalty IMO. 75°F would be ROASTING in my car.

 

[Jimrpa]

The very last thing any EV builder should do or think of doing is pulling heated seats and steering wheels.These features should be standard across the board. Driving a freezing car to save range or firing up the heater and having zero range will pretty much guarantee that the buyer goes back to ICE vehicles and more than likely produce another anti EV blowhard

Just remember, Ford LOVES decontenting vehicles ? Remember the Mustang Mach-E's Parking Assist? Or how about the Hands-Free Liftgate? Or AM radio? (BTW, decontenting is not unique to the Mustang Mach-E - Ford does it across their lineup.)

 

[Spike]

In short, bare minimum you want to stay plugged in at night when it's below freezing.

what is this “below freezing” you speak of???‍

 

[Mach-Lee]

what is this “below freezing” you speak of???‍

32°F/0°C

 

[Spike]

32°F/0°C

I was joking

 

[Mirak]

"With winter fast approaching..." LOL

I want to echo the desire for a "precondition now" button in the app. Remote starting it seems to sortof do that, but I'm not sure how efficient that is vs the scheduled departure.

I don’t think remote starting does much of anything re warming up the battery.

Also preconditioning will help a bit with range and DCFC speed, but I’m not sure it actually saves any electricity.

My guess is that more electricity is used from the wall to warm up the battery than is saved by driving on a warmer battery. That’s like physics, right? So this is only about slightly improving range and DCFC speed - not saving juice, right?

 

[TheVirtualTim]

I don’t think remote starting does much of anything re warming up the battery.

Also preconditioning will help a bit with range and DCFC speed, but I’m not sure it actually saves any electricity.

My guess is that more electricity is used from the wall to warm up the battery than is saved by driving on a warmer battery. That’s like physics, right? So this is only about slightly improving range and DCFC speed - not saving juice, right?

Correct. Remote-starting does not pre-condition the battery. It's not really enough time to pre-condition the battery ... which, depending on temperature, could take more than an hour.

 

[the golden eel]

Just in case Ford is listening... I'd like to echo others who have asked for a "Precondition Now" button in the app. This would be very handy for those of us in colder climates.

Allowing the car to precondition without being plugged in (provided the battery has enough charge) would also be helpful from time to time.

In general, making the entire "departure time" settings and menu more flexible would be very helpful. Now that it's winter, this would probably be my top wish for a software update in the car and app.

 

[Mirak]

Just in case Ford is listening... I'd like to echo others who have asked for a "Precondition Now" button in the app. This would be very handy for those of us in colder climates.

@Ford Motor Company - this is the TOP requested enhancement in the latest Super Poll, and we've been asking for it for a couple years now.

 

[stealthytolkien]

Let us just accept the fact that almost all EVs (especially those without a heat pump) are simply going to lose a ton of range to the cold in winters and do well the rest of the year. The current generation of EVs don’t do well in the cold. Not going to change for a while.

I am NOT belittling the original post. Those are really good tips. But whenever an EV maker tells me to think about switching off cabin heating and use seat heaters (that don’t even exist for the rear seats in many EVs)…I call that paying through our noses for electric cars for compromised comfort. We already have enough inconveniences being early adopters of EV as it is. Yes, I still consider all of us as early adopters of EVs (Tesla and non Tesla).

I know it is easier said than done, but instead of posting these tips which will save maybe a few miles of range, I want to challenge the EV industry to put some more research into making their EVs winter-friendly if EVs need to see more mass acceptance, instead of focusing on fart sounds and frunk buttons. Not everywhere is California weather. Address real issues first.

Maybe start with a heat pump that has proven to be fairly beneficial I keep hearing?

 

[D’Roc]

Just in case Ford is listening... I'd like to echo others who have asked for a "Precondition Now" button in the app. This would be very handy for those of us in colder climates.

Allowing the car to precondition without being plugged in (provided the battery has enough charge) would also be helpful from time to time.

In general, making the entire "departure time" settings and menu more flexible would be very helpful. Now that it's winter, this would probably be my top wish for a software update in the car and app.

I’m using the in dash nav app on my winter road trips in order to select DCFCs and (hopefully) precondition the battery. I say hopefully because what I would like is a message on the screen informing me that the battery was being preconditioned for faster charging. My Taycan had this and my Model 3 has it. Doesn’t seem like I’m asking too much….

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