As an excessive warmth wave continues throughout the southern US and threatens to unfold north, listed here are 5 methods EV drivers can maintain their automobiles operating within the face of record-breaking excessive temperatures.

Park within the shade. If parking your EV within the shade is additional away out of your workplace or the grocery store, go forward and take a stroll. Parking within the shade on a sizzling day is especially good for EVs, because it helps cut back the automobile’s temperature and protects the battery from overheating.

Based on the Nationwide Renewable Vitality Laboratory, parking an EV in direct daylight may cause the battery temperature to extend by as much as 12F, however parking within the shade can maintain the battery temperature at or beneath the ambient temperature.

Preserve your EV battery charged to 80%. Excessive temperatures may cause an EV battery to degrade quicker. Preserve the battery charged to make sure your EV has the facility it wants.

Maintaining a battery charged between 20-80% may also help delay its lifespan, whereas letting it sit at greater than 80% for prolonged durations may cause it to degrade quicker. Additionally, plan your driving route so that you simply use your battery energy properly.

Use air-con sparingly. Don’t blast the AC – it may cut back the vary of your EV. Precondition the automobile earlier than you enter, ideally whereas it’s nonetheless plugged in, which may also help cut back the period of time wanted to run the AC. And in the event you don’t want it, flip the temperature up, or flip it off.

Monitor tire strain. Excessive warmth causes your tires to broaden, and that may result in overinflation and cut back an EV’s vary. So monitor the tire strain frequently and alter it as wanted.

You will discover the really helpful tire strain in your EV within the proprietor’s guide, inside the motive force’s facet door, or on the automobile’s laptop display screen (that’s the place I test it for my Tesla Mannequin 3). Maintaining the tires inflated to the proper strain improves total effectivity.

Keep away from DC quick charging in excessive warmth. Excessive warmth impacts charging pace, so select cooler occasions of day for DC quick charging – if you need to quick cost. Throughout peak hours, some DC quick charging stations might decelerate speeds to handle demand, which helps to make sure that they don’t overheat.

Due to Kate Harrison, cofounder at MoveEV, as we referenced her article for this publish.

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