- Acura
- Alfa Romeo
- Aston Martin
- Audi
- Bentley
- BMW
- Buick
- Cadillac
- Chevrolet
- Chrysler
- Dodge
- Ferrari
- Fiat
- Ford
- Genesis
- GMC
- Honda
- Hyundai
- Infiniti
- Jaguar
- Jeep
- Kia
- Lamborghini
- Land Rover
- Lexus
- Lincoln
- Lotus
- Lucid
- Maserati
- Maybach
- Mazda
- McLaren
- Mercedes-Benz
- MINI
- Mitsubishi
- Nissan
- Pagani
- Porsche
- Ram
- Rivian
- Rolls-Royce
- SMART
- Subaru
- Tesla
- Toyota
- Volkswagen
- Volvo
These EVs Lose The Least Amount of Range In Cold Weather
The average electric car loses about 20% of its range when the temperature dips to freezing, which equals 32 degrees Fahrenheit or 0 degrees Celsius. But not all EVs are created equal. According to the results of research performed by Recurrent Auto, electric cars that are equipped with heat pumps are significantly better in cold weather than those with less efficient resistance heaters.
Become an AutoGuide insider. Get the latest from the automotive world first by subscribing to our newsletter here.
The Tesla Model X performs the best in freezing temperatures, according to Recurrent Auto, retaining 89% of its range at 32 degrees Fahrenheit. Like all current Teslas, the Model X electric crossover is fitted with a sophisticated heat pump. The standard all-wheel-drive Model X can go up to 329 miles per charge. The Plaid version drops to 314.
Up next is the Tesla Model S. Tesla’s range-topping electric sedan scores just behind its falcon-winged sibling, retaining 88% of its range in freezing weather. Tesla currently offers two versions of the Model S. The standard all-wheel-drive version gets an estimated 402 miles on a single charge while the ultra fast Plaid edition gets 348.
In third place is the Audi E-Tron, but only specific models earn the ranking. The 2021 and 2022 Audi E-Tron in Premium Plus retains 87% of its range at freezing temperatures. Other versions of the E-Tron don’t score as highly. Regardless, Audi’s electric crossover doesn’t have as much range as the Tesla Model X that it competes with, earning an estimated maximum of 222 miles on a single charge.
The Tesla Model 3 in fourth position on the list is a perfect example of why a heat pump is crucial for efficiency in freezing temperatures. According to Recurrent Auto, the Model 3 with a heat pump retains 87% of its range in the cold while older versions with resistance heaters retain 77%. Tesla made the heat pump standard on the Model 3 for the 2021 model year. There have been many versions of the Model 3 sold in the States, but the current version has a max range of 363 miles.
No surprises here. In fifth place is the Tesla Model Y. Tesla’s smallest electric crossover retains 86% of its range at freezing temperatures, which is quite a bit better than competitors like the Ford Mustang Mach-E (66%) and Volkswagen ID.4 (63%). All Tesla Model Y crossovers have heat pumps.
Other EVs that score better than average are the Hyundai Ioniq5 (85%), Hyundai Kona EV (84%), Rivian R1S (83%), BMW iX (83%), Nissan Ariya (83%), Kia EV9 (82%) and Rivian R1T (81%).
