Those who own electric vehicles and live within the path of the so-called heat dome that’s expected to send temperatures sizzling well into triple digits this week should heed the words of the great Yogi Berra, who once declared, “It’s déjà vu all over again.”
All told, those states alone are home to more than 1.55 million EV owners who, if they didn’t learn during last year’s brutal heat waves, will discover to what degree their rides are hampered in terms of battery range and charging abilities when ambient temperatures reach the upper end of Dr. Fahrenheit’s scale.
While such losses will vary from one model EV to another, and according to a variety of external factors, it underscores the fact that EV owners need to anticipate attaining fewer miles on a charge in extremely hot weather, and adjust both their driving styles and expectations accordingly. It’s also wise to keep a watchful eye on an EV’s state-of-charge indicator and be aware of where a second nearest in the event one’s first choice is busy or broken .
For starters, experts suggest parking an EV in a garage or covered parking lot—or at the least in a shaded area—to help minimize exposure to the scorching sun. It’s a good idea to pre-cool the vehicle remotely while it’s charging to tap the power grid instead of the battery to bring down internal temperatures. That will likely save several miles of battery range by not immediately over-taxing the vehicle’s air conditioning.