Photo: Tesla Asia
The refreshed Tesla Model 3 Long Range AWD impressed in a winter range test in Norway. Despite the extremely cold weather, with temperatures dropping below -20 degrees Celsius (-4 F), the Model 3 covered more than 300 km (186 miles). Unlike some of its competitors, the Model 3 continued to drive after its projected range reached zero during the test.
Electric vehicles perform poorly in the weather, or that's what some people with an agenda or simply misinformed want us to believe. The truth is that frigid temperatures affect EVs and ICE vehicles equally. Still, electric cars are less likely to have issues in the cold, as shown by statistics from Norway. Although 23 percent of the vehicles in the country are electric, only 13% that failed to start in the cold were EVs, according to a rescue service in Norway.
This "EVs are not good in the cold" nonsense keeps coming back every winter. Surprisingly, it happens in regions with mild winters and lower EV penetration, where it also gets the most traction. If electric cars had problems in the cold, Norway would be paralyzed by now, and nobody would buy them. It's actually quite the opposite, with EVs having advantages over their ICE counterparts.
The range takes a hit, but this also happens with gas-powered cars. How much depends on the type of EV, whether it is fitted with a heat pump or a PTC heater, weather conditions, and driving style, among others. This is why range tests conducted in winter best assess whether an electric vehicle is a good choice for people in cold regions. Norway is the perfect place for these tests because the local winters are harsh, and EV adoption is the highest in the world.
All things considered, it's safe to assume that electric cars that perform well in the Norwegian winter work without issues anywhere in the world. For people waiting to have a refreshed Tesla Model 3 delivered in the coming weeks (or even days), it's good to know that a Norwegian range test found it the best among many EV models.
The Model 3 LR AWD was pitted against nine other EVs, including stars like the Hyundai Kona Electric, Kia EV9, Volkswagen ID.7, and Volvo EX30. The test was done in extremely cold weather, at minus 20 degrees Celsius (minus 4 degrees Fahrenheit), lower than most people on Earth encounter in their lifetimes. Tesla's EV outshined all other models in these extreme conditions, with a range of over 300 km (186 miles). Other EVs depleted their batteries sooner, some below 200 km (124 miles).
It's not only the range that matters in the cold but also how well the car's computer estimates it. This saves the driver from the nasty surprise of being unable to complete a leg and remain stranded before getting to a charger station to refill. The Tesla Model 3 still traveled several kilometers after the instrument panel read that the battery had zero percent charge. The Model 3 only started to slightly throttle power at 4% battery but became more aggressive when it reached zero.
At the other range of the scale, the Hyundai Kona could not complete an uphill climb at 7% battery. This leaves a driver with few choices when they think they still have enough battery to reach the destination. In other cases, the cars stopped heating the cabin when the battery dropped below a certain level. This level was 15% for the MG4 and 10% for the Volkswagen ID.7. Sitting in a cold cabin in sub-zero temperatures is not funny, especially when you still have that much battery left.
This "EVs are not good in the cold" nonsense keeps coming back every winter. Surprisingly, it happens in regions with mild winters and lower EV penetration, where it also gets the most traction. If electric cars had problems in the cold, Norway would be paralyzed by now, and nobody would buy them. It's actually quite the opposite, with EVs having advantages over their ICE counterparts.
The range takes a hit, but this also happens with gas-powered cars. How much depends on the type of EV, whether it is fitted with a heat pump or a PTC heater, weather conditions, and driving style, among others. This is why range tests conducted in winter best assess whether an electric vehicle is a good choice for people in cold regions. Norway is the perfect place for these tests because the local winters are harsh, and EV adoption is the highest in the world.
All things considered, it's safe to assume that electric cars that perform well in the Norwegian winter work without issues anywhere in the world. For people waiting to have a refreshed Tesla Model 3 delivered in the coming weeks (or even days), it's good to know that a Norwegian range test found it the best among many EV models.
The Model 3 LR AWD was pitted against nine other EVs, including stars like the Hyundai Kona Electric, Kia EV9, Volkswagen ID.7, and Volvo EX30. The test was done in extremely cold weather, at minus 20 degrees Celsius (minus 4 degrees Fahrenheit), lower than most people on Earth encounter in their lifetimes. Tesla's EV outshined all other models in these extreme conditions, with a range of over 300 km (186 miles). Other EVs depleted their batteries sooner, some below 200 km (124 miles).
It's not only the range that matters in the cold but also how well the car's computer estimates it. This saves the driver from the nasty surprise of being unable to complete a leg and remain stranded before getting to a charger station to refill. The Tesla Model 3 still traveled several kilometers after the instrument panel read that the battery had zero percent charge. The Model 3 only started to slightly throttle power at 4% battery but became more aggressive when it reached zero.
At the other range of the scale, the Hyundai Kona could not complete an uphill climb at 7% battery. This leaves a driver with few choices when they think they still have enough battery to reach the destination. In other cases, the cars stopped heating the cabin when the battery dropped below a certain level. This level was 15% for the MG4 and 10% for the Volkswagen ID.7. Sitting in a cold cabin in sub-zero temperatures is not funny, especially when you still have that much battery left.
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