MOTORING EXPERT WARNS OF THE ONE ISSUE EV DRIVERS NEED TO BE AWARE OF WHILE DRIVING IN COLD WEATHER

With electric vehicle (EV) sales reaching a record high for the UK in September^[1], and the first half of 2025 seeing a 35% rise in purchases^[2], it’s clear more people than ever are converting to EVs. However, Halfords warns of a new challenge they may face during the colder weather - a severe reduction in their vehicle’s range due to the harsher temperatures. 

Luckily, with some careful planning, and essential preparation, EV drivers will be ready to brave any storm, Halfords’ motoring expert Andy Turbefield dishes out the cold truth on navigating autumn and winter with an EV. 

“During cold conditions, EV range can drop dramatically, sometimes by as much as a third.^[3] But why does this happen? Most EVs rely on lithium-ion batteries, which are less efficient in cold temperatures. While petrol and diesel engines use heat produced by the engine for comforts like warming your vehicle’s interior, EVs must draw directly from the power source, its high voltage battery, meaning this can have double the impact on range, as well as slowing down charging times. 

Here are the top five things EV drivers need to know: 

●      Avoid blasting the heat: While it can be tempting to make your car a cosy tropical haven during cold spells, maxing out your car's climate is a one way ticket to needing a roadside rescue. If you can, be economic about using heat, and save it for when it's truly needed. If your car includes it, use heated seats, steering wheel heating, or lower-level cabin heat settings instead of blasting full HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning). 

●      Plan for the journey ahead: Knowing that cold weather can cause your range to suffer, is half the battle. Make sure to choose routes or plan stops accordingly, such as opt for routes where you can detour to charging stations if needed. A long, flexible EV charge cable such as the Masterplug Mode 2 makes it easy to plug in at home or at a public socket, which could make all the difference if you’re running low. 

●      Slow down and drive efficiently: The most modest reductions in speed by just 10-15mph can extend your range by 20-30%^[4]. You can also use “Eco” or efficiency modes to encourage smoother acceleration which will use less power. 

●      Warm your car before you set off: Warm up the battery and cabin before setting off using your car's preconditioning system while charging, which can be done usually via your EVs mobile app or infotainment system. This uses grid power instead of depleting your battery. 

●      Charging location: Where you charge your car is also equally important, charging it overnight in the garage allows your EV to maintain heat, maximise the length of time charging and avoid using energy to re-heat the car after leaving it in the cold. 

●      Don’t forget your tyres: You may know that underinflated or worn tyres can impact the car’s handling and braking distance, but they also affect your battery life. A tyre which isn’t inflated to the right pressure means your car is using more power to get from A to B. With cold weather negatively impacting tyre pressure, make sure you’re reinflating more often, and also be wary of bumpy, gravelly routes which could cause more wear and tear. Your EV’s ideal tyre pressure varies by model, and you can usually find the recommended PSI on a sticker inside the driver’s door frame. 

Some vehicles also perform in harsh weather better than others. Drivers who own these certain EVs should be particularly careful: 

●      Volkswagen ID.4: Earlier models can see range drop dramatically in cold weather The main reason? They rely on older thermal management systems and don’t have heat pumps, so more battery energy goes into heating the cabin instead of driving.^[5]

●      BMW i3: An older battery design and the lack of a heat pump means cold weather hits it harder than many modern EVs. Drivers may notice that trips that felt easy in summer now require a stop to recharge.^[6]

●      Renault Zoe: In sub-zero conditions, the Zoe’s range can drop from 234 miles in summer to 187, showing how even a small EV can be dramatically affected by cold.^[7]

●      Tesla Model 3: Despite its reputation for efficiency, the Model 3 can lose a surprising amount of range in cold weather. This is mainly due to how the vehicle uses energy for maintaining battery and cabin heating.^[8] Tesla drivers can help reduce the impact by preconditioning their car while it’s still plugged in and relying on heated seats instead of full cabin heating.

Driving in the cold can be challenging for any EV, but with a little planning and preparation, it need not be a headache. By understanding that cold weather will affect your range, using tools like charging cables, and adjusting heating and driving habits can make all the difference. By taking these steps, EV owners can enjoy the efficiency of electric motoring even on the coldest winter days.”

-ENDS-

For further information please contact Halfords@goodrelations.co.uk or 0207 932 3693.

About Halfords

Halfords is the UK's leading provider of motoring and cycling products and services. Customers shop at 404 Halfords stores, 3 Performance Cycling stores (trading as Tredz and Giant), 604 garages (trading as Halfords Autocentres, McConechy's and National) and have access to more than 200 mobile service vans. Customers can also shop at halfords.com and tredz.co.uk for pick up at their local store or direct home delivery, as well as booking garage services online at halfords.com.