As commercial electric vehicles (EVs) become an integral part of fleets worldwide, ensuring optimal performance during winter conditions is essential. Unlike internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles, EVs require different strategies for winterization due to battery efficiency, charging behavior, and heating systems. This guide provides a clear, actionable approach to winterizing commercial EVs, highlighting key differences from ICE vehicles and outlining what to expect in terms of performance.
What is Vehicle Winterization?
Winterization is the process of preparing a vehicle to operate safely and efficiently in cold weather. Traditionally, this includes checking antifreeze levels, installing winter tires, and ensuring that heating and defrosting systems are functioning correctly. However, EVs require additional considerations, particularly concerning battery performance and energy consumption.
How to Winterize Commercial EVs
1. Optimize Battery Performance
Why? Cold temperatures slow down the chemical reactions inside lithium-ion batteries, leading to increased resistance and reduced range.
What to Do:
- Precondition the battery: Use the vehicle’s preconditioning feature to warm up the battery before departure while the vehicle is still plugged in. This reduces energy drain during operation (ModineEV).
- Park in a temperature-controlled garage: If possible, store EVs in a heated garage to maintain battery temperature.
- Keep charge levels between 20%-80%: Avoid fully depleting or overcharging the battery, as extreme levels can reduce long-term battery health.
- Install battery thermal management systems: Many commercial EVs come equipped with thermal management systems, but ensure they are properly maintained and activated (ModineEV).
2. Adjust Charging Strategies
Why? Cold weather slows down charging speeds and increases energy consumption due to heating needs.
What to Do:
- Charge during warmer parts of the day: If possible, schedule charging during the afternoon when temperatures are highest.
- Use DC fast charging sparingly: While convenient, frequent use of fast charging in cold weather can strain the battery.
- Check charging stations for winter readiness: Ensure that fleet charging stations are properly maintained, free from snow/ice, and equipped with weatherproof connectors (Fleet Management Weekly).
- Use intelligent charging solutions: Smart chargers that adjust based on battery temperature can help mitigate the impact of cold weather on charging speeds.
3. Improve Tire and Traction Performance
Why? EVs are heavier than ICE vehicles due to battery weight, affecting traction and braking performance in icy conditions.
What to Do:
- Install winter tires: Choose tires with a higher grip and lower rolling resistance for better traction on snow and ice.
- Monitor tire pressure regularly: Cold temperatures cause tire pressure to drop, affecting efficiency and safety.
- Enable regenerative braking cautiously: While regenerative braking is beneficial, excessive use in icy conditions may cause skidding. Adjust settings based on road conditions.
4. Maximize Heating Efficiency
Why? Unlike ICE vehicles that use waste heat from the engine, EVs rely on battery power to heat the cabin, which can reduce range.
What to Do:
- Use seat and steering wheel heaters instead of blasting cabin heat: These consume less power and provide direct warmth to the driver.
- Precondition the cabin while plugged in: This ensures the vehicle is already warm at departure without draining the battery.
- Install a heat pump system: Heat pumps are more efficient than traditional resistive heaters and can extend range by reducing power draw for heating (Fleet Management Weekly).
5. Prevent Freezing Issues
Why? Cold temperatures can affect not only the battery but also components like door handles, locks, and charge ports.
What to Do:
- Apply silicone lubricant to door seals and locks: This prevents freezing and makes doors easier to open in subzero temperatures.
- Use insulated charging cables: Protects against brittleness and cracking in extreme cold.
- Check windshield washer fluid: Ensure it is rated for subzero temperatures to prevent freezing on the windshield (Comvoy).
What to Expect from Commercial EV Performance in Winter
Despite winterization efforts, some performance declines are inevitable. Here’s what fleet operators should anticipate:
1. Reduced Range: Expect range reductions of 20-30% in subzero temperatures, largely due to battery chemistry limitations and increased power use for heating (Fleet Management Weekly). The heavier the vehicle and the longer the trip, the greater the impact on efficiency.
2. Longer Charging Times: Charging may take twice as long in freezing temperatures due to increased internal resistance in the battery (ModineEV).
3. Lower Regenerative Braking Effectiveness: Some EVs automatically reduce regen braking in extremely cold conditions to prevent skidding, requiring drivers to adjust braking habits.
4. Slower Acceleration and Power Delivery: Cold batteries provide lower peak power output, which can slightly reduce acceleration performance.
Conclusion
Preparing commercial EVs for winter requires a proactive approach to battery management, charging strategies, heating efficiency, and vehicle maintenance. By implementing these winterization steps, fleet operators can minimize downtime, extend vehicle range, and improve safety in challenging conditions. With the right preparation, commercial EVs can perform reliably throughout the winter months, ensuring fleet productivity remains high.
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Works Cited
Comvoy. “Winterizing Commercial Vehicles: Don’t Get Caught Out in the Cold.” Comvoy, 2024, comvoy.com.
Fleet Management Weekly. “The Cold Truth: Winterizing Commercial EVs Requires Advanced Thermal Management Right from the Factory.” Fleet Management Weekly, 2024, fleetmanagementweekly.com.
ModineEV. “What You Need to Know: Thermal Management for Commercial Electric Vehicles.” ModineEV, 2024, modineev.com.
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Written by Taylor Steele
February 2025
