The ultimate stress test for electric vehicles

CAA’s EV Winter Test took 14 EVs to the limit, to the point of totally running out of battery power

Even the chilling, sub-zero temperatures between Ottawa and Mont-Tremblant in Quebec’s Laurentian Mountains didn’t chill my, nor 13 other journalists’, enthusiasm for seeing how far we could go before our respective EVs ran out of power. What was of more interest to me, was how they would behave as the battery level dipped below five%, eventually entering so-called ‘turtle’ mode. I was not disappointed.

The fleet of EVs — and a handy flatbed — that were used in the CAA EV Winter Test.
The fleet of EVs — and a handy flatbed — that were used in the CAA EV Winter Test.Photo by Productions IDEO

What is the CAA EV Winter Test?

What is it like running out of power in a Chevrolet Silverado EV?

The Silverado EV was clearly the ironman of this test. With 50 kilometres of range left, the display flashed a message “Battery low, recharge vehicle.” At 25 kilometres the range changed to read ‘Low battery’ and the battery percentage readout was at 4%. The climate control system turned off at this point. We were still on a 100-km/h highway, and with our distance to our destination showing 32 kilometres, it was clear if we continued to try and keep our speed up to 100 km/h we would be out of power sooner rather than later. With an off-ramp about two kilometres away, the maximum speed was throttled back to 80 km/h, and by the time we took the off-ramp it was down to 60 km/h. The battery percentage read 1%. Now on rural, back country roads and with the expectation that we would run out of power any moment, my drive partner pulled up the Nav map to direct me on a circuitous route to Mont Tremblant. The percentage hit zero and we started to wonder how the tow truck would find us so far off the beaten path.

A CAA flatbed collects the Toyota bZ4X after it ran out of juice.
A CAA flatbed collects the Toyota bZ4X after it ran out of juice.Photo by Productions IDEO

But then something interesting happened. The road turned a little hilly, and with some calculated driving — slow up the hills and regen braking down — the percentage gauge ticked up to 1%. Then back to zero, and back to one. Amazingly, we made it to the resort and ended up doing a few laps of the village roads before the Silverado EV came to rest at the top of a hill outside the Fairmont Hotel. Not our hotel, but ours was just 100 metres away. The brakes and steering never changed as we ran out of power, and all of the onboard systems were still active (apart from climate control). All in all, it was a little anticlimactic but still sort of exhilarating.

What did the CAA EV Winter Test reveal about range in cold temperatures?

“The vast difference in results highlight the importance of truth in advertising when it comes to EV range, and of comparing numbers if winter performance matters to you,” said CAA National vice-president of public affairs Ian Jack. “CAA would like to see a made-in-Canada standardized labeling system for EVs that includes winter driving performance rather than just a single average.”

Check out this chart for the all the results from the range test.

What did the CAA EV Winter Test reveal about charging in cold temperatures?

The second part of the test took place the following morning after the long drive the previous day. CAA staff assembled all the EVs that had taken part — except for the Honda Prologue, which was having some charging issues — at a nearby Electrify Canada DC fast charging station to conduct a cold-weather charging test. The test measured how many kilometres of range were added in a 15-minute session. On average, the tested EVs added around 100 kilometres of range, which amounted to 28% of battery charge. The Tesla Model 3 charged the fastest, adding over 200 kilometres in just 15 minutes. Check out this chart for the complete list of charging times.

Final Thoughts

This kind of real-world testing is very important, so a tip of the hat to CAA for putting in the effort, and expense, of conducting this program. The facts and figures that came out of the EV Winter Test program are bona fide and can really help consumers as they begin their tentative first steps along the electric vehicle highway. CAA is a great resource for drivers of electric and gas vehicles and offers these tips for drivers on ways to maximize EV performance in cold weather.

EV charging – Everything you need to know

Precondition the EV: Warm the cabin while it is plugged in before starting your drive. Many EVs allow you to schedule preconditioning for a specific departure time, which maximizes range and comfort.

Clear Snow and Ice: Remove excess snow and ice from the vehicle to reduce weight and aerodynamic drag, helping to extend your range. In fact, in some provinces this is the law, ensuring drivers can see where they are going and keeping roads safer.

Use Heated Seats: Heated seats consume less energy than cabin heaters, allowing you to conserve battery power.

Park Indoors: Whenever possible, park in a garage or other sheltered area to keep the battery warmer, which can improve both range and charging speed. If not possible, park the car on the sunny side of the street.

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