After years of hype, the media is asking questions they should have asked long ago:
Rival EVs also suffer during cold weather, but the American crossover falls short of estimates even when it’s warm outside.
Source: Tesla Model Y Fails To Meet Range Claims Year Round: Consumer Reports
On colder days, some EVs might need to be charged every 2-3 hours of travel.
Per Consumer Reports, EVs work well in warm weather (but slightly less in very hot weather). Consumers living in cold climates might not embrace enthusiasm for long trips that require 20-45 minutes of charging every 2-3 hours. With half of registered EVs in the U.S. in California – a very warm state, mostly, with a 10-month long growing season! – this warps the perception of EV range.
I would prefer an EV or PHEV for our local travel (which is the bulk of our travel). Yesterday I reviewed our solar PV array production versus our household demand. We produce 1.5 to 2 MWH of surplus power per year, plenty to charge an EV or PHEV for local travel. We have a small PV installation compared to others in our area – most other installations are 2x to 3x larger than ours – but we are efficient with electricity usage.
Cold weather range is a real issue for those of us who live in 4 season climates.
