Beat the Heat: Easy Ways to Maximize Your EV Range This Summer

Driving an electric vehicle (EV) is great in all seasons, but did you know summer heat can affect your range? Not to worry, though; Based on my experience in sustainable mobility, there are easy strategies that can help you drive further and with more confidence.

Here are some tips to maximize your EV’s range and keep your trips worry-free. 

1. Start cool: Precondition your EV!

Before you start, precondition your electric vehicle while it's still plugged in. This tells your car to turn on the air conditioning before you start your drive, saving battery. Preconditioning can often be done remotely and safely indoors through your smartphone app or from the vehicle’s dash — without CO2 from idling, thanks to zero emissions. 

The benefit of preconditioning is that it helps the car reach a comfortable cabin temperature using power from the grid rather than draining the battery once on the road. This can save EV range as climate control systems draw a lot of power. Furthermore, when your vehicle is plugged in, the battery’s thermal management system can also keep the batteries cool, helping prolong battery life in the long-term.

2. Manage climate control wisely

While tempting on a hot day, running the A/C on its highest setting will have a noticeable draw on electric vehicle range. In fact, running AC full blast can cost you about 10 miles (15 km) per hour. Once the initial heat is dispelled (preferably during pre-conditioning), aim to use the AC intermittently and use recirculation mode; AC uses about 20 times more energy than just the fan. If your EV is equipped with seat coolers, use them as your preferred choice as they consume less energy than cooling the entire cabin space. Finding ways to save energy in your EV means that you’ll worry less about getting stuck in traffic and losing range. 

3. Drive smoothly & maximize regen 

Practice smooth acceleration and deceleration. Aggressive driving tends to deplete the battery faster. Anticipating stops and avoiding hard braking helps recover more energy, adding extra miles to your drive due to the car’s ability to capture energy from slowing down back into the battery. Use regenerative braking to your advantage. In many EVs, the driver can control the level of regen, so make sure you have this setting turned up. 

4. Easy does it: Don’t speed 

Avoid the temptation to speed, particularly on the highway. Air resistance increases proportionally to the square of speed; that is, if speed doubles, air resistance quadruples. Basically, this means your car has to work much harder against the wind with just small increases in speed. Stick to the speed limit to conserve your range. 

5. Park cool: Seek shade 

Whenever possible, park in the shade to keep your vehicle cooler and reduce the demand on the climate control system when you park your car. If you have access to a plug or outlet when you’re parked, plug in for the additional benefit of battery and cabin conditioning.  

Parking places with shade for EVs: 

• Under a tree
• Covered parking garages
• Underground garage
• Shaded charging station

6.  Hot day? Charge gently to protect battery health

If you have the option, avoid fast charging (DCFC) on the hottest days. The combination of high heat and high power can add stress to your batteries, contributing to faster degradation rates in the long term. 

For an in-depth look at the impact of charging methods on EV battery lifespan, see this Geotab study on EV battery degradation. 

Key takeaways for summer EV driving:

• Always precondition while plugged in.
• Use climate control sparingly and prioritize seat coolers.
• Drive smoothly and maximize regenerative braking.
• Stick to the speed limit.
• Park in the shade whenever possible.
• Avoid fast charging on the hottest days.

So there you have it! A few simple tricks to keep you rolling this summer. Happy driving!