gsleaf said:
I noticed the low outside temp warning on my Nissan rental today. If the temp. is around 34-38 degrees what sort of hit in range are you going to get?
The low temp warning that comes on at 38ºF is to advise the driver that roads may be icy in places. It has nothing to do with range.
That said, the reduction in range in cold weather depends on several factors:
• The temperature of the car while being charged: A cold battery will hold less charge and be able to deliver it more slowly than a warm one. If one can charge in a garage that is somewhat warmer than ambient outside temperature, this problem is reduced. Also, charging and driving will heat the battery somewhat and it has a lot of thermal mass so it takes quite a bit of time to cool down. If you live in a cold weather area, and have to park outside while charging, your range will be affected somewhat. Otherwise, it may not be much of a factor.
• The temperature of the air while driving: Air (drag) and rolling resistance (tires, lubrication in bearings) increase as the temperature goes down.
• The road conditions: Wet or snow-packed roads have increased rolling resistance and reduced traction efficiency.
The decline in range is still being studied but some preliminary estimates can be found in the notes to
Tony Williams' range chart. At 34º the estimated reduction in range from 70º would be about 9%.