Testing cars is the most fun in the summer. Gliding along curvy 70 roads with a clean and new-car-smelling electric car on a sunny day in May is really lovely. Shoveling out a snowy plug-in hybrid after a snowstorm in March and then struggling to get the heat on in the passenger compartment? Not so much.
I have driven most of the electric cars available for purchase (read lease). And I think many models are really nice in many ways. Stylish, modern and with performance that puts most fossil-powered sports cars to shame. But they also cost accordingly.
However, it is in winter that the cars really get to show off their colors. I received an email from one of our readers the other day, Stefan, who was really disappointed with the battery in his Ford Kuga plug-in hybrid. I tested the same car last summer and thought the battery capacity was just fine. However, Stefan was not happy as it was hardly possible to drive the car at all on pure battery power when the temperature dropped below zero degrees. And Stefan is far from alone.
Actually, we should test all electric cars and hybrids both in summer and winter. I have had similar experiences with many plug-in hybrids. The Mercedes GLC plug-in hybrid I’m currently testing promises over 10 miles on a battery charge. But with minus six degrees outside, it took ten minutes before the car even wanted to activate the EV mode. And once battery operation was activated, the cabin did not get warm. The air was freezing cold, even though I turned on the maximum heat as I was about to freeze the hedge off.
How far did I get then? Six miles. Good compared to many other plug-in hybrids. But then why doesn’t it say six miles in estimated range? The car should probably be able to read the outside temperature and make a realistic estimate.
I have also tested many electric cars and plug-in hybrids that had problems with the heat in the passenger compartment during the winter. If you pay over half a million kroner for a car, you shouldn’t have to sit and freeze when you drive because the manufacturer skimped on the heat pump. Or to be able to get you from a to b, when the manufacturer’s numbers on the range meter are completely wrong.
Last week I drove the Tesla Model X Plaid, a car that costs 1.7 million. 536 kilometers was on the odometer when I started driving, after the car was parked outside. When 50 percent of the battery remained, I had only driven 15 miles. Not okay. With a hot battery, the range was around 40 miles. I have no doubt the manufacturers can cream those miles out of the wltp lab. But the setting is unlikely to be “Swedish winter”.
A colleague asked me today if there is any electric car that is built to cope with Swedish winter. I am doubtful. I just came home from Norrland where everyone laughed at me as I spun around with my friction tires. And when I was going to demonstrate all the cool features, most of it was frozen.
As soon as it rains, or when the road surface is wet, the sensors of new cars tend to have serious problems. If you forget to wipe the reversing camera before departure, you often have zero rear visibility. Does the car have recessed handles? Fun if it’s frozen overnight and you can barely open the car door!
Now I may sound negative, but the fact is that electric operation and modern functions are useless in winter. Then the car should just start, warm up and take me safely to where I want to drive.
