Will electric cars be reliable in wintery conditions?
By Cars & Motorcycles on Apr 02, 2009 with Comments 48
Ricky B asked: I just read up on some exciting new electric cars that will be coming out in the next 3 years that match my budget and will have up to 300 mpg!!!
But I was wondering, how these cars would handle on a street after a ice storm? The car would be great for me, but i live in the Midwest and require a car that can get around ice and snow.
The information I would like to have is the typical weight an electric car, front/rear wheel drive, and inside space.
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I think traction would be as good as a traditional car. I wonder if cold temperature will affect battery power and range.
One of the factors that makes electric cars so efficient is their light weight. This has some unwanted side effects. They will be the underdog in a collision with heavier vehicles. Also, they are prone to high cross-winds–especially in icy conditions. I’m sure, that as more of these become available, there will be choices for the various conditions you are anticipating in your region.
We’ve never really licked the battery weight problem, so electrics are just as heavy as gas powered cars. The cold will indeed reduce available battery power, and heating the car will be a problem. We really need a zero point power supply.
If you look at some of today’s electric cars like the Tango, the weight of the batteries should keep them nice and stable and help the tires punch through snow (not much help on ice, though).
I think that they should drive ok, I can’t see traction or anything being a big problem. The thing that I would worry about is would the extreme cold cause the battery to malfunction or lose power? I guess we’ll know more as these cars come closer to being released to the public.
I plan on getting one of these too, so I’m really hoping that they live up to the hype! The thought of hardly ever having to fill up a gas tank just brings a smile to my face!
Traction would be great do to battery weight however the batteries die in the cold.
They won’t be much different than present cars with respect to handling on slick surfaces. But there is no reasonable prospect for building electric cars with an acceptable range; hydrocarbon fuels have by far the highest energy density per pound of anything that can be found or made.
Its a good point, I’m going to wait for the hydrogen car to come out. Recall that an electric car still has to be charged up by a remote power plant that probably burns fossil fuel. In which case an electric car merely moves combustion of fossil fuel from under the hood to the local power station.
probably wouldn’t hurt to have an electric car, and with the money you save on gas you could buy an old beat up truck to drive in the snow and ice during the winter
probably not that great……….but just have a car for the winter and one for the summer lol
just dont drive around with the hood off and you should be fine
I don’t think the type of fuel they use really matters.
If they are designed like the gas powered cars, I would say they would handle well on wintry conditions. but the question would lie in how the batteries would handle the cold weather more. I would check on the hybrids with someone who has used one in the cold weather to get possible ideas of what to expect. I know it is not of equal comparison but a thought on on it.
it really depends on what kind of car you want. the aptera electric (the 300 mpg one) would need the right kind of tires and have proper brakes to ensure maximum traction control in icy or wintry conditions. but since the max is 9 mph, i doubt it should be a serious concern.
The Tesla Roadster (http://teslamotors.com) is 2700 lbs or 1.2 metric tons. If you’re interested in how it handles, check out Tesla’s extreme environment testing:
Electric cars can be designed to handle just as well as combustion-engine powered cars. Batteries and motors can be designed to work in extreme temperatures.
If your interest in electric cars is to “save the environment,” then sure, the fuel production may move to a coal plant but if you’re on the east coast it could very well be nuclear. This is going to have less of the EVIL CO2 emission but if you’re concerned about things like that I would expect that you would be MORE concerned with the livestock we are raising and all the methane production that comes with them. Much more damaging to our environment!
If you interest is to save money I think you are on the right path. I sure hope electric cars take off since I’m an electrical engineer. I think they will have severe competition from Hydrogen and Hybrids since the oil companies are hoping to stay in the game somehow.
I’m very curious to see what happens with Tesla. I would guess that some might powerful people are trying to figure out a way to stomp them out but maybe that’s all just conspiracy. (Why did they give up on all those EVs out in California again?)
As long as you treat the car normally i.e. adding snow tires, etc. then the car (electric) should run as well as any other.
Do You Mean The Aptera Type-1?
Next three years I thought Chevy was coming out with one in 08 09 or something the Chevy Jolt.
Ga i don’t think it’s so much the handling i would worry about i mean wat if you have no electricty for a week or two how r u suppose to make it run and stuff?
elcrtric has nothing to do with raod conditions,
thats about tires, abs, traction control,
or the ultimate quadro drive by aaudi,
ofcourse depending on the trafic u can get less or more miles/galon, miles/bateryy charge