EV winter range: how much do you lose in the cold?
Cold weather cuts EV range: cabin heating draws power, a cold battery gives up less energy, and dense air adds drag. A heat pump softens the heating hit — most near freezing — and preconditioning while plugged in helps too. Set your conditions below to see your realistic winter range.
Estimated real range
Estimated real range
176 mi
71% of WLTP
WLTP range
249 mi
Real-world use
2.93 mi/kWh
Where the range goes
Temperature
−57 mi
Heat pump
—
Preconditioning
—
Driving
—
Climate control
−15 mi
Battery health
—
Your car & conditions
Optional — pick make, model and spec to fill the values below, or edit any field for a custom one.
Temperature-5 °C
Battery health100%
Frequently asked questions
- How much range does an EV lose in winter?
- Around freezing you typically keep about 76% of rated range with a standard (resistive) heater, or roughly 84% with a heat pump. At −10°C expect nearer 68% / 76%, and around −20°C closer to 58% / 62%. Short trips lose proportionally more than long motorway runs.
- Does a heat pump help winter range?
- Yes. A heat pump moves 2–3 times more heat per unit of electricity than a resistive heater, recovering roughly 8 percentage points of range near freezing. Its advantage is largest around 0°C and fades below about −15°C, where it works almost as hard as a plain heater. Not every EV has one — check your car's spec.
- Does preconditioning while plugged in help?
- A bit. Warming the cabin and battery from the grid before you set off starts the drive warm and typically claws back around 5% of range in the cold. It only counts if the car is still plugged in — preconditioning off the battery just moves the cost around.