A Guide on How to Protect Your EV in Hot Weather

Electric cars started making their way to the Middle East a few years ago and they managed to dominate the local markets right away, and not very far along these cars will be available in Saudi markets to leave their vivid mark.

Countries in the Middle East are known for their scorching hot weather during the summer, and just like this type of weather affects ICE cars negatively, it can affect EVs as well.

How to Protect EVs in Hot Weather? 

An EV’s efficiency can be assessed as good or bad based on its electric range, which is the distance a car can travel on a single charge, but it is also known that the range can be affected by the hot weather and how fast the car is going:

• Speed: if the driver is going over 100 Km/ hour, the range will decrease quickly
• Temperature: if the temperature is higher than 35 degrees or lower than 15 degrees, the electric range will drop lower than the estimated official number

Hot Weather Tips for Extending EV Range

The following tips will help you understand the best techniques you can use to increase the life of your battery, thus increasing your car’s electric range:

Don’t Use Fast Charging Stations Frequently 

There is no harm in using fast charging stations when needed, but try not to make it a habit, as these chargers have high current levels flowing into the battery, which can raise its temperature and shorten its lifespan.

EV automakers advise owners to use home chargers, for they can preserve the battery by regulating the electric current’s flow and temperature, and they are designed to stop charging automatically when the battery is full to protect it from overheating.

photo/ Marilyn Murphy

Choose the Right Time & Place to Charge

In the last few years, EV users found that charging their cars in the evening or in a shaded garage is much better, and by doing so you can protect your EV and its battery from the hot weather.

Make Use of the Tech Features available in EVs

You can look for the following features, as they will play a huge role in protecting your EV in the hot weather:

• ECO Mode: this feature is available in most modern cars (ICE, Hybrid, Electric), and it helps in turning off any feature or system that consumes energy when it is not being used at the moment.
• Preconditioning: it is one of the most important systems developed by EV engineers, and the purpose of this system is to create a friendly atmosphere in the cabin before the passengers enter the car, so it works on adjusting the temperature according to the weather conditions, while also keeping the battery temperature at a reasonable level.

In conclusion, in this article we looked at the importance of protecting our electric cars in the hot weather, we also discussed the factors that can affect the car’s battery life, not only that, but we gave you some tips that can help you in preserving your car’s electric range.

Author: Digital Solutions