Charging at low temperatures: get the most out of charging
Electric cars, like their petrol counterparts, see their batteries affected by cold weather. For the ID. range, this means that during the frostier months their charging performance can suffer. Read on to find out why this happens, and how you can be better prepared when the temperature drops.
Your battery’s performance
Your ID.’s battery is affected by the weather conditions. Its peak performance, which is calculated under WLTP conditions, is when the temperature is approximately 23 degrees. When these conditions change, so can the performance of the battery.
How temperature impacts the battery
The battery charges best at temperatures over 20 degrees. Due to their design for increased efficiency, electric car batteries experience almost no warming on longer journeys, which is why we’ve equipped the ID. range with thermal management technology to ensure balance between efficiency and performance is maintained.
Charge level and your battery
The battery’s charge level also influences charging performance. Battery cells are designed to be more receptive when the charge level is lower, it’s possible that the exact same car using the same charger could charge at different rates if one has significantly less battery power than the other. This means that if you charge only when the battery really needs it, your car will charge faster.
Tips to get the best out of charging
- Preheat the battery using the interior air conditioning to ensure your battery is better able to retain and take on charge.
- When parking on colder days, try to avoid parking spaces that are exposed to the elements. It’ll help your car become less cold.
- Keep an eye on your charging level. Only charge your car when it’s running low on battery, it makes charging quicker and also helps increase your battery’s longevity.
Driving modes
Drive it your way. All of our electric and hybrid models come with distinct driving modes that allow you to easily change the settings to suit all sorts of weather and road conditions.
