Electric vehicles will soon be cruising the nation’s highways in production form, but those living in colder climates should temper their expectations. Batteries typically don’t perform as well under chilly conditions, a harsh reality some MINI E drivers are experiencing in the northwest.
The MINI E has a claimed range of 100 miles, but some drivers are reporting a near 50 percent drop in electric range. One MINI E driver tallied a paltry 55 mile range – which included a two-hour charge between commutes – while most are reporting a 20 percent drop in range.
Although a 50 percent drop in battery performance is rather extreme, BMW ’s MINI E program is starting to show some of the inherent flaws of electric vehicles. Overall range is easy affected by colder weather, which doesn’t bode well for the perceived limitations of all-electric driving. Drivers in warmer climates won’t have to worry as much, but those residing in northern states will have to seriously consider the drawbacks of EVs once they hit the market.
The same kind of drawbacks can also be seen in hybrid vehicles. During our time with a GMC Yukon Hybrid in the winter months, we failed to average better than 16mpg and often saw a reading in the lower teens – far below the EPA’s rating of 20mpg. Future battery technology will likely improve range fade, but the first round of pure EVs might best serve those in southern states.
