All cars lose efficiency in the cold weather. Whether gas or electric, overall range decreases and fueling costs increase in harsher winter climates. That’s the unfortunate news for all drivers, regardless of powertrain. 

The good news for EV owners is that seasonal fluctuations don’t impact daily driving as much as they might fear. Plus, there are mitigation techniques to help you keep as much range as possible.

However, winter range is something that should be considered for road trips, where highway speeds will reduced range further and drivers must rely on public networks while away from the comforts of home charging. 

This year, due to popular demand from drivers in the northern climates, we have added in data for range retention at 20 Fahrenheit (or -7 Celsius) in addition to 32F (0C). Colder temperature range retention is in pink, while range retention at 32F is in blue.

Ideal temperatures represents the max range we see for that particular model, usually between 70F and 80F.

The battery science team at Recurrent processes data from hundreds of millions of EV miles each year. For this 2025/2026 winter study, we are analyzing real-world driving data from more than 30,000 vehicles in the US. 

You can read more about our methodology at the bottom of the study.

EV Winter Range Retention vs Range in Ideal Temps

1. Tesla Cybertruck
2. Tesla Model X tested with heat pump
   
3. Tesla Model S tested with heat pump
4. Rivian R1S with heat pump‍
5. Tesla Model Y
6. Tesla Model 3 tested with and without heat pump
7. Ford F-150 Lightning
8. Kia Niro
9. Hyundai Ioniq 6
10. Audi e-tron
11. Nissan LEAF
12. BMX iX
13. KIA EV6
14. Hyundai Ioniq 5
15. Mini Hardtop 2-door
16. BMW i4
17. Hyundai Ioniq Electric
18. Audi Q8 e-tron
19. Jaguar I-PACE
20. Ford Mustang Mach-E
21. Nissan Aryia
22. KIA EV9 ‍
23. Rivian R1T ‍
24. Audi e-tron Sportback
25. Hyundai Kona Electric
26. Volkswagen e-golf
27. Cadillac Lyriq
28. Volkswagen ID.4
29. Chevrolet Bolt EV and EUV - pre-2025 models
30. Chevrolet Equinox EV
31. BMW i3
32. Chevrolet Blazer EV

Additional information on each model can be found on the linked vehicle pages. 

Winter Range by Automaker

Tesla Crushes the Cold

Trends emerge when you compare cold weather range by automaker, rather than by model. It's clear that for certain carmakers, such as Tesla, optimizing for winter range retention is prioritized. This is also supporting by the brand's investment in new technology.

Starting in 2021, Tesla introduced the Octovalve, which premiered in the Model Y. Designed to replace a maze of separate pumps and valves, the Octovalve acts as a multi-channel controller that regulates heat exchange between the cabin, battery pack, and powertrain.

By efficiently routing coolant and reusing waste heat, it allows Tesla vehicles to maintain optimal battery temperatures, improve cabin heating in cold weather, and increase overall energy efficiency.

GM Trades Range for Comfort

Several vehicles from GM have lower than expected winter range, something that first presented itself in last year's study (and was verified by owners on Reddit).

Despite having heat pumps and exceptional Ultium technology, the Cadillac Lyriq, Chevrolet Equinox EV and Blazer EV lag in winter range rankings. The Chevrolet Bolt EV is down there, too, but since this data only includes the first generation Bolt EV, we know it's using older tech and a resistive heater.

After much fact checking and research, we believe that GM optimized vehicles for passenger comfort, adding a resistive heater to the heat pump. While this is a common practice to help heat pumps when their efficiency drops, we suspect GM has the more energy intensive, resistive heater kick in at a higher temperature than other manufacturers. This will ensure warmer air for people in the cabin, but at the expense of range.

Does my EV need a heat pump?

Electric cars produce very little waste heat compared to traditional gas-powered cars — think about how hot the hood of a gas car is after a long drive. To heat the cabin and maintain battery performance, EVs must generate their own heat, either through a resistance heater or a heat pump. Cars with heat pumps will preserve more range for most winter driving, since they are more efficient.

A heat pump works by transferring heat from the outside air, even in cold conditions. Similar to an air conditioner running in reverse, a heat pump uses refrigerant and compression to produce hot air much more efficiently than a radiator or resistance heater would.

For every unit of electricity consumed, a heat pump can generate 3-4 units of heat, making it significantly more energy-efficient than resistive heating. It's worth noting that heat pump benefits diminish as temps drop toward 0F, at which point they are about as efficient as a resistive heater.

Not every EV comes standard with a heat pump. We created a list of vehicles that offer heat pumps in the US. As you can see, it can vary by model year and trim but more and more new models are being built with them.

Why does cold weather affect electric vehicle range?

Winter range loss occurs for a few reasons. We cover them in detail in our hot and cold temperature article but the two main contributing factors are chemical and mechanical.

• Chemical and physical reactions in the battery occur more slowly in cold temperatures. Cold temperatures inhibit chemical reactions and act as resistance that slows down the physical processes. This reduces the available power. 
• The major reason that EVs lose range in the winter is due to cabin heating to keep the driver and passengers warm. Unlike in a conventional car, electric cars have to use energy to produce cabin heat. In the internal combustion engine (ICE) that powers traditional cars, the “waste heat” generated by the engine can be pumped directly into the car to warm passengers. On the other hand, an EV has a much more efficient motor which does not generate nearly as much heat. The heaters that keep the car warm generally draw energy from the high voltage battery, reducing how much capacity is left for driving. 

Although other organizations have studied the effect of cold weather on range, including AAA, they are often completed in laboratory settings or with a small vehicle sample. This ongoing research project includes a much larger data set under real world driving conditions.

Is winter range loss permanent or damaging to the vehicle?

No, any range loss from winter weather is temporary and there is no long term detriment to your battery. As the ice melts and the temperatures rise, your vehicle’s expected range at full charge returns to normal. EV owners who connect to the Recurrent platform can track that over time. 

Tips for avoiding winter range loss

• It takes more energy to warm up a cold car than to keep a warm car warm. So, as much as possible, you want to warm up your car while it’s still charging. This is called preconditioning. 
• Preconditioning is available in most EVs using your phone’s app or by setting up a departure time. Some vehicles also offer a “winter weather” package that is specially designed to keep battery temperatures in an ideal zone so they are always ready when you start to drive. 
• Once your car is warm and you’re on the road, plan to use seat warmers, a heated steering wheel, and turn down the cabin heater. These features use less energy and provide targeted heat, giving you more battery to travel. 
• Prepare for longer charge times, especially at fast chargers. To protect the high voltage battery, many cars limit the charging voltage when the battery is cold. Regular charge speed will return when the battery has warmed up.  
• In many newer EVs, if you use the in-car navigation system to head to a charger, the car will condition the battery for optimal charging temperature, meaning your charge time may be reduced. 
• Turn down regenerative braking on icy roads. You will want to be able to manage your braking more than in temperate conditions. 
• Regenerative braking may also be limited by your battery management system if the battery is cold, since a cold battery cannot charge as fast as a warm one.
• When possible, store your EV plugged in with a maximum charge setting of 70 or 80%. That way, the car can pull energy from the wall to keep warm, rather than using the battery. Otherwise, you may return to a lower battery capacity than expected. 

About the data

This analysis includes aggregated and anonymized real-world data from over 30,000 vehicles in the Recurrent community from across the United States — collected from vehicle telematics — as well as tens of thousands of data points from on-board devices that provide data on energy usage. 

Range data for vehicles is a combination of several previous winters.

Note: Vehicle data is not sold or shared without the owner's consent. Recurrent does not charge individual EV owners. The company generates revenue from commercial EV reports and introducing EV sellers and buyers.

You can learn more about our team here or media can contact our team for interviews on the media page. 

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