Drive Green: The Truth About EV Winter Worries

If you’re thinking about making the switch to an electric car, you might be nervous about winter driving. Not to worry! Here are some quick truths and tips about driving your electric vehicle (EV) through a New York winter, with tons more info here.
TRUTHS

Your range will decrease in the winter. Because batteries operate less efficiently when they’re cold, your EV will get fewer miles per kilowatt-hour in the winter. However, the range for gas powered cars also decreases by as much as 22% in the winter!

 Snow and ice are not usually a problem for EVs. Because the battery often makes up the floorboard of the vehicle, EVs have a low center of gravity and evenly distributed weight, which makes them stable and easy to maneuver, and increases traction on snow or icy terrain.

TIPS

Precondition your vehicle. Warm up your car while it’s still plugged in so that you don’t deplete your battery’s reserves. Getting into a warm car also means you don’t have to crank the heat as much once it’s unplugged!

 Use the special heating features for your vehicle. If your car offers heated seats and steering wheels, use them! They will use less energy and allow you to comfortably keep the cabin temperature slightly lower.

 Drive efficiently. Use regenerative breaking to capture any energy that might otherwise be lost and avoid speeding as it increases drag, which decreases mileage.

 Park and charge somewhere warm. If you must park outside, try to find a sunny spot to keep your battery warm.

To learn more about the ins and outs of driving your electric vehicle in the winter, please visit drivegreen.nationalgridus.com/learn/winter.

National Grid $500 Power-Driven Promo

National Grid $500 Power-Driven Promo

 

There are lots of reasons to switch to an electric car: they’re more fun to drive, cheaper to fuel, and way better for the environment than gas guzzlers. You already live or work near a charging station, but if you’re still waiting for a sign to make the switch to electric, this is it.

From November 1st until the end of the year, National Grid customers in upstate New York who purchase an electric car are eligible for a $500 Visa gift card as a special bonus!

This $500 is enough to cover charging for 12,000 driving miles, jump start the installation of your own at-home charging station, or go for a wintertime getaway in your brand new electric car. Learn more and wp-contently for your gift card here.

Curious about electric cars but don’t know where to start? Drive Green with National Grid is a program to help you learn everything you need to know about driving on electricity. Whether you’re planning on buying a new car soon or you’ve still got plenty of life left in your old gas guzzler, your next car should be electric!

For more information about Drive Green with National Grid, or if you have any questions about electric cars and this special end-of-the-year offer, please call us at 1-800-287-3950 x7, or email us at drivegreenuny@greenenergyconsumers.org.

 

black vehicle