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.

Considering an electric car? Charge it on the Medical Campus!

Considering an electric car? Charge it on the Medical Campus!

Many people are interested in electric vehicles because of their performance, as well as their environmental and consumer benefits. But knowing how and where to charge an EV can be confusing.

The good news is, charging an EV at home and on the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus is easy!

As someone who works on the Medical Campus, you are in luck – you can also charge at work! The BNMC team has installed EVCS in many of its parking garages and lots, including 12 dual charging stations at 854 Ellicott Street, ten ECVS at 134 High Street*, and four EVCS at 589 Ellicott*, plus two curbside stations across from the Innovation Center at 640 Ellicott Street*, with the ability to charge 40 vehicles at one time. View this map to see locations of our current charging stations.  * Scheduled to be upgraded in 2019.

We are committed to ensuring that our infrastructure supports sustainable transportation, everything from making it easy to charge electric vehicles, to installing hundreds of additional bike racks, to providing reduced-rate transit passes. We are building an innovation district known for accessible, environmentally-forward ways for everyone to get here.

All modern EVs sold in the U.S. use a standard charging port for Level I (120-volt) and Level II (240-volt) charging for EVs, the J1772 port. Most EV owners charge at home, either (a) using the plug that comes with the vehicle to plug into a normal 120 volt outlet to add around 5 miles of range per hour of charging, or (b) installing a 240-volt charger to add 10-25 miles of range per hour charging. There is also more public charging available than many people think. You can learn more about charging at home and on the go at drivegreen.nationalgridus.com/charging.

Considering getting an EV? Check out discounts from local dealers through the Drive Green with National Grid program at drivegreen.nationalgridus.com.

Did you know?  Upstate NY customers can reduce their costs with the voluntary time-of-use rate by charging their electric vehicle during the off-peak hours of 11pm to 7am. Most EVs can be easily programmed to charge during these hours using an onboard timer, mobile wp-content, outlet timer, or EV charging station.

This content is provided to the BNMC through our partnership with National Grid’s Drive Green program.