Or at least ArsTechnica thinks so:
Objectively speaking, a battery-electric vehicle provides a superior driving experience in cold and inclement weather to its internal combustion engine-powered counterparts—for numerous reasons. Comfort, control, even durability benefits come along for the cold ride. Let me explain.
First, actually, let me concede a point. It's true that BEVs lose range in colder climates. The two main reasons for that stem from the need to keep both the cabin and battery pack warm, which requires energy that would otherwise go toward moving. And, generally speaking, it takes more energy to warm an electric vehicle in the winter than to cool it in the summer.
But bear in mind, all cars lose range in the winter. Air gets denser as it cools, which takes more work to push through. And all the viscous fluids vehicles need take more time to warm up to their respective operating temperatures. And that means your engine, transmission, and differential all have more work to do—requiring more energy—in the cold...
Objective advantages in the cold do not stop there. Let's talk bad weather: snow, ice, and the gnarly slushy mix that forms afterward. Those kinds of conditions almost always put traction control systems to work. And for them to work well, they need a quick and consistent response from the powertrain.
Internal combustion engines only offer acceptable response, as so many variables play a role in power delivery: air temperature, humidity, air quality, fuel quality, not to mention vehicle speed and gear selected, which determines engine speed. And, again, those pesky viscous fluids and their current temperatures also affect engine and transmission performance. All of that affects how quickly engines respond to the traction control system's needs and how accurately.
Electric motors, on the other hand, will deliver the precise amount of power asked from the traction control system every time and almost always as quickly as the traction system can request it.
Still more details in the full story.
Objectively speaking, a battery-electric vehicle provides a superior driving experience in cold and inclement weather to its internal combustion engine-powered counterparts—for numerous reasons. Comfort, control, even durability benefits come along for the cold ride. Let me explain.
First, actually, let me concede a point. It's true that BEVs lose range in colder climates. The two main reasons for that stem from the need to keep both the cabin and battery pack warm, which requires energy that would otherwise go toward moving. And, generally speaking, it takes more energy to warm an electric vehicle in the winter than to cool it in the summer.
But bear in mind, all cars lose range in the winter. Air gets denser as it cools, which takes more work to push through. And all the viscous fluids vehicles need take more time to warm up to their respective operating temperatures. And that means your engine, transmission, and differential all have more work to do—requiring more energy—in the cold...
Objective advantages in the cold do not stop there. Let's talk bad weather: snow, ice, and the gnarly slushy mix that forms afterward. Those kinds of conditions almost always put traction control systems to work. And for them to work well, they need a quick and consistent response from the powertrain.
Internal combustion engines only offer acceptable response, as so many variables play a role in power delivery: air temperature, humidity, air quality, fuel quality, not to mention vehicle speed and gear selected, which determines engine speed. And, again, those pesky viscous fluids and their current temperatures also affect engine and transmission performance. All of that affects how quickly engines respond to the traction control system's needs and how accurately.
Electric motors, on the other hand, will deliver the precise amount of power asked from the traction control system every time and almost always as quickly as the traction system can request it.
Still more details in the full story.
