Tesla Model S 3 X Demonstrated Battery Tech Advantages by Real World Winter Range Test

The range of electric cars is one of the most important components, and when it comes to using the vehicle in winter conditions, this is the most important criterion.

All owners of electric cars know that in winter, when it's cold, their vehicles lose charge faster than usual. The Norwegian Automobile Federation (NAF) has checked the range and charging time of popular electric cars in winter conditions. 20 vehicles were driven until they completely stopped to calculate their real range in cold conditions.

Source: naf.no

EVs do not turn off suddenly when they run out of power, until they stop completely, drivers receive several warnings, and vehicles can maintain a constant speed until the very last miles. On average, in cold climates, an electric car loses 20 percent of its range.

Also, EVs charge more slowly at low temperatures. This is due to the fact that low temperature affects the electrochemical reactions inside the cell, and built-in battery management systems limit the charging speed to prevent damage.

NAF has collected the 20 best-selling electric car models in the Norwegian market as of January 2020. The test focuses on range, consumption and charging time. To test all cars the same way, a test drive was carried out without preheating either the cab or the battery. All cars drove along the same route on the same day, with the same driving style and climate control settings.


Source: naf.no

But we want to note that cars that drove further than others were already exposed to other weather conditions, which may affect the purity of the test. Some cars, due to the onset of the dark time of the day, were forced to drive at lower temperatures. So, for example, the Tesla Model S, which drove the farthest, had to ride on freshly fallen snow, which, obviously, was not experienced by other cars. NAF:

"Worth noting is that the Model S, at the end of the test, drove in more challenging driving conditions than the other models. The last miles were driven in relatively deep, new snow which increase the consumption severely."

The test route consisted of city driving, highways and country roads in speeds from 60 kmh (37 mph) to 110 kmh (68 mph). All cars had one climb through a mountain pass. But the cars with the longest run climbed two mountain passes.

The test results are presented in kilometers, but even in this case, it is obvious that the leaders in the range, taking top 3, were Tesla Model S, X and 3, who took 1st, 2nd and 3rd places, respectively.

All electric cars charge differently, so NAF refer to charging curves to show how cars will charge. The charge was checked after driving on the highway for at least two hours to ensure that the battery was warm. Cars were delivered directly to the charging station, without waiting in line. All cars are charged from less than 10 percent to a minimum of 80 percent.

The Audi e-tron 55 quattro has the fastest charging speed, it charges up to 80% in just 27 minutes. It overtook the Tesla Model 3 by just a few minutes.

But, Model 3 is in its own league when it comes to charging. The car reached nearly 200 kW at the Ionity Network charging station, and the vehicle charged up to 80% in 35 minutes. Given the low consumption of the Model 3, it is one of the best electric vehicles that allows you to travel long distances the fastest.

Source: naf.no

This test showed that Tesla cars are great for winter use conditions. They have the largest range. NAF admits that all Tesla cars have submitted to the most difficult testing conditions. They overcame two climb through a mountain pass (other cars only one), driving at the lowest temperature during the test, driving on wet snow, and later on freshly fallen snow about 6 inches deep.

Featured image: naf.no