A new study from Recurrent, which analyzed battery readings from 7,500 electric vehicles, found that electric vehicles can lose as much as 31% of their advertised range in sweltering weather. That’s because getting a sweltering cabin to cool down when it’s 100 degrees outside can take a lot of energy out of the high-voltage battery.
According to Recurrent, the A/C system in a modern EV can use 3 to 5 kilowatts of power for the initial cooldown, and then the power usage settles around 1 kW to maintain the set temperature. Chevrolet Bolt EV/Bolt EUV The analytics company shared several graphs showing how individual EVs are affected by the hot weather. The discontinued Chevrolet Bolt EV’s real-world range is most affected at 60 and 95 degrees Fahrenheit, where it can lose roughly 5% to 8% of its advertised range.