The ambient temperature was far below freezing during the Canadian Automobile Association's winter range test.
- The Canadian Automobile Association tested 14 electric vehicles until their batteries ran out of charge.
- The ambient temperature ranged from 19.4 to 6.8 degrees Fahrenheit.
- The EVs lost between 14% and 39% of their officially stated range.
Dozens of electric cars were put through their paces in Canada's harsh winter to see how their advertised driving ranges held up in freezing temperatures. Spoiler alert: All cars fell short of their official range claims. However, some fared better than others.
The representatives of the association drove 14 new electric vehicles in temperatures ranging from 19.4 to 6.8 degrees Fahrenheit (-7 to -15 degrees Celsius) until the vehicles could no longer move on their own power. They were then plugged into a 350-kilowatt fast charger to determine how long it would take to recharge the batteries.
Compared to the estimated average range figures published by Natural Resources Canada (NRCan), the 14 tested EVs lost between 14% and 39% of their range in freezing temperatures. Among the tested vehicles were seven of the top ten best-selling cars in Canada.
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It was the Silverado EV that emerged victorious with a 14% decrease in real-world range. The Silverado EV, estimated by NRCan to have a range of 450 miles (724 kilometers) with its large battery pack, managed to travel only 283 miles (456 km) before needing a recharge. Note that this result is not as low as 14%, but the CAA pointed out that the Silverado EV started the test at 74% charge. This was taken into account when calculating the result.
2025 Chevrolet Silverado EV
2025 Polestar 2
Meanwhile, the Polestar 2, with an estimated range of 276 miles (384 km) by NRCan, stopped after driving nearly 255 miles (410 km). The popular Tesla Model 3 had a 30% difference between its official estimated range of 363 miles (584 km) and its actual performance, which was almost 255 miles (410 km).
Canadian Aviation Authority Winter Range Test Results
| Model | Rank: Longest Range | There is no original text provided. Please provide the text you would like me to paraphrase, and I will be happy to assist. | Official NRCan range | Difference |
| Chevrolet Silverado EV | 1 | 283.3 miles (456 km) | 449.8 miles (724 km) | -14%* |
| Tesla Model 3 | 2 | 254.7 miles (410 km) | 362.8 miles (584 km) | -30% |
| Polestar 2 | 3 | 238.6 miles (384 km) | 275.8 miles (444 km) | -14% |
| Kia EV9 | 4 | 216.8 miles (349 km) | 270.2 miles (435 km) | -20% |
| Volkswagen ID.4 | 5 | 210 miles (338 km) | 290.8 miles (468 km) | -28% |
| Chevrolet Equinox EV | 6 | 209.4 miles (337 km) | 318.7 miles (513 km) | -34% |
| Ford Mustang Mach-E | 7 | 207.5 miles (334 km) | 300.1 miles (483 km) | -31% |
| Honda Prologue | 8 | 207.5 miles (334 km) | 272.7 miles (439 km) | -24% |
| Ford F-150 Lightning | 9 | 183.9 miles (296 km) | 320 miles (515 km) | -35%* |
| Kia Niro EV | 10 | 177 miles (285 km) | 252.8 miles (407 km) | -30% |
| Hyundai Ioniq 5 | 11 | 162.8 miles (262 km) | 254.7 miles (410 km) | -36% |
| Toyota BZ4X | 12 | 158.4 miles (255 km) | 252.2 miles (406 km) | -37% |
| Volvo XC40 Recharge | 13 | 154.1 miles (248 km) | 254.1 miles (409 km) | -39% |
The Kia EV6 did not take part in the range test "due to a complication." The calculation was adjusted to take into account that the Chevrolet Silverado EV began with a 73% state of charge and the Ford F-150 Lightning started at 89% state of charge.
These figures are comparable to those found in a recent study by Recurrent. Upon analyzing data from over 18,000 electric vehicles, the startup determined that modern EVs typically experience a decline in driving range of between 11% and 37% in winter conditions compared to ideal circumstances.
After the range test, the 14 electric vehicles were connected to a 350 kW charger, excluding the Tesla Model 3, to determine how long it would take to recharge their batteries. However, it is unclear whether the batteries had been pre-conditioned prior to being plugged in.
Winter Range Test - CAA Charging Results
| Model | Rank: Charged in record time, just 15 minutes | Miles shown in 15 minutes | It's now necessary to recharge the battery from 10% to 80%. | Average charging speed |
| Tesla Model 3 | 1 | 127.3 miles (205 km) | 37 minutes | 96 kW |
| Chevrolet Silverado EV | 2 | 123.6 miles (199 km) | 42 minutes | 233 kW |
| Chevrolet Equinox EV | 3 | 81.3 miles (131 km) | 42 minutes | 100 kW |
| Polestar 2 | 4 | 74.5 miles (120 km) | 40 minutes | 94 kW |
| Volkswagen ID.4 | 5 | 69.5 miles (112 km) | 34 minutes | 104 kW |
| Ford F-150 Lightning | 6 | 67.7 miles (109 km) | 45 minutes | 128 kW |
| Kia EV9 | 7 | 65.2 miles (105 km) | 33 minutes | 139 kW |
| Volvo XC40 Recharge | 8 | 55.9 miles (90 km) | 40 minutes | 87 kW |
| Ford Mustang Mach-E | 9 | 44.1 miles (71 km) | 46 minutes | 85 kW |
| Hyundai Ioniq 5 | 10 | 39.7 miles (64 km) | 45 minutes | 80 kW |
| Kia EV6 | 11 | 36 miles (58 km) | 43 minutes | 85 kW |
| Kia Niro EV | 12 | 21.7 miles (35 km) | 77 minutes | 36 kW |
| Toyota BZ4X | 13 | 11.8 miles (19 km) | 92 minutes | 33 kW |
The Honda Prologue was excluded from the charging test due to an error, resulting in a lack of available data, as stated by the CAA. All vehicles were charged using 350 kW chargers, except the Tesla Model 3, which was charged at 150 kW due to compatibility constraints related to the non-Tesla adapter.
Notwithstanding Tesla's disadvantage, it charged the fastest, achieving 127 miles (205 km) in 15 minutes. To reach from 10% to 80% state of charge, the Model 3 took 37 minutes, with an average charging speed of 96 kW throughout the entire charging session.
The Chevrolet Silverado EV ranked second in the charging test, achieving a range increase of 123 miles (199 km) in 15 minutes and a state of charge of 80% from 10% in 32 minutes. Its average charging speed was 233 kW. The Chevrolet Equinox EV came in third, adding 81 miles of range (131 km) in 15 minutes with an average charging speed of 100 kW.
It is unavoidable for electric vehicles to experience a reduction in driving range in cold temperatures. This occurs because the battery's chemistry is physically impacted by the cold, which makes it challenging for energy to flow. Charging speeds are also influenced by the cold, but only if the battery has not been preconditioned beforehand during a charging session.
Preconditioning consumes energy from the battery to warm it up, typically achieving an optimal temperature just before plugging in. The drawback is that you lose energy in the process, but the charging process should be faster as a result.