Chris Alemany🇺🇦🇨🇦🇪🇸Dec 28, 2024
It’s winter! Time to expose the lie that you can’t use an EV in a cold country. Even folks in Saskatchewan are figuring it out despite their government’s efforts to boost a failing and false fossil fuel industry.
#saskpoli #canpoli #cdnpoli #ev #climateAction #cars #winter
https://www.cbc.ca/player/play/video/9.6598930
Can electric vehicles really handle the cold?

How do electric vehicles stand up to Saskatchewan's frigid temperatures? CBC's Alex Soloducha takes a look.

CBC
Show threadOctavia Con Amore  Succubard's LibraryDec 28, 2024
@chris @woozle am I missing something? electronics in general work better in cold and worse in heat, yeah? 
Show threadChris Alemany🇺🇦🇨🇦🇪🇸Dec 28, 2024
@OctaviaConAmore @woozle Lithium batteries tend to perform less well in cold but it depends a lot on the battery. But as with most things, the fossil fuel industry tends to exaggerate greatly and claim that the batteries will just outright die in the cold. This is a lie. The research, and people's experience, shows a loss of 10%-30% in overall range of the vehicle, but as also shown in the video, the day to day activities, the range loss is not enough to cause serious issues.
Show threadWoozle HypertwinDec 28, 2024

@chris @OctaviaConAmore

...and for that matter, IC engines often don't work that well in the cold either -- especially diesel, which turns into a gel at room temperature and has to be pre-heated before starting the engine when it hasn't been running -- and obviously more heating is needed the colder it gets.

...but I remember people in Rhode Island (which isn't that far north) sticking electric heaters under their hoods so the car would start quickly the next morning. (Maybe this isn't as much of a thing with electronic ignition? I was there from 1985-1989...)

...and I suspect that to the extent it's a problem, e-cars can be outfitted with battery-heaters which can be run off A/C mains so as not to drain the batteries while keeping them warm overnight.

Yet another non-problem which the established interests want everyone to believe is a show-stopper.

Show threadChris Alemany🇺🇦🇨🇦🇪🇸
@woozle @OctaviaConAmore indeed! And the hilarious part in Canada basically anywhere East of the Coastal Mountain Range in BC, nearly everyone and every hotel, and even many businesses, have outdoor 120V "bloc heater" plugs for cars. The infrastructure for EVs is literally *already there*! We used a few of the bloc heater plugs on our summer cross-Canada road trip in 2022. Made for a nice little boost overnight to get us to 100%!
Dec 28, 2024 at 8:19pmWeb
Show threadDerekodonDec 28, 2024
@chris @woozle @OctaviaConAmore I was in Saskatoon on business one fine January or February day and the image of residential streets lined with orange extension cords, dangling from the roadside trees, is seared into my brain...
Show threadWoozle HypertwinDec 28, 2024

@DWTSquawk7600 @chris @OctaviaConAmore

Heh... that scene does sound like t would make good horror-movie fodder :D

Show threadLuke CycaDec 29, 2024
@chris @woozle @OctaviaConAmore Block heaters usually draw less than 6A @ 120V so if a whole row of cars tried to charge at 12A from this infrastructure in a saskatoon parking lot we’d start popping breakers for sure. But for now it’s a sweet little hack. 🙂