Electric car owners confront a harsh foe: cold weather

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"When it's cold like this, cars aren't functioning well, chargers aren't functioning well, and people don't function so well either," said Javed Spencer, an Uber driver who said he had done little else in the last three days besides charge his rented Chevy Bolt and worry about being stranded with a dead battery -- again...

Vehicles use more energy to heat their batteries and cabin in cold weather, so it is normal to see energy consumption increase, Tesla reminds users in a post on its website, where it offers a few tips for drivers: Keep the charge level above 20% to reduce the impact of freezing temperatures..

When that happens, the EV cannot charge at a fast charger until the low voltage battery has been jump-started, said Albert Gore III, a former Tesla employee who is now the executive director of the Zero Emission Transportation Association, which represents automakers including Tesla and has released a tips sheet for operating electric vehicles in cold weather...

In Norway, where nearly 1 in 4 vehicles are electric, drivers are accustomed to taking steps, such as preheating the car before a drive, to increase efficiency even in cold weather, said Lars Godbolt, an adviser of the Norwegian Electric Vehicle Association, which represents more than 120,000 electric car owners in Norway...

Charging stations in Norway see longer lines in the winter than summer, since vehicles are slower to charge in colder weather, but that has become less of an issue in recent years since Norway has built more charging ports, Godbolt said, citing a recent survey of members..

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