How Much Does the Range of Lithium Batteries Decrease in Winter?
2 Answers
In winter, the battery range decreases by approximately 30%. Impact of low temperatures on lithium batteries: When temperatures drop, the electrolyte in the battery becomes more viscous, and the internal resistance of the battery increases, causing the movement speed of lithium ions to slow down. However, this phenomenon is merely a physical effect of low temperatures and will return to normal when temperatures rise, without causing severe damage to the battery. Introduction to lithium batteries: Lithium batteries are those that use lithium metal or lithium alloy as the anode material and employ a non-aqueous electrolyte solution. Due to the highly reactive chemical properties of lithium metal, the processing, storage, and use of lithium metal impose very high environmental requirements, which is why lithium batteries were not widely used for a long time. With the advancement of microelectronics technology in the late 20th century, the increasing miniaturization of devices has placed high demands on power sources, leading to the large-scale practical application of lithium batteries.
The range drop of lithium batteries in winter is really noticeable. After using an electric vehicle for several years, I've found that in environments around 0°C, the range typically decreases by about 20% to 30%. For example, a car that can run 400 kilometers in summer might only manage 320 kilometers in winter. The reason is simple: low temperatures slow down the ion reactions inside the battery, much like people feeling sluggish in winter. Living in the north, it gets even worse at sub-zero temperatures, sometimes reducing the range by half. It's advisable to preheat the battery before charging and park the car in a warm place. While driving, try to minimize the use of power-consuming features like heated seats. Overall, things improve as the weather warms up, so there's no need to panic. With good habits, you can get through it just fine.
