“Cold weather can substantially reduce EV range”

Cold-weather range loss is real

Cold weather can reduce an EV’s usable driving range. The size varies by model, cabin heating, battery temperature, driving conditions and the comparison baseline. A test average is not a promise about every trip, and a severe cold-weather incident can matter without representing ordinary winter use.

What AAA’s 2026 test measured

AAA tested three battery-electric vehicles on a dynamometer: a 2025 Chevrolet Equinox EV LT FWD, a 2025 Ford Mustang Mach-E Premium Extended Range AWD and a 2025 Tesla Model Y Long Range RWD. The report also tested a 2026 Honda CR-V Sport Touring AWD Hybrid, a 2025 Toyota Prius Nightshade FWD and a 2025 Hyundai Tucson Blue AWD Hybrid. The tested cars’ build dates and battery-production dates were not reported; model year does not establish when a particular vehicle or pack was made. ^[5]

AAA reports its EV energy-efficiency readings as MPGe, a gasoline-energy equivalent, and its hybrid fuel-economy readings as US mpg. The metric display converts these to electricity or fuel used per distance. At each ambient temperature—-6.7 °C, 23.9 °C and 35 °C—the automatic cabin HVAC was set to 22.2 °C. From 23.9 °C to -6.7 °C, the combined EV readings were Equinox 19.2 kWh/100km to 32.4 kWh/100km, Mach-E 21.8 kWh/100km to 27.5 kWh/100km and Model Y 18.4 kWh/100km to 33.9 kWh/100km. AAA calculated an average 39% range reduction for the EVs. The hybrids’ combined fuel-economy readings were CR-V 6.2 L/100km to 8.1 L/100km, Prius 4.6 L/100km to 5.9 L/100km and Tucson 6.1 L/100km to 8 L/100km; average MPG fell 22.8%. ^[1][5] AAA used modified SAE procedures; these research results are not EPA certification ratings. ^[5]

MPGe expresses energy use on a gasoline-equivalent scale: 33.7 kWh is the energy equivalent of one U.S. gallon of gasoline. The EVs did not burn that gasoline. MPGe and MPG are also not the same physical quantity, so an efficiency comparison should label them separately. ^[9]

The tested vehicles and packs are not interchangeable

AAA describes the tested BEV packs as lithium-ion, but does not identify the Equinox or Model Y pack capacity or exact cathode chemistry. GM says its U.S. EVs, including the Equinox EV, use high-nickel lithium-ion cathodes (NCMA). The AAA Mach-E VIN is 3FMTK3SU0SMA12122; Ford’s guide maps that VIN to an 88 kWh usable NCM extended-range pack. AAA identifies the Tucson hybrid battery as lithium-ion polymer and the CR-V and Prius batteries as lithium-ion; it does not report their capacities or specific cathode chemistries. The tested Equinox FWD has a heat pump according to GM’s specification guide, and AAA identifies a vapor-injection heat pump on the tested Mach-E. These manufacturer facts do not supply the missing build dates. ^{[5][7][8][11]}

The vehicle details above record these model years, trims, capacities, chemistry limits, observation periods and source links. For the NAF/Motor January 2025 road test, they also list the 24 tested configurations and the battery figures printed by Motor. The consolidated results do not establish model year or manufacture date for every NAF vehicle, and a 2025 test date is not a model year. ^[4][10]

Older tests do not establish a technology trend

AAA’s 2019 test covered a 2018 BMW i3s (33.8 kWh), 2018 Chevrolet Bolt (60 kWh), 2018 Nissan Leaf (40 kWh), 2017 Tesla Model S 75D (75 kWh) and 2017 Volkswagen e-Golf (35.8 kWh). AAA reported rated pack energy, not cell chemistry or manufacture dates. The study’s 41% mean range loss at 20°F used a 75°F HVAC-off reference, while the 20°F result used automatic cabin heat set to 72°F. ^[6]

The 2026 AAA test instead held the HVAC setting at 72°F at both 75°F and 20°F. It also tested a different, newer fleet. There is no repeated model and matched protocol between these samples, so 41% in 2019 versus 39% in 2026 cannot show improvement or a lack of improvement. DOE/Argonne’s 2024 record adds controlled background data from three unnamed midsize model-year 2019–2020 EVs, but it does not identify their makes, pack chemistries, capacities or build dates. ^[2][5][6]

Road tests answer a different question

NAF and Motor’s January 2025 El Prix test compared each EV’s real-world range with its WLTP rating. The reported mean shortfall was 19.4%, with individual gaps of 4.1% to 29.5%. Test temperatures varied from −6°C to 8°C, and the route included freezing rain and a 45–60-minute traffic delay. The 2025 test also changed its stopping rule to stop when a vehicle could no longer maintain the posted speed. It provides useful model-specific road results, but it does not isolate temperature’s effect or bridge the old and new AAA lab cohorts. ^[4][10]

Use the evidence for the trip at hand

A percentage loss needs its baseline. Ask whether the reference is a laboratory run, a certification rating or a summer road trip, and check the model, heater settings, speed and starting battery temperature. Preconditioning while plugged in can reduce the cabin-heating energy drawn during the trip, but does not guarantee unchanged winter range. Plan from model-specific cold-weather evidence and leave a reserve appropriate to the route. ^[3]