“A typical gasoline cars gets a 12% range reduction in cold weather.”
Are you kidding me? This thread is about a 270 km range test. Your link points out that on 3-4 mile trips you get lousy mileage. Swing and a miss.
“The manual does not say that”
Really? Then exactly what is the manual saying when it states this:
“Keep the vehicle plugged in, even when fully charged, to keep the battery temperature ready for the next drive. This is important when outside temperatures are extremely hot or cold.”
“It is common knowledge among EV owners that cold weather hurts electric cars range much more than hot weather does.”
I’d love to see some real world data. It costs a ton of $$ to cool my house...ac adds a noticeable load to my car...but in an EV it has little effect? I doubt it - and remember, ac is not just a creature comfort...its a battery comfort. Anyway, I think it would be just swell if that sort of ‘common knowledge’ could be demonstrated fact before we the sheeple subsidize these schemes.
The link states a typical gasoline car gets a 12% reduction in cold weather for city driving and up to 22% reduction for 3-4 mile trips. While not exactly apples to apples, I provided this simply in response to your statement, “Last I checked, my gas car gets a 0% reduction in range in cold weather.”
“Really? Then exactly what is the manual saying when it states...”
Again, that statement you are referencing is under the section titled: “Driving for Better Energy Efficiency — Use the following tips to help maximize energy efficiency and range.”
These are tips for increasing efficiency, not requirements. Your original statement could have given people the impression that their Volt battery might be in danger if they did not leave it plugged in while in the sun. You said, “I know for example that a Volt owner manual states not to leave the car out in the sun without being plugged in....energy is needed to cool the batteries.”
The reality is that the battery keeps itself cool in the sun whether or not you plug it in, it just drains the battery a little in order to do it if you are not plugged in. The only concern is not leaving it out in the sun for long term storage. Now that that is cleared up, moving on.
“Anyway, I think it would be just swell if that sort of ‘common knowledge’ could be demonstrated fact before we the sheeple subsidize these schemes.”
From a USA Today article from last year:
AAA conducted a simulation to measure the driving range of three fully-electric vehicles – a 2013 Nissan Leaf, a 2012 Mitsubishi iMIEV and a 2014 Ford Focus Electric Vehicle – in cold, moderate and hot weather.
...
The average electric vehicle battery range for each full charge in AAA’s test was 105 miles at 75 degrees Fahrenheit. That dropped 57% to 43 miles when the temperature was held steady at 20 degrees. Warm temperatures were not as stressful but still delivered a lower average of 69 miles per full charge at 95 degrees, AAA said.
The 2013 Nissan Leaf, 2012 Mitsubishi iMIEV, and 2014 Ford Focus EV have EPA rated ranges of 75 miles, 62 miles, and 76 miles, respectively. This averages out to 71 miles. So in short, using the maximum rated range that AAA found under optimal temperatures as a baseline (75 deg F), the EPA rated range is 32% below max, cold weather is 57% below max, and warm weather was 34% below max (or 3% below EPA rating).