Electric car range: real world and winter range

An electric car will almost always go less far than its WLTP range, and noticeably less in winter. The WLTP figure comes from a laboratory test, while real driving brings motorway speeds, heating, cold batteries and short trips. On a used car, an older battery with less capacity adds to the gap. So plan around winter range, not the brochure figure, and judge a used car's range from a full charge on your own test drive.

Why the WLTP range is higher than real-world range

The range quoted for cars sold new in the UK comes from WLTP, the Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehicle Test Procedure. It replaced the older test from September 2017. The Vehicle Certification Agency says WLTP gives a closer representation of real-world figures than the old test, and that every test is still run in a laboratory so cars can be compared fairly.

The same page is clear that driving style, accessories and extra weight affect what you actually achieve. For an electric car, the things that pull real range below the lab figure are:

• Speed. Air resistance rises steeply with speed, so a long motorway run uses far more energy per mile than town driving.
• Heating and air conditioning. Warming the cabin draws on the same battery that drives the wheels.
• Temperature. A cold battery is less efficient and charges more slowly.
• Load and tyres. Passengers, luggage, roof boxes, wide wheels and underinflated tyres all add drag or rolling resistance.
• Short trips. Each trip in cold weather starts with heating a cold cabin and battery.

Treat the WLTP range as a way to compare cars, not as a promise of how far this car will go.

Why cold weather cuts range

Winter hits an electric car in three ways at once.

Heating the cabin

A petrol engine makes plenty of waste heat, which warms the cabin for free. An electric motor makes very little, so the car heats the cabin with energy from the battery. The US Department of Energy's fueleconomy.gov site says about two-thirds of the extra energy used in cold weather goes on heating the cabin.

Battery chemistry

Lithium-ion batteries work less efficiently when cold. Less of the stored energy is available, and charging is slower until the battery warms up. Regenerative braking can also be limited when the battery is cold, so less energy comes back when you slow down.

Heat pumps

Many electric cars have a heat pump, which heats the cabin using less energy than a simple electric heater. A heat pump does not remove the winter loss, but it can reduce it. Ask whether the car you are viewing has one, and check in the handbook or the original specification, as on some models it was an option rather than standard.

What the tests show

The fueleconomy.gov page, citing research from 2019, says that at 20°F (about minus 7°C) an electric car's range can drop by about 41% compared with 77°F (25°C), and that about two-thirds of the extra energy goes on heating the cabin. Without the cabin heater, the same page puts the range loss at about 12%. That is a cold test, colder than a typical British winter day, but it shows the direction and the scale: in a hard frost you can lose a large part of your summer range.

The same page suggests two habits that help: heat the cabin while the car is still plugged in, and use the seat heaters rather than the cabin heater where you can.

How an older battery adds to the loss

A used battery holds less energy than it did when new. That loss stacks with the winter effect. A car whose battery has lost some capacity, driven on a cold motorway with the heater on, can fall well short of what its first owner saw in summer.

So when you work out whether a used electric car fits your life:

1. Start with the range from a full charge on this car, not the original WLTP figure.
2. Allow for winter, motorway speeds and heating.
3. Check that the result still covers your regular journeys with room to spare.

US Department of Energy material also notes that climate affects how long batteries last, which is another reason to ask how and where a car has been used. Our guide to used EV battery health explains how to get a state of health reading.

How to judge range on a test drive

The range on the dash is an estimate based on recent driving. It drops quickly on a cold motorway and recovers in slow traffic, so a single reading proves little. Do this instead:

1. Ask for a full charge. Ask the seller to charge the car to 100% before you arrive.
2. Note the start. Write down the state of charge, the range shown, the mileage and the outside temperature.
3. Drive a mix. Include some faster roads, not just town streets, and use the heater as you normally would.
4. Note the end. Compare the percentage used with the miles driven. If you used 10% of the battery over a certain distance, multiply that distance by ten for a rough full-battery range in those conditions.
5. Ask for the battery report. The range you see should be in line with the state of health on paper.

Our guide to buying a used electric car covers the other checks, and charging at home covers the cost of putting the miles back.

Frequently asked questions

How much range does an electric car lose in winter?

It varies by car, temperature and driving. The US Department of Energy's fueleconomy.gov site, citing research from 2019, says range can drop by about 41% at 20°F (about minus 7°C) compared with 77°F (25°C), mostly because of cabin heating. A milder winter day would be expected to cost less than that.

Why is my electric car's range lower than the advertised WLTP figure?

WLTP is a laboratory test designed for comparing cars. Real driving adds motorway speeds, heating, cold batteries, extra load and short trips, all of which use more energy.

Does a heat pump help an electric car in winter?

It can. A heat pump warms the cabin using less energy than a simple heater, which reduces the winter loss. It does not remove it.

How can I get more range in cold weather?

Heat the cabin while the car is still plugged in, use seat heaters rather than the cabin heater where you can, keep tyres at the right pressure and keep motorway speeds moderate.