Electric drivers, air conditioning is your friend!

Is this really the end of a cruel dilemma? Open the windows and sweat a little or turn on the air conditioning and go less far?

This title is, of course, deliberately catchy, even clickbait as some might say, but it is based on a very concrete reality: in an electric car, activating the air conditioning has less impact on range than in a combustion vehicle. Contrary to popular belief, it is not necessarily the AC that ruins your remaining kilometers, but rather other factors, starting with speed.

From a technical point of view, the advantage of electric cars lies in their design. While a petrol or diesel car uses a compressor mechanically driven by the engine, which increases fuel consumption as soon as the AC is turned on, an electric car relies on a much more efficient electric compressor. As a result, the energy required to cool the cabin is controlled and modulated according to needs.

Air Conditioning Without Guilt

Recent studies conducted by the ADAC show that at temperatures of 25 to 30 °C, the range of an electric vehicle decreases by an average of 2 to 5 % when using air conditioning. In heat waves (beyond 35 °C), the loss can rise to around 10 to 15 %, or even 20 % in extreme cases and prolonged stops. But in a combustion car, this loss is even more pronounced: the AC can increase fuel consumption by 10 to 20 %, with overall efficiency being much lower.

In short, the use of air conditioning is less penalizing in an electric vehicle, especially one equipped with a heat pump. It uses only a reasonable share of the available energy, especially if a few precautions are taken, such as turning on the AC before departure while the car is still plugged in, favoring the “recirculation” mode, avoiding excessively low temperatures, or parking in the shade.

Certainly, range remains a central issue for any EV driver. But on this specific point, technology works in their favor. Enough to drive cool, without sacrificing too many kilometers.

ALSO READ: How Does a Heat Pump Work?