How to Protect Your Polestar from the Cold

When a manufacturer with Swedish genes like Polestar gives us some tips for facing the cold, we listen.

Designed in Sweden and tested in the harshest cold conditions, Polestar cars are no strangers to the cold. The manufacturer gives you some tips on how to optimize the range and performance of your electric car during the winter months.

The main reason electric vehicles are affected by the cold is the battery temperature. If the temperature is too low, the electrochemical processes in the battery will slow down, which will affect both charging speed and range. In addition, heating the car’s cabin to a comfortable temperature requires more energy than in summer.

Preheat your car

Most electric cars have a preconditioning function. As the name suggests, this allows you to preheat the car before driving it. Besides giving you a cozy cabin, it lets you save range because you won’t have to heat it while driving. If you schedule preconditioning while the car is charging, your battery will have time to warm up and be at an optimal temperature when you set off. Additionally, a tarp or anti-frost cover helps save extra energy when warming up the car and protects the bodywork.

Drive cautiously

When roads become icy and snow starts to fall, safety is your top priority. Good news: the safest way to drive in winter is also the one that maximizes range. Your wheels have less grip on cold roads, which means that sudden acceleration or braking can cause the car to skid. Smoothness and finesse are the keys to optimal winter driving.

Keep your battery charged

Cold or not, always avoid fully draining the battery and keep it at least above 20%. In winter, this ensures you have enough margin to heat the vehicle while maintaining a reasonable range.

To tame winter, you need to be ready to face unexpected driving conditions. If the weather isn’t an exact science, electric technology is. You’re now ready to face winter with zero degrees, zero emissions and zero worries.

ALSO READ: With Polestar, you plug in and recharge!