67 EVs Were Range-Tested In Sub-Zero Conditions. Here

• Chinese automotive experts drove 67 cars in Inner Mongolia, most of them EVs and hybrids.
• In what was the world’s largest EV test, the group drove in temperatures as low as -22 degrees Fahrenheit.
• The extreme weather and poor driving conditions adversely impacted all EVs’ driving range. 

The world’s largest-ever electric vehicle winter test just concluded in China, and the results show just how extreme cold punishes driving range. Chinese EVs dominated the rankings, but one American and one Japanese model still cracked the top ten.

The test was conducted by Autohome, China’s largest automotive media outlet, which drove roughly 67 new EVs and hybrids to Yakeshi, Inner Mongolia. There, about 100 car experts subjected the vehicles through rigorous tests to examine their range, charging performance, driveability on icy surfaces, acceleration and safety tests.

Photo by: Autohome

Overall, Chinese EVs largely outperformed the Tesla Model Y, Model Y L and even the Model 3. Still, Tesla’s electric sedan managed to land in the top ten for range retention, despite temperatures plunging well below freezing, which spanned between 14 degrees Fahrenheit  and -22 F in some cases.

The thing is, EV batteries are simply not at their happiest when the mercury drops. Batteries do not like to be cold. Modern EVs are still engineered to survive extreme cold, with sophisticated thermal management systems and broad operating temperature windows, but today’s lithium-ion chemistry still has inherent limitations. Those limits showed up most clearly in reduced driving range—as the car has to expend a large portion of its energy just heating up its own battery. (Gasoline cars aren’t immune from an efficiency drop in extreme winters, either.)

One of the main goals of this test was to measure how much range EVs could retain in extreme cold compared with their manufacturer-rated figures. Nearly every vehicle saw its range fall sharply. Most of them lost more than half of their claimed range, which, frankly, should surprise no one.

Cold temperature increases the viscosity (or thickness) of the electrolyte inside lithium-ion batteries, which is the liquid chemical that allows ions to shuttle during charging and discharging. This creates some internal resistance in the battery that slows down the ion movement. As a result, the battery has to work harder just to keep the wheels turning, leading to higher energy consumption. It also has to use a heat pump or resistive heater to keep its own battery warmed up.

Photo by: Autohome

Also worth noting: The test was different from the 60-70 miles per hour highway range test we’re used to seeing in the U.S. The testers appear to have conducted the tests at around 70-80 kilometers per hour (43-49 mph), which is more in line with the average driving speeds in China. Still, icy surfaces and sub-zero temperatures mean the batteries were under extreme duress regardless.

In the end, sedans emerged as the clear winners, thanks to their superior aerodynamics and lower weight. The Xpeng P7 came out on top, covering 366.7 km (227 miles) on a full charge, retaining nearly 53.9% of its CLTC range of 680 km (422 miles). The Yangwang U7 achieved 51.8% of its original range, followed by the Zeekr 001 at 49.6%.

The Tesla Model 3 and Nissan N7 rounded out the top five, retaining about 48% and 47.4% of their rated range. Interestingly, the new Mercedes-Benz CLA fell far short of its 866 km (566 miles) CLTC range, falling behind the Tesla and other Chinese EVs, retaining only 37% of its claimed range under hard testing. That’s slightly disappointing given that it’s among the newest and one of the most modern and sophisticated EVs in this group.

Again, don’t be misled by this extreme decline in the range figures of these EVs. Mongolia’s extreme weather, strong winds, unpaved surfaces and the fact that the testers kept the cabins warm meant the testing conditions were different from your typical winter driving roads.

The long wheelbase Tesla Model Y L, as well as the regular version, ranked 29th and 31st on the leaderboard, retaining about 35.2% and 36.1% of their claimed range. That’s actually respectable, given that the Chinese SUVs they were up against were far superior. The Xiaomi SU7, Aito M7 and the Nio ES8 all fared better than the Tesla, each retaining more than 40% of their CLTC range.

Photo by: Autohome

Another revealing metric was energy consumption per 100 kilometers (62 miles). In this category, smaller and affordable EVs outperformed their heavier siblings, thanks to their low weight and simpler architectures. The BYD Seagull and the Geely Xingyuan both were tied on top, consuming about 23.5 kilowatt hours of electricity to cover 62 miles, which is about 2.6 miles per kWh. The BYD Seal 06 (24.6 kWh), Wuling Bingo S (24.9 kWh) and Tesla Model 3 (24.9 kWh) completed the top five in this test. That’s a solid showing for all the cars here, given the brutal conditions.

While Chinese EVs are all in a league of their own, the results underscore that the Model 3 is still one of the most efficient EVs on the planet.

Have a tip? Contact the author: suvrat.kothari@insideevs.com

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