Navigating Electric Vehicles in Cold Climates: A Handy User Guide
In the face of harsh winter conditions, Polestar has equipped its electric vehicles with features designed to ensure a comfortable and efficient driving experience.
The Polestar, tested on icy tracks and in the Arctic Circle, comes with a pre-heating function that allows vehicle preheating, increasing autonomy in cold weather. Maintaining the battery level above 20% is crucial for this feature, ensuring the ability to reheat the vehicle and provide necessary autonomy in cold temperatures.
A winter kit is also recommended for those planning longer trips on less-traveled roads during winter. This kit should include essentials such as windshield washer fluid, a blanket, shovel, flashlight, reflective vest, warm clothing, gloves, hat, and a check on tire tread and tire pressure.
When driving in winter, avoiding sudden accelerations and braking helps maximise autonomy and ensures safety. Scheduling pre-heating allows the battery to warm up and reach the ideal temperature for startup.
The Polestar Plus Pack includes a more efficient heat pump for cabin temperature control and energy consumption. Heated seats and a heated steering wheel can keep passengers warm on shorter trips, allowing for reduced cabin temperature and increased autonomy.
Using the Eco mode of the Polestar allows for additional adjustments to increase autonomy. This includes activating Eco Climate and using eco-friendly tire pressure. When stopping for a longer trip, adding a rapid charger to the navigation system as an intermediate destination ensures the battery is at the ideal temperature for charging, facilitating a faster and more efficient charge.
Driving comfort during winter depends on adequate preparations. Keeping the car in a garage or covering it with a tarp or ice cover can save energy during vehicle heating.
While the art of high-speed driving for electric vehicles is a focus of Polestar's Director of Chassis Development, Joakim Rydholm, it's important to remember that winter driving requires a different approach. Preparation, patience, and caution are key to ensuring a safe and enjoyable winter driving experience.
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