# Will an electric car run differently in hot and cold weather? **URL:** \ **Category:** Technical Discussions\ **Created:** [September 13, 2015, 11:18am UTC](https://community.electricforum.com/t/will-an-electric-car-run-differently-in-hot-and-cold-weather/5307 "2015-09-13T11:18:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Greendriver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Greendriver](https://community.electricforum.com/u/Greendriver)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2015, 11:18am UTC](https://community.electricforum.com/t/will-an-electric-car-run-differently-in-hot-and-cold-weather/5307/1 "2015-09-13T11:18:23Z")
I have read that journey capacity of electric vehicles can depend upon the weather, is this correct? ---
**Author:** ![Maxcapacity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d07c76/32.png) [@Maxcapacity](https://community.electricforum.com/u/Maxcapacity)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2015, 6:09am UTC](https://community.electricforum.com/t/will-an-electric-car-run-differently-in-hot-and-cold-weather/5307/2 "2015-09-14T06:09:17Z")
I read somewhere that battery performance varies at different temperatures - is this right? ---
**Author:** ![samrick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4bbf92/32.png) [@samrick](https://community.electricforum.com/u/samrick)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2015, 4:41am UTC](https://community.electricforum.com/t/will-an-electric-car-run-differently-in-hot-and-cold-weather/5307/3 "2015-09-17T04:41:57Z")
It really depend upon the many factors to produce more power by engine according to the weather.But i personally think that hybrid cars are better which runs on electricity and diesel or petrol etc. ---
**Author:** ![meghlaa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7c8e57/32.png) [@meghlaa](https://community.electricforum.com/u/meghlaa)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2016, 4:32am UTC](https://community.electricforum.com/t/will-an-electric-car-run-differently-in-hot-and-cold-weather/5307/4 "2016-05-24T04:32:27Z")
> [@Maxcapacity;26119](#): > > I read somewhere that battery performance varies at different temperatures - is this right? I guess[,](http://www.caraudiogiants.com/shop-by-category/amplifiers/soundstream-p4-800.html) its right!!!:rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Old\_Houseboater](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/community.electricforum.com/old_houseboater/32/544_2.png) [@Old\_Houseboater](https://community.electricforum.com/u/Old_Houseboater)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2016, 5:06am UTC](https://community.electricforum.com/t/will-an-electric-car-run-differently-in-hot-and-cold-weather/5307/5 "2016-05-24T05:06:04Z")
Range is reduced in cold weather. Rodney ---
**Author:** ![Milano](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/bcef8e/32.png) [@Milano](https://community.electricforum.com/u/Milano)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2016, 12:25am UTC](https://community.electricforum.com/t/will-an-electric-car-run-differently-in-hot-and-cold-weather/5307/6 "2016-06-27T00:25:28Z")
As for me I think it does not matter what weather it is if it’s not -50 grades or + 80grades… ---
**Author:** ![dragonsgate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d9b06d/32.png) [@dragonsgate](https://community.electricforum.com/u/dragonsgate)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2016, 5:13am UTC](https://community.electricforum.com/t/will-an-electric-car-run-differently-in-hot-and-cold-weather/5307/7 "2016-06-27T05:13:46Z")
[QUOTE=Milano;31461]As for me I think it does not matter what weather it is if it’s not -50 grades or + 80grades…[/QUOTE Ambient temperature does effect the performance of batteries. Lead acid batteries are usually rated at 70 degrees F. Below that and they start to get stiff and do not release their energy as fast thus making the car more sluggish and shorter range. Lithium batts are a little less effected but still are noticeably so. Very simply put the colder the batteries the slower the electrons move reducing the ability to give off energy. The warmer the battery the freer the electrons move giving off energy faster. Just about all batteries can get over heated and fail. Newer ICE computerized Fi autos are not as effected by temperature because air fuel ratios are regulated to compensate for temp changes. A carbureted engine will run better on a cold day because the chilled air causes the fuel to vaporize more efficiently. ---
**Author:** ![EvForum](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/community.electricforum.com/evforum/32/322_2.png) [@EvForum](https://community.electricforum.com/u/EvForum)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2016, 7:46am UTC](https://community.electricforum.com/t/will-an-electric-car-run-differently-in-hot-and-cold-weather/5307/8 "2016-06-27T07:46:48Z")
Thanks for the detailed post Dragonsgate - that all makes perfect sense when you see it on the screen. ---
**Author:** ![dragonsgate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d9b06d/32.png) [@dragonsgate](https://community.electricforum.com/u/dragonsgate)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2016, 3:56pm UTC](https://community.electricforum.com/t/will-an-electric-car-run-differently-in-hot-and-cold-weather/5307/9 "2016-06-27T15:56:19Z")
> [@EvForum;31475](#): > > Thanks for the detailed post Dragonsgate - that all makes perfect sense when you see it on the screen. Seeing as how I am on a roll…another thing that effects battery performance, especially lead acid batteries is the peukert effect. The amp hour rating of a FLA can be cut nearly in half with this law. As the battery is used it gasses making it harder for the electrons to get to the plates. Example; pour soda in a glass. As you pour foam appears. This is something like the Peukert effect. Pour fast a lot of foam. slow less foam. Let the battery/soda set and the foam turns back to liquid. If you have a lead battery rated at 100 amp hours then you can figure on 60 to 70 usable amps. there is a page that can explain in more detail than I can. [evdl.org/lib/index,html](http://evdl.org/lib/index,html) ---
**Author:** ![Old\_Houseboater](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/community.electricforum.com/old_houseboater/32/544_2.png) [@Old\_Houseboater](https://community.electricforum.com/u/Old_Houseboater)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2016, 6:29am UTC](https://community.electricforum.com/t/will-an-electric-car-run-differently-in-hot-and-cold-weather/5307/10 "2016-06-29T06:29:17Z")
[quote=dragonsgate;31468][QUOTE=Milano;31461]As for me I think it does not matter what weather it is if it’s not -50 grades or + 80grades… [/QUOTE A carbureted engine will run better on a cold day because the chilled air causes the fuel to vaporize more efficiently.[/quote] Hmmm Not quite. Cold air is denser is the reason many older Carb engines run better. When it is really hot out some old cars had a tendency to “Vapor Lock”. The “Good Old Days” wern’t always that great. Rodney ---
**Author:** ![dragonsgate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d9b06d/32.png) [@dragonsgate](https://community.electricforum.com/u/dragonsgate)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2016, 1:29pm UTC](https://community.electricforum.com/t/will-an-electric-car-run-differently-in-hot-and-cold-weather/5307/11 "2016-06-29T13:29:20Z")
[quote=OLD HOUSEBOATER;31496][quote=dragonsgate;31468] Hmmm Not quite. Cold air is denser is the reason many older Carb engines run better. When it is really hot out some old cars had a tendency to “Vapor Lock”. The “Good Old Days” wern’t always that great. Rodney[/quote] Yes cold air is denser but the fact that it is cold is what helps the atomizing of the gas. When vapor lock occurs it is because the gas does just that (Vaporize) and the fuel will not flow. There were tests done in the thirties with heating and vaporizing fuels. Ford claimed to get 100 miles a gallon on a flathead V8 engine on vaporized fuel. From what I remember reading they even ran heated unrefined crude with good results. Years ago I was looking into different ways to power cars and found the article. It also said that the big three have the patens on vaporization and it is illegal to run the system on the road. ---
**Author:** ![Old\_Houseboater](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/community.electricforum.com/old_houseboater/32/544_2.png) [@Old\_Houseboater](https://community.electricforum.com/u/Old_Houseboater)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2016, 2:49pm UTC](https://community.electricforum.com/t/will-an-electric-car-run-differently-in-hot-and-cold-weather/5307/12 "2016-06-29T14:49:04Z")
For gasoline to be burned three things need to occur. It must be atomized (broken into small particles), emulsified (mixed with air), and vaporized (changed into a rarefied form). The job of the carburetor is to prepare the gasoline to make the phase change from liquid to vapor. If the fuel is not atomized sufficiently, the subsequent two steps cannot take place effectively. This is “off topic” so I will back out of this. Rodney ---
**Author:** ![dragonsgate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d9b06d/32.png) [@dragonsgate](https://community.electricforum.com/u/dragonsgate)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2016, 3:16pm UTC](https://community.electricforum.com/t/will-an-electric-car-run-differently-in-hot-and-cold-weather/5307/13 "2016-06-29T15:16:14Z")
[quote=OLD HOUSEBOATER;31502]For gasoline to be burned three things need to occur. It must be atomized (broken into small particles), emulsified (mixed with air), and vaporized (changed into a rarefied form). The job of the carburetor is to prepare the gasoline to make the phase change from liquid to vapor. If the fuel is not atomized sufficiently, the subsequent two steps cannot take place effectively. This is “off topic” so I will back out of this. Rodney[/quote] I think we are waltzing around the same conclusions just can’t seem to put them together. I am sure we agree with no issues that cold weather effects battery performance.