Over at the Washington Post, Charles Lane has an interesting piece up on the cold truths about electric cars in cold weather climates. He catalogs various studies showing that cold weather diminishes battery capacity, and reminds potential plug-in electric auto buyers about the realities of power loss in cold weather and the phenomenon of excessive commutes in bad weather that could leave electric car drivers stranded with their less-capable, more expensive cars.
Think this is just some trumped-up slam against electric cars? I remember clearly the commercials from my childhood for Sears touting their ability to perform in cold weather – backhand proof that most batteries perform worse in cold weather (why would Sears tout their battery’s performance in cold weather if it wasn’t typically a problem for other batteries?)…
And talking about Sears Diehard commercials, I have to toss this out there as well – it’s a commercial made with Gary Numan (yes, THAT Gary Numan) for Diehard batteries – enjoy!
Sources:
Washington Post: Cold truths on Electric avenue
Suite101.com: Winter Storm in Washington DC Area Leaves Thousands Without Power
ARLNow.com: BREAKING NEWS — Motorists Still Stranded on GW Parkway, I-66
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