Ok, first of all, I don't like the idea of MPG stickers on those electric cars but that's a whole different issue.
Now when it's cold in the winter, like 20 degrees F or so, how much % of the energy is being taken to heat up the car? I don't see any numbers posted for that.
I was once stuck in traffic in winter in a Prius and it was hell....so cold.
I imagine that in a few years, with global warming, you won't have to worry about heating your car - Mother Earth will do it for you.
A link to a cold weather road test of the Nissan Leaf:
http://blogs.wsj.com/drivers-seat/2010/12/20/nissan-leaf-a-road-test/
I'm pretty sure the Prius will run the engine if it's started completely cold and you call for heat.
ElectricCar wrote:
Ok, first of all, I don't like the idea of MPG stickers on those electric cars but that's a whole different issue.
Now when it's cold in the winter, like 20 degrees F or so, how much % of the energy is being taken to heat up the car? I don't see any numbers posted for that.
I was once stuck in traffic in winter in a Prius and it was hell....so cold.
? Did you have the heat on? If you put the heat on, the engine will run and you will be warm. Granted, you'll be getting worse mileage.
I agree though that mileage will suffer. My Prius gets about a 20% reduction in mileage in winter due to using fan, wipers, lights, etc. In summer, I average about 52 mpg, winter about 42.
I have read that 20% of the electricity goes toward running the heat in an all-electric car.
Citizen Runner wrote:
A link to a cold weather road test of the Nissan Leaf:
http://blogs.wsj.com/drivers-seat/2010/12/20/nissan-leaf-a-road-test/
Wow, that's worse than I expected. So, about 50miles range with a brand new battery. A couple hundred charges and you're probably down to 40. Pass.
I notice a mpg hit in the winter if I choose to run the heater. Typically i avoid this by just going without the heat (I already have a coat on so I don't really need a heater). When I do run the heater I notice mileage very close to 50mpg whereas without the heater I am typically above 55mpg.
Of course, winter driving isn't great for anyone. You can count on your mileage to drop significantly as soon as the "winter gas" full of extra additive crap comes out sometime around November. Drags your mileage down until the spring.