Interest in electric vehicles (EVs) is rising in rural areas, especially as there are more new models for every kind of driver, even truck lovers. Electric vehicles are getting better all the time. There have been leaps in battery technology, bringing down the cost of a new EV and increasing their range. In 2024, the median range for all models was 270 miles on one charge, with some new models having ranges over 500 miles. Reliability and maintenance needs are improving as automakers gain more experience in building EVs.
However, there is still a significant lag in EV adoption in rural areas compared to urban areas around the country. States with a more rural population have less than half the market share compared to more urban states. I will take the liberty of applying a quote, attributed to science fiction writer William Gibson, to the context of vehicle electrification: “The future is already here; it’s just not very evenly distributed.”
Why is there a lag? A national survey indicates that charging logistics, range and cost are of special concern to rural drivers. But misconceptions about EVs also play a significant role. We therefore wanted to gain some understanding of EV rural driver concerns from a personal perspective. We interviewed four members of the UCS Science Network who live in rural areas in Alaska, Michigan, Virginia, and West Virginia about their experiences driving EVs. We talked about many EV-related topics, but in this piece I will convey their experiences driving in cold weather, especially their experiences with winter range loss. This is a topic that keeps coming up online, in the media, in conversations with ride-sharing drivers, and at dinner tables.
All drivers are happy owners of EVs, even in the winter
What struck me as one of the most important lessons from these conversations is that all four drivers were totally at ease driving EVs in all kinds of weather, even in extreme cold weather, such as in Alaskan winters (gasp). This is also the case in countries with severe winters, such as Norway, where last November, according to the Norwegian Road Administration, 94.9 percent of new car sales (here) were either battery-electric (93.6 percent) or plugin hybrids (1.3 percent). EV incentives, cost-effective ownership and excellent charging infrastructure contribute to this success story, and EVs are extremely popular with Norwegians.
All our drivers were aware that driving in winter can be challenging regardless of the kind of car one drives. All types of vehicles, electric or gasoline-powered, experience significant fuel economy losses in extreme weather (more on this later). The drivers’ learning curves varied according to their personal circumstances, including the length of their trips and public charger availability along their driving routes. But in spite of the challenges, all the drivers learned to adapt to winters of various degrees of harshness and found ways to minimize range loss.
All four drivers demonstrated deep knowledge about science and technology. Laurie is an engineer and expert on autonomous vehicles. Kevin is a pilot with a career in aviation safety education. David N. is a physics professor and expert on fusion plasmas as well as electricity transmission grids. David R. is also a physics professor, an expert in elementary particles and computational physics, and has published information on EVs.
Three out of the four—Kevin, David R. and Laurie—were early adopters of electric technology. Laurie joined a support group that helped her “transition to an EV lifestyle.” David N. identified as a “would-be early adopter,” but moved to Alaska 27 years ago, when the technology was still too new, and only recently switched to an EV.
The fact that they are all very well-informed about EVs made a difference in their learning curves, especially in light of the abundant misinformation in the media about EVs and cold weather, but the lessons these drivers conveyed to us can be of use to anyone who drives an EV or is considering a switch.
Range reduction in winter is real but manageable
The drivers acknowledged that range reduction in cold weather can be significant enough to make long trips challenging in rural areas with limited charging networks. As part of their learning curve, they all learnt that planning ahead and knowing where to find chargers along a route is important, especially on long trips in the winter. This planning ahead makes range loss manageable (more details later).
Annually, people drive an average of 13,500 miles in the US, but in rural areas that average can be much higher. Laurie, who has a home in rural Michigan, used to regularly drive 25,000 miles per year, nearly twice as much as the national average. David N., who lives in Alaska, has a colleague who regularly drives her EV long distances in that huge state for fieldwork.
Aside from long trips, there are other reasons that contribute to range anxiety in rural areas. Rural terrain can be hilly. Rural residents are more dependent on their cars than their urban counterparts because of infrequent transit service and limited access to app-based services. Several factors make rural communities particularly susceptible to extreme cold weather, especially physical isolation, lack of redundancy in roads, a higher proportion of low-income households, and an aging population. In several areas of the country, climate change is also making cold, snow and ice more severe or likely.
Understanding the influence of one’s individual conditions on range loss isn’t straightforward, as it includes factors such as the design of the vehicle, external conditions and climate settings. The physicists reminded us that physics and chemistry are everywhere in these factors, and mentioned the example of how cold air is denser than warm air, so the aerodynamic drag on a car is greater in the winter. Still, the drivers offered educated guesses about their individual range losses which were consistent with estimates from studies. In a Norwegian 2021 study, in the winter all cars lost at least 10 percent of their range and some lost over 30 percent. In a 2024 Consumer Reports test of five models, EVs lost 25 percent of their range.
Why are EVs more efficient than gasoline cars, and yet lose more range in the cold?
On the other hand, in city driving the fuel economy of a gasoline car is approximately 15 percent lower at 20°F compared to what it would be at 77°F. On short trips the difference is even larger, almost 25 percent. One of the reasons that EVs on average lose more range in cold weather than gasoline cars is that their engines do not produce waste heat. Gasoline or diesel engines produce waste heat, but this can be used to warm the cabin by means of a radiator-like device. But EV engines are much more efficient than internal combustion engines and have no free waste heat. They convert more than three-quarters of the electrical energy from the power grid to turn the wheels, whereas a gasoline-powered vehicle only converts about 12 to 30 percent of energy stored in the fuel into moving the car.
Another reason that EVs have higher fuel economy losses in cold weather is that the chemical reactions in lithium-ion batteries slow down at low temperatures. Thermal management systems keep battery temperature at optimal values. David N. said that the battery self-heating system does a pretty good job keeping it warm in Alaskan winters, and that if the battery is extremely cold, he first needs to let it warm up before charging.
Summarizing, even though a battery loses some performance in the winter, the biggest factor contributing to fuel economy loss, and hence range, is still the heat needed to regulate the battery temperature, and other ‘auxiliary’ heating needs, such as cabin, seat and steering-wheel heating.
What about EVs with heat pumps? The Alaskan driver’s colleague who travels long distances has an EV with a heat pump and loves it. Heat pumps are the reverse of refrigerators: they use compressors and condensers to move heat to or from the cabin or battery and are much more efficient than electric resistance heaters. In one study on heat pumps, the average fuel economy increased by 8 to 10 percent near 30oF. There are also studies showing they do lose efficiency past a certain point of extreme cold, but they outperform resistance heating overall. Heat pump technology is becoming more prevalent, but there is uncertainty about when they might become standard in new EVs.
Charging speed can slow down in cold temperatures
When Kevin, from West Virginia, was at the bottom of the learning curve and the first cold winter arrived, he noticed a drop in chargeability and available range and of course was quite concerned. But it only took him a few cold days to get used to that and he hasn’t had any battery issues because of extreme cold. David R. said that winter temperatures in Virginia never affected his charging. Overall, none of the drivers were especially affected by the slower charging rates in cold weather.
Lithium-ion batteries charge at different rates depending on temperature. This happens because the battery management system limits charging rates to avoid damaging the battery cells. One study from the Idaho National Laboratory shows how DC fast charging deteriorates considerably in cold temperatures. At 32 degrees Fahrenheit, the tested EV batteries took in about one third less energy than at 77 degrees, in the same amount of time. Further research is needed, as this 2018 study was based on a single type of vehicle, the first-generation Nissan Leaf, and a single type of DC fast charger. EVs with more advanced battery management systems are likely to perform better.
It is also important to mention that the drivers were aware that batteries experience no lasting damage from the cold, and that an EV’s range goes back to the expected range after winter is over.
Long trips in the winter are becoming more manageable as more public chargers are made available
Concern about range, especially in the winter, is undeniably linked to the availability of charging stations, and finding one in many areas of the country still requires planning, even as charging networks are expanding. All four drivers mentioned recently seeing more charging stations, but not always close to home. David R. has started to notice more charging in his area in Virginia and has done work contributing to the early installation of Level 2 chargers.
All drivers also mentioned how DC charging is highly desirable, especially for long trips in the winter. David N. said that, according to the colleague who does fieldwork, it is possible to get from Anchorage to Fairbanks – a 350 mile trip – with one charging stop. However, she said that there still aren’t enough DC fast chargers in Alaska to make long trips in the winter feasible without inconvenient long stops. She has no trouble making the same long trips in spring or summer and is waiting for the state to start implementing National EV Infrastructure Program (NEVI) plans to install chargers along designated corridors. There has been significant progress made in the program despite various obstacles, and it’s important this critical work continues to be carried out.
At the time Laurie made her purchase, ranges were still too low for her long-distance driving needs, and she wasn’t able to cope with the range reduction in a Michigan winter (especially at minus 20oF!) and so opted for a Chevrolet Volt, a PHEV with extended range. Like David N.’s colleague, she is also waiting for charging infrastructure to catch up before switching to an all-electric car. This highlights how trip distance and a broader network of charging stations can be major considerations for some rural drivers.
Rural drivers need more models to choose from
David N. said that there is a perception that EVs have real downsides in extreme temperatures such as in Alaskan winters. The Norwegian example should suffice here, but he thinks that unfortunately this negative perception still affects the availability of models in dealer lots. He had to wait six months for his order of a Kia EV6 to arrive in Fairbanks and David R. said that being able to close a deal online could benefit rural drivers. Especially needed are models with all-wheel drive and heat pumps. David N. was also quick to say that luxury models are not needed.
There is no question that an increased availability—and visibility—of affordable new and used models will help rural drivers make the switch. In rural areas in general, regardless of temperature, there is less familiarity with EVs than in urban areas. According to a Consumers Reports survey, only 27 percent of rural dwellers have seen an EV in their neighborhood in the past month compared to more than half of urban dwellers, and even fewer have a friend, relative or co-worker who owns an EV. A whopping 90 percent of rural dwellers have never been a passenger in an EV, and almost nobody has ever driven one.
It is reassuring that there are several things an EV driver can do to improve range in the winter
Drivers can’t change hilly terrain and road conditions, or the length of their trips, but there are some things they can do that make a noticeable difference in how fast batteries run down.
For instance, if possible, one should keep an EV parked in a garage and warm it up before unplugging so that the battery reaches its optimal temperature before it’s exposed to the cold (that’s called preconditioning). Brushing off snow more often is a good idea since there is no waste heat to melt it. Laurie says she almost never uses cabin heating, and that steering-wheel heating and seat-warmers are sufficient in Michigan winters. Planning ahead for longer charging times in winter is another good idea.
Keeping one’s tires properly inflated helps save range, since low tire pressure causes great rolling resistance and decreases efficiency. Laurie switches to winter tires, which increase rolling resistance but grips the road better, so overall the safety benefit outweighs the decrease in fuel economy. But these tires can be more expensive and harder to find. David N. said that their winter tire manufacturer doesn’t have an EV-rated model and he is looking for other manufacturers in Alaska.
Driving behavior is a very touchy topic, but I’ll venture some advice anyway. We all know that reducing speed significantly decreases stopping distance (especially important in winter driving conditions!) and reduces the risk of death or serious injury in a collision. But what is less known is that a car, any car, uses more energy at higher speeds than lower speeds. The physicists reminded us that the energy needed to overcome air resistance (also called drag) rises with the square of the speed. For instance, if one reduces speed from 70 to 60 mph, which is a reduction in speed of a little more than 14 percent, the air resistance decreases by about 26 percent.
Using one-pedal driving also helps save range. In this mode, the electric motor reverses when the driver lifts their foot off the accelerator. Regenerative braking, which means taking the energy lost when the car slows down and feeding it back to the battery, is then activated and the car slows down instantly. This mode improves the efficiency of an EV.
The four drivers shared more similarities than differences in their real-life conditions
There were several similarities in the experiences of our EV drivers, and many of these are shared across rural areas. These include frequently driving long distances and being more dependent on their cars than their urban counterparts. All drivers experienced cold winters, even though the gradient from Alaska to Virginia winter temperatures is rather large.
But some characteristics of our drivers are not necessarily representative of most rural drivers. Rural areas in this country are extraordinarily diverse. They make up 97 percent of our country’s land area, include about 70 percent of our roads and are home for approximately 46 million people. Characteristics of rural areas can be significantly different, as can individual circumstances of rural residents.
One characteristic which is not so common in most rural areas is early adoption of electric technology. All our drivers were early adopters and are far along in their learning curve. But the good news is that our drivers’ winter experiences started off at the bottom of a steep learning curve, and EV batteries have improved a lot since they made the switch to electric, so learning curves today are less steep.
Second, all the drivers already had a gasoline-powered car when they bought an EV, so like most rural residents, they own at least two cars. Kevin joked saying that his family already owned a “dinosaur burning vehicle” before buying an EV. But approximately one-third of households only own one car and 4 percent of rural residents do not have any car at all. Having a second car or a PHEV as a backup is reassuring in areas where public transit is scarce or non-existent, regardless of the weather.
Third, all the drivers live in single-family homes with access to charging, but only about three-quarters of rural dwellers who responded to a Consumer Reports survey live in detached one-family houses. The survey also showed that about one third of rural dwellers who have private, off-street parking or dedicated spot do not have access to any kind of outlet at these locations. And one quarter of rural dwellers rent their home, which can make infrastructure upgrades more difficult. Laurie has a country home and would need to upgrade her electrical panel to install a more efficient Level 2 charger, which would be very helpful in the winter. She would like to see utility programs supporting the installation of level 2 chargers in rural areas.
Finally
I can’t help but remind everyone that EVs perform very well at all times, including under winter conditions. This is because of their low center of gravity and the quick response from their instantaneous torque. Also, EVs have lower maintenance and fuel costs. And of course, that they do not have tailpipe emissions and are an important strategy for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. I’ll finish by mentioning that Kevin has solar panels on his roof and so his EV charges on fully renewable energy, while his electric bill has decreased substantially.
Referring to his experience as an EV driver, Kevin said: . “…now I make a point when I’m out driving of waving to gas stations and to other oil change places…I wave at them as I go by and kind of smile”.