January 9, 2025
Are ARI electric vehicles actually suitable for winter?
Are ARI electric vehicles actually suitable for winter? How do snow and ice affect the battery of an ARI and what happens to the range in cold temperatures? What about heating my electric vehicle in winter? And what do I need to consider when charging?
Typical winter concerns of electric car drivers, which we will address in detail in this article. This much in advance: most of them are completely unnecessary😊. At least if you take a few basic things to heart when operating your ARI electric vehicle in winter.
In this article, we have therefore put together some useful tips that are guaranteed to help you get your ARI through the winter safely.
Let's get started:
1) Appropriate winter equipment for your ARI electric car
Before you can get started with your ARI winter fun, your ARI electric vehicle first needs the right equipment, i.e. winter tires.
You can order these conveniently in our online store or order them when configuring your ARI.
If you live in a particularly snowy area, we recommend using snow chains. These are also available in our store.
2) Efficient use of the heating in your ARI electric car
Preheating during charging
Your ARI electric vehicle is no different to you. It is reluctant to make a cold start. It is therefore advisable to preheat it before you set off.
The best and most economical way to do this is during charging, as this is when the energy for the electric parking heater is drawn directly from the power grid. And the battery of your ARI can concentrate on the essentials: providing range.
Use the garage and combine tours
It is also advantageous to ensure that your ARI is as warm as possible (for example, by spending the night in the garage) or that it stays warm once it has warmed up.
Why? Because otherwise it will cool down unnecessarily or often and a lot of energy will be used to heat it up again and again.
Tip:
If possible, simply combine several journeys (e.g. first to the doctor, then straight to the shops, the insurance appointment and then to the office) instead of spreading them out over the day.
This will keep the vehicle and battery warm and save you the repeated heating up and the associated costs.
3) Plan charging your ARI electric car in winter
Better daily than miserably
To ensure sufficient battery reserves at all times, even in winter, it is advisable to charge your ARI electric vehicle regularly, preferably daily.
This will prevent the battery from being damaged or running out of range on the road.
Better to charge warm than start cold
As already mentioned: A warm battery is more receptive and can therefore absorb more energy more quickly than a cold one, which still needs to acclimatize.
Tip: Charge your ARI electric vehicle immediately after your journey when it is still warm. This will save you time and energy.
4) Adapted driving behavior in winter
Drive with foresight - save energy
Even if your foot is itching to accelerate, it is better to avoid frequent and hectic acceleration and sudden braking. Not only is this relatively risky, it also consumes much more energy than a calm, anticipatory driving style.
Use rear-wheel drive wisely
The rear-wheel drive of your ARI electric vehicle is absolutely suitable for winter, but requires a little more caution in snow and ice. Just be a little more gentle with the gas pedal and "play" a little to get a feel for how your ARI behaves on snowy and/or slippery roads.
5) Safeguarding the range of your ARI electric car in winter
25% less range due to heating
The fact is, the range of your ARI electric vehicle is somewhat limited in winter. The cold, snow and ice and the constant use of the heating take their toll. The battery of your ARI, which actually feels most comfortable at 20° in early summer, pays the price. You should therefore expect a loss of range of around 25 %.
If you need a range of more than 90 km - use a LiFePo4 battery
With a standard range of 120 km, your ARI electric vehicle will therefore only have a range of approx. 90 km in the winter months. In most cases, this will certainly be enough to complete your daily trips.
If not, we recommend a LiFePo4 battery with a standard range of 150 - 200 km (minus 25 % winter charge).
Conserve the battery - maintain range
In general, the more you protect the battery of your ARI electric vehicle, the more range it can achieve.
If you implement the tips mentioned in this article (charge before setting off, drive carefully, charge regularly, combine trips, keep the ARI warm, etc.), you can do a lot to save energy and minimize the strain on your vehicle's battery.
If the range of your ARI electric vehicle is particularly limited, you can compensate for this by driving in energy-saving ECO mode.
6) Smart in traffic jams - with your ARI electric car
If you get stuck in a traffic jam in your ARI electric vehicle during the winter months, there is no need to worry. Even in this case, there are many things you can do to support your ARI's battery:
- Reduce the interior heating slightly
- Keep windows and doors closed as much as possible (keep the cold out)
- Switch off dipped headlights, switch on parking lights
- Temporarily do without energy-consuming infotainment features (radio, navigation system, etc.)
Tip: The best thing to do in this case is to put an exciting book in the vehicle, a Sudoku book or something else with which you can pass the time pleasantly. Then at least you won't get bored - despite the annoyance of the traffic jam. And your own battery will be recharged a little too😊
Now you are well prepared for winter driving fun with your ARI electric vehicle. So enjoy your ARI and the snow-covered landscape without any worries!
We wish you a safe journey!
Are you in the mood for ARI winter fun and don't have an ARI yet?
