In Germany, a stress test of electric cars for driving in winter conditions was carried out

Experts from the reputable German auto club ADAC compared the energy consumption of popular electric vehicles in winter conditions. A trip from Berlin to Munich along a motorway was simulated in the laboratory: engineers transmitted data from a real trip to the test bench equipment. The Audi A6 station wagon showed the best results, while crossovers with poor aerodynamics showed problems.

The program took into account ascents, descents and realistic road conditions. According to the test conditions, not only the maximum range was taken into account, but also the vehicle’s charging speed, as well as its energy consumption on the highway at low temperatures. Overall range was given more weight in the final scores than power consumption and charging speed. As a result, not a single electric car was able to cover 580 km without stopping.

“Most family cars require at least two stops to travel from Munich to Berlin. Only the Audi A6 and Smart #5 can reach their destination with one 20-minute charging stop,” ADAC noted.

The Audi A6 Avant e-tron earned the highest ratings based on test results, Tesla Model Y came in second, Volkswagen ID.7 came in third, followed by Smart #5.

The test outsiders were BYD Sealion 7 and Volvo EX90. ADAC experts noted that crossovers with worse aerodynamics have a shorter range on the highway in winter.