Charging in cold weather
A cold, hard fact: charging efficiency drops as the temperature does. Read on to find out why this happens and how to make it more efficient in your Polestar.
A cold, hard fact: charging efficiency drops as the temperature does. Read on to find out why this happens and how to make it more efficient in your Polestar.
Lithium ions, electrodes and electrons — oh my. EV batteries are complex, and so are the electrochemical reactions that take place inside them. It’s important to know that a cold battery reacts more slowly, increasing internal resistance and extending DC charging times.
The battery temperature will rise while the car is plugged into a charger. At the same time, the car’s battery management system automatically adjusts the charger’s output to balance the fastest possible charging with battery longevity. A battery that heats up too quickly risks cell deterioration and lithium plating, which can reduce its maximum charge capacity over time.
Lithium ions, electrodes and electrons — oh my. EV batteries are complex, and so are the electrochemical reactions that take place inside them. It’s important to know that a cold battery reacts more slowly, increasing internal resistance and extending DC charging times.
The battery temperature will rise while the car is plugged into a charger. At the same time, the car’s battery management system automatically adjusts the charger’s output to balance the fastest possible charging with battery longevity. A battery that heats up too quickly risks cell deterioration and lithium plating, which can reduce its maximum charge capacity over time.
The key to charging in winter is keeping the battery warm. Driving performance and range will also benefit. Preconditioning your Polestar does the job perfectly, with very little effort.
The key to charging in winter is keeping the battery warm. Driving performance and range will also benefit. Preconditioning your Polestar does the job perfectly, with very little effort.
Simply put, preconditioning the battery means bringing it to the ideal temperature for optimal performance. A warm battery takes charge much better than a cold one, so preconditioning the battery before DC charging can significantly reduce the time you spend plugged in. And the longer the battery has to preheat, the better it charges.
Simply put, preconditioning the battery means bringing it to the ideal temperature for optimal performance. A warm battery takes charge much better than a cold one, so preconditioning the battery before DC charging can significantly reduce the time you spend plugged in. And the longer the battery has to preheat, the better it charges.
- 01.Open the built-in Google Maps app.
- 02.Select a DC fast-charging station as your destination.
Make sure you select the DC charging station itself (70 kW or more) as the waypoint, not a nearby location. Preconditioning won’t start otherwise.
- 03.Drive efficiently.
Route-based preconditioning starts once you’re on your way. When driving in snow and ice, safety should always come first. The good news is that safe driving is efficient driving. Accelerating quickly and braking often will drain the battery faster.
- 04.Allow enough time for the drive.
In very cold conditions, the battery may need at least 40 minutes of preconditioning to reach its ideal charging temperature.
- 05.Arrive with enough charge.
DC fast charging is usually fastest when the battery is low. Battery preconditioning will stop if the battery charge drops below 7%.
Preheat using climate timers for better efficiency.
Before your trip, set the car’s climate timer to warm the cabin while it’s charging. This keeps you and your battery warm without affecting your range. A Polestar equipped with a heat pump will do this even more efficiently.
Enable preconditioning with Google Maps routing.
Selecting a DC fast-charging station (over 70 kW) as a destination in the built-in Google Maps app enables automatic battery preconditioning. Note that the charger itself must be set as the waypoint, otherwise preconditioning won’t begin.
Make sure your estimated state of charge (SOC) on arrival stays above 7%, as the system stops preconditioning if it drops below that level. If needed, choose an earlier charging stop to keep this feature active and charge as efficiently as possible.Plan ahead and give the battery time to warm up.
In very cold conditions, it may take more than 40 minutes of preconditioning for the battery to reach its ideal temperature. Selecting a DC charger as your first stop in Google Maps lets the car precondition in time. Use the send-to-car feature to transfer a route from your phone to your car without ever stepping inside.
On long journeys with several charging stops, prioritising those stops can help maintain peak charging performance.Charge from 10% to 80% to save time.
DC fast-charging performance depends on the battery’s state of charge (SOC). Charging is generally fastest when the battery is between 10% and 80%. Charging is typically faster when the state of charge (SOC) is lower.
Choose “warm” chargers and quieter locations to avoid delays.
A cold charging unit may be less efficient, so using one that’s been used recently may improve results.
On the other hand, charging multiple vehicles at the same time can affect power availability. Some charging stations may limit their output when demand is too high, so charging elsewhere can be more efficient.