Guide · Living with an EV
EV range in a northern Indiana winter
Yes, an electric car loses range in the cold. No, it is not a reason to avoid one here. This is what the data says for the temperatures we actually get around South Bend, and what you can do about it.
Last updated October 8, 2026
How much range you lose
Recurrent's November 2025 study covered more than 30 models and more than 30,000 vehicles on the road. Measured against each model's range in mild weather, it found the average EV keeps 78 percent of its range at 32 degrees Fahrenheit and 70 percent at 20 degrees. Results by model ran from 69 percent to 88 percent.
South Bend's normal January high is 31 degrees and the normal low is 17, and about 118 days a year dip below freezing. So for a typical winter day here, plan on roughly 70 to 80 percent of your warm weather range, and less on the coldest mornings or on fast highway runs.
Consumer Reports' testing lines up with that. Driving at 70 miles an hour, its test cars went about 25 percent less far at 16 degrees than at 65 degrees. Short trips were worse, about half the range, because the car reheats the cabin from cold each time.
Model by model
Recurrent published model by model figures in its earlier January 2025 edition, which measured a slightly different set of cars. This is how much of its mild-weather range each model kept at 32 degrees Fahrenheit:
| Model | Range kept at 32°F |
|---|---|
| Tesla Model X | 89 percent |
| Tesla Model S | 88 percent (77 percent without a heat pump) |
| Tesla Model 3 | 87 percent (79 percent without a heat pump) |
| Audi e-tron | 87 percent |
| Tesla Model Y | 86 percent |
| Hyundai IONIQ 5 | 85 percent |
| Hyundai Kona Electric | 84 percent |
| Rivian R1S | 83 percent |
| BMW iX | 83 percent |
| Nissan Ariya | 83 percent |
| Kia EV9 | 82 percent |
| Rivian R1T | 81 percent |
| Kia EV6 | 80 percent |
| Nissan Leaf | 78 percent |
| Ford F-150 Lightning | 74 percent |
| Chevrolet Equinox EV | 74 percent |
| Cadillac Lyriq | 72 percent |
| Chevrolet Bolt | 69 percent |
| Ford Mustang Mach-E | 66 percent |
| Volkswagen ID.4 | 63 percent |
A big part of the pattern in that table is the heat pump, though not all of it: the Rivian R1S does well there without one. Recurrent found cars with a heat pump kept 83 percent of their range on average and cars without one kept 75 percent. A heat pump moves heat instead of making it, so it warms the cabin with far less energy. The benefit shrinks as the temperature drops toward zero.
Why cold costs range
Mostly it is the cabin heater. A gas engine throws off waste heat for free. An EV has to make its heat from the battery. Cold also makes the battery itself less efficient until it warms up, limits regenerative braking until then, and drops tire pressure by about one PSI for every 10 degrees.
Cold is not what wears a battery out. Recurrent's research finds winter range loss is temporary and comes back with warmer weather. Over the long run, heat is harder on batteries than cold: its data shows Teslas in cold climates holding their range better than Teslas in hot ones.
Six habits that get miles back
- Warm the car while it is plugged in. Preconditioning uses power from the wall instead of the battery. Tesla suggests starting it 30 to 45 minutes before you leave, or setting a departure time.
- Keep it plugged in when parked. Tesla recommends leaving the car plugged in whenever you are not using it, and the same habit helps any EV.
- Use the seat and steering wheel heaters. They use far less energy than heating all the air in the cabin, so you can turn the cabin temperature down.
- Check your tire pressure when the cold arrives. Low tires cost range in any car.
- Navigate to the fast charger. When you set a fast charger as the destination, Teslas and many other EVs warm the battery on the way so it charges quickly on arrival. A cold battery charges slowly.
- Charge at home. With a Level 2 charger in the garage you start every day charged and warm, and winter range stops being something you think about.
What that looks like in real life
Take a car that delivers 300 miles in mild weather. At 32 degrees, the average EV keeps 78 percent, or about 235 miles. At 20 degrees it keeps 70 percent, or about 210 miles. That is still several days of normal driving between charges, and with home charging you start each morning topped up to your daily limit.
When you shop, start from the car's real range today, not the range on the original window sticker. That is what the Recurrent Range Score on every one of our listings is for.
Winter range questions
How much range does an EV lose in winter in Indiana?
Plan on about 20 to 30 percent on a typical winter day. Recurrent's 2025 study found the average EV keeps 78 percent of its range at 32 degrees Fahrenheit and 70 percent at 20 degrees, and South Bend's normal January temperatures run from a low of 17 to a high of 31.
Which EVs do best in the cold?
In Recurrent's January 2025 data, the Tesla Model X, Model S, Model 3 and Model Y and the Audi e-tron all kept 86 percent or more of their range at freezing. Cars with a heat pump averaged 83 percent, against 75 percent for cars without one. Its November 2025 edition puts the Tesla Cybertruck, Model X and Model S at the top.
Does cold weather damage an EV battery?
Not in normal use. Recurrent's research finds winter range loss is temporary, and heat is harder on batteries over the long run than cold. Tesla's manual does warn against leaving a car below 22 degrees below zero for more than a day, and against letting the battery sit at zero.
Do EVs charge slower in winter?
A cold battery does, especially at a DC fast charger. Setting the charger as your destination in the car's navigation warms the battery on the way. Level 2 charging at home overnight is rarely affected in a way you will notice. A 120 volt outlet is slow at the best of times and can struggle to keep up in deep cold.
Are EVs good in snow?
They are heavy, their weight sits low, and electric motors meter out power precisely, all of which helps traction. Tires matter more than anything else, as on any car.
Keep reading
Sources
- Recurrent: winter EV range loss study, November 19, 2025
- InsideEVs: Recurrent cold weather range data by model, undated, reporting Recurrent data from January 2025
- Recurrent: heat pumps and winter range, November 25, 2024
- Recurrent: how temperature affects EV range, December 15, 2022
- Recurrent: EV charging speeds in cold temperatures, January 18, 2024
- Consumer Reports: how temperature affects electric vehicle range, updated January 17, 2024
- Current Results: South Bend temperature and snowfall normals (NOAA 1991 to 2020), read October 2026
- National Weather Service Northern Indiana: South Bend climate, read October 2026
- Tesla Cybertruck Owner's Manual: cold weather best practices, read October 2026