How fast is Munich-Berlin in the cold? ADAC electric car winter test

Contents

A test by ADAC under laboratory conditions shows that current electric cars are already well suited for travel, even when high speeds and low temperatures drastically increase consumption. This is important because the largest part of the skepticism towards electric cars is distributed across charging performance and range. Both are also related in that they determine travel speed when charging is necessary on the go. One is fast when both are high, but high charging performance can compensate for a shorter range. However, the weather has a decisive influence on both: the colder it is, the more viscous the current flows. Both charging performance and range decrease with temperature – and thus travel suitability.

Broad test field

This test focused on a vehicle class that appears particularly suitable for travel. The potential test field for family-friendly electric cars has now grown so large that the club could make a selection: it only included those that achieved at least a "satisfactory" rating in its own tests for the "family" criterion and a range of at least 500 km according to WLTP. Despite the criteria, 14 participants were still included, proof of how many everyday and family-friendly electric cars are already available. The price range, capped at €100,000, is also quite broad under these specifications and ranges from €86,811 for the Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV 350+ to the Skoda Elroq (Test) for €43,900.

In alphabetical order, these are:

• Audi A6 Avant e-tron (Test)
• BMW i5 touring
• BYD Sealion 7
• Hyundai Ioniq 5 (Test)
• Kia EV6 (Test)
• Mercedes EQE SUV
• Opel Grandland Electric (Test)
• Polestar 4 (Test)
• Porsche Macan (Test)
• Skoda Elroq
• Smart #5 (Test)
• Tesla Model Y (Test)
• Volvo EX90
• VW ID.7 Tourer (Test)

Munich-Berlin, and where possible, at the recommended speed

All underwent a climate-controlled test bench run simulating the route from Munich Central Station to Berlin Central Station via the autobahn. To achieve this, the electrons' brain of the test bench at the ADAC Technology Center for Electromobility in Landsberg am Lech was programmed with data collected from a real journey for speed and altitude profiles. Speed limits were observed but never undercut; otherwise, the recommended speed of 130 km/h applied. For the 582 km, the pure driving time was therefore 5 hours and 15 minutes, corresponding to an average speed of 111 km/h.

The temperature in the test bench was set to zero degrees, slightly below the German average for winter. The heating, which is relevant for consumption unlike in an internal combustion engine, was set to automatically maintain between 20 and 23 degrees at the driver's head height.

Rules for the procedure

• The battery was charged to 100 percent and the car preconditioned during this time. The test bench run began with a cold start without battery heating to represent the most common expected use case.
• Charging occurred as soon as the vehicle reduced power to the point where the possible speed could no longer be maintained. Then, the vehicle was charged again at a 300 kW charger, and the energy recharged in 20 minutes was determined.
• Battery conditioning remained switched off to avoid affecting the range. This proved to be unnecessary, as ADAC argues that all batteries are already warm enough from the drive at the charging stops. In this regard, we have had different experiences in practice on winter autobahns in the heise/Autos editorial office.

To determine the electricity consumption for the distance driven, ADAC technicians included fast charging, including charging losses. For evaluation, the technicians used range with 50 percent, recharging with 25 percent, and consumption with 25 percent.

Audi and Tesla lead, Volvo and BYD lag

The Audi A6 Avant e-tron offers the best ratio, followed by the Tesla Model Y, both rated "good" by ADAC. The Audi achieves a very good 441 km thanks to 23.2 kWh/100 km. Its charging performance helps it achieve 300 km in 20 minutes, which no other electric car in the test can match. Behind them are ten cars with an overall rating of "satisfactory". Only Volvo EX90 and BYD Sealion 7 fall with an "adequate": both have high electricity consumption.

The Skoda Elroq offers the best price-performance ratio. For half the price of a Porsche Macan, it offers almost the same long-distance performance and no less space. The most efficient electric car is the Tesla Model Y with only 22.2 kWh/100 km – despite all-wheel drive.

Higher charging speed with higher voltage

Also not surprising is the generally higher charging performance with a voltage level of 800 volts. Volkswagen shows that there are exceptions to this rule. In the specified 20 minutes, the VW ID.7 Tourer Pro, as the only 400-volt car, manages to recharge electricity for more than 200 km. However, during this time, the 800-volt cars Audi A6 with 300 km and the Smart #5 with 264 km set the benchmarks.

Physics still defies fashion

The test indicates that modern electric cars are well suited for long-distance travel, even in cold weather. Furthermore, higher prices do not always have to be paid for high performance. Some announced models promise noticeably better performance. The aforementioned switch to 800 volts will play a major role in this. Electric cars from the Far East, especially China, continue to perform the worst. And, as expected, physics still cannot be subordinated to fashion: station wagons continue to consume less than SUVs. BYD Sealion 7, Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV, and Volvo EX90 even exceed the mark of 30 kWh per 100 km, with the BYD being particularly striking at 35.3 kWh/100 km.

The results, however, prove once again that WLTP range figures are not even remotely achievable, especially in cold weather. This is not surprising, as WLTP determines these values at 23°C and with a driving profile with little autobahn proportion. The increased consumption measured in the test at 0°C and predominantly autobahn speeds up to the recommended speed is on average 57 percent above the WLTP figure. The Hyundai Ioniq 5 had the largest deviation at 69 percent, while the Tesla Model Y achieved the smallest at 40 percent. ADAC therefore wishes for at least an additional consumption figure outside fair-weather conditions.

(fpi)