Alternatives for Pre-heating Electric Vehicle Battery Packs While Charging During Winter and Spring in Ontario, Canada: A Case Study

Douglas Ferrier^1, and Srilekha Chintapalli²

¹School of Engineering Technology, Mohawk College, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

²Workforce Development, Conestoga College, Kitchener, Ontario, Canada

Cite this paper:
Douglas Ferrier and Srilekha Chintapalli. Alternatives for Pre-heating Electric Vehicle Battery Packs While Charging During Winter and Spring in Ontario, Canada: A Case Study. American Journal of Vehicle Design. 2023; 7(1):1-7. doi: 10.12691/ajvd-7-1-1

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine if heating a battery pack using a modified electric blanket (MEB) or hot-blowing air from underneath an electric vehicle (EV) extends battery range in a colder climate. Many countries in the world using EVs such as Norway, Sweden, Canada, the United States, and Finland would benefit from increased range during the colder months. A Tesla Model 3 using internal heating with the battery pack provided a model to emulate. The MEB offers a practical means of extending the range in inclement weather with its current layout. The car utilized for this study was a 2021 Hyundai Kona EV Preferred model. Data for this study was obtained during the winter, and all of it was from the Niagara Region in Canada. A total of 39 trials were used, 13 for each of the three options: baseline, MEB, and blowing hot air. There was an increase in range using both the MEB and hot air. Future research should look at adding a permanent add-on aftermarket heating source or an easy-to-connect temporary product that keeps range consistent and increases it during the winter months.

Keywords:
Electric Vehicle Battery Charging Range Hyundai Kona EV Canada

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