Winter range and cost: what cold really does to an EV
Cold reduces EV efficiency — mostly cabin heating, partly battery chemistry. How much depends on the car, the trip length and the weather, so instead of one suspiciously precise number we show the range of outcomes: what a 10%, 20% or 30% efficiency drop does to running costs at the July 2026 Ofgem price cap (26.11p/kWh). Short urban trips in a cold snap sit at the worse end; motorway runs in mild winter at the better end.
Prices based on the Ofgem price cap of 26.11 p/kWh, effective 1 July 2026.Source: Ofgem
Winter pence per mile, every model we track
| Model | Summer baseline | −10% efficiency | −20% efficiency | −30% efficiency |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BYD Atto 3 | 6.9p/mi | 7.7p/mi | 8.6p/mi | 9.9p/mi |
| Cupra Born | 6.6p/mi | 7.3p/mi | 8.2p/mi | 9.4p/mi |
| Fiat 500e | 5.6p/mi | 6.2p/mi | 7.0p/mi | 8.0p/mi |
| Hyundai IONIQ 5 | 6.9p/mi | 7.7p/mi | 8.6p/mi | 9.9p/mi |
| Hyundai Kona Electric | 6.1p/mi | 6.7p/mi | 7.6p/mi | 8.7p/mi |
| Kia EV3 | 6.2p/mi | 6.9p/mi | 7.7p/mi | 8.8p/mi |
| Kia EV6 | 6.7p/mi | 7.5p/mi | 8.4p/mi | 9.6p/mi |
| Kia Niro EV | 6.7p/mi | 7.5p/mi | 8.4p/mi | 9.6p/mi |
| MG MG4 EV | 6.9p/mi | 7.7p/mi | 8.6p/mi | 9.9p/mi |
| MG ZS EV | 7.4p/mi | 8.2p/mi | 9.3p/mi | 10.6p/mi |
| Nissan Leaf | 6.9p/mi | 7.7p/mi | 8.6p/mi | 9.9p/mi |
| Peugeot e-208 | 6.1p/mi | 6.7p/mi | 7.6p/mi | 8.7p/mi |
| Polestar 2 | 5.8p/mi | 6.5p/mi | 7.3p/mi | 8.3p/mi |
| Renault Megane E-Tech | 6.3p/mi | 7.0p/mi | 7.9p/mi | 9.0p/mi |
| Skoda Enyaq | 6.6p/mi | 7.3p/mi | 8.2p/mi | 9.4p/mi |
| Smart #1 | 7.1p/mi | 7.8p/mi | 8.8p/mi | 10.1p/mi |
| Tesla Model 3 | 6.5p/mi | 7.2p/mi | 8.1p/mi | 9.2p/mi |
| Tesla Model Y | 5.7p/mi | 6.3p/mi | 7.1p/mi | 8.2p/mi |
| Vauxhall Corsa Electric | 6.2p/mi | 6.9p/mi | 7.7p/mi | 8.8p/mi |
| Volkswagen ID.3 | 6.5p/mi | 7.2p/mi | 8.1p/mi | 9.2p/mi |
| Volkswagen ID.4 | 6.9p/mi | 7.7p/mi | 8.6p/mi | 9.9p/mi |
| Volkswagen ID.7 | 5.9p/mi | 6.6p/mi | 7.4p/mi | 8.5p/mi |
| Volvo EX30 | 6.6p/mi | 7.3p/mi | 8.2p/mi | 9.4p/mi |
Baseline uses each model’s verified efficiency at the July 2026 price cap, including ~12% charging losses. Winter columns scale efficiency down by the stated percentage; range scales down identically (a −20% winter turns a 250-mile car into a ~200-mile car).
Blunting the winter penalty
Preheat while plugged in
Warming the cabin and battery on mains power before departure moves the biggest winter load off the battery entirely — and on an off-peak tariff, that preheat energy is bought at the cheap rate.
Heat the person, not just the air
Seat and wheel heating draw far less than the cabin heater. Cars with heat pumps also fare measurably better in the cold — worth checking when comparing models.
Winter is when cheap overnight rates matter most
You are buying more kWh per mile, so the gap between the price cap and an off-peak window is worth more — see EV tariffs explained.
Even the worst case beats most petrol
Check the table: most models at −30% still undercut a 45 mpg petrol car’s fuel cost per mile — and petrol cars also burn more in winter. Full comparison here.