- When driving an electric car, how much range does the air conditioner really take?
The air conditioning of a car is a relatively hungry consumer - this is also the case with combustion engines. In an electric car, where every percentage of the battery counts, such energy guzzlers stand out even more. In the summer, the cooling of the interior runs at full speed during journeys, regardless of the drive. The ADAC recently addressed the question: Is it worth it for drivers of electric cars to forgo a pleasant temperature in the interior?
To find this out, the automotive club simulated "an extremely long traffic jam on the highway". For this purpose, the testers left a Tesla Model Y in the laboratory for eight hours at "steadily rising temperatures". There was a base temperature of 35 degrees Celsius, and special lamps were used to simulate sunlight. The air conditioning was supposed to cool the interior of the vehicle to 20 degrees Celsius, which was checked using sensors.
Less energy consumption than a combustion engine
The effect on the range is not as large as feared: The experts determined an energy consumption of 1.3 to 1.5 kilowatt hours per hour in the Tesla. For the Model Y, this corresponds to two percent of battery capacity or eight kilometers of range. Even after eight hours - and that would be a gigantic traffic jam - this would add up to only 12 kilowatt hours, which corresponds to 16 percent battery charge or 64 kilometers of range.
This is quite acceptable, according to the ADAC. In fact, the club attributes a "clear efficiency advantage" to the electric car compared to combustion engines, as an electric car does not need a motor to operate the compressor of the air conditioning. This not only saves the environment but also the wallet. The ADAC calculates that a comparable combustion engine would have needed "between 1 and 1.5 liters of fuel per hour", which could be converted to 10 to 15 kilowatt hours per hour.
As long as the battery is full enough before the traffic jam, electric car drivers don't have to worry much about the remaining range. In case of concerns, the club advises to turn off the system from time to time or, if the outside temperature allows it, switch to an open window. However, one should never combine the latter with a running cooling system - then the heat quickly takes over the interior and the air conditioning has to increase its performance.
Air conditioning in electric cars comparable
Incidentally, the results do not only apply to Tesla, the ADAC writes in its conclusion: "Since the function and structure of air conditioning in electric cars of all brands and manufacturers are comparable, the results of the Model Y should also be transferable to other electric vehicles."
Despite the energy consumption during prolonged hot weather, the ADAC finds that electric cars like the Tesla Model Y still have a "clear efficiency advantage" over traditional combustion engines when it comes to air conditioning. This advantage is attributed to the fact that electric cars do not require a motor to operate the air conditioning compressor, saving both the environment and the wallet.
In line with this, the ADAC asserts that the function and structure of air conditioning systems in electric cars, including different brands and models, are generally comparable, making the energy efficiency findings applicable to other electric vehicles as well.
