Electric vehicle winter driving tips and advice

The safest option in severe conditions is to avoid travelling unless your journey is essential. If you do need to drive, a little preparation can make the journey safer and more comfortable.

For electric vehicle (EV) drivers, cold weather can also affect efficiency and charging, so there are a few extra things worth considering.

Before you set off

A few simple checks can make a big difference when conditions are poor:

• Check the weather and road conditions. Plan your route in advance and use main roads where possible, as they're more likely to be gritted and cleared.

• Check your battery charge. Cold weather can reduce efficiency, so allow more range than you normally would. Leave extra margin for delays or diversions.

• Pre-heat the cabin while plugged in. If your EV has a climate control timer or app, use it before setting off. This can make the car more comfortable while reducing the amount of battery energy needed for heating once you're on the road.

• Clear the car completely. Remove frost, snow and ice from all windows, mirrors, lights and sensors before setting off. Keep a windscreen scraper and de-icer in the car.

• Demist the windscreen. Air conditioning can clear condensation quickly. If possible, do this while the car is still charging.

• Clear snow from the roof, bonnet and lights. Loose snow can slide onto the windscreen as you drive and obstruct your view.

• Pack for delays. Warm clothing, food, water, sturdy footwear and a torch are useful if you get stuck or face an unexpected delay. In snowy conditions, a small shovel can also be handy.

If you're driving alone, heated seats or a driver-only heating mode can help you stay comfortable while using less energy than heating the whole cabin, where your EV offers these features.

If the car starts to skid, ease off the accelerator and steer gently in the direction you want to travel. Avoid sudden braking or steering inputs.

Be aware of regenerative braking

Regenerative braking can feel strong, particularly when you lift off the accelerator. On an icy or slippery surface, a sudden change in the driven wheels' speed can reduce grip.

If your EV allows you to adjust the level of regenerative braking, consider reducing it in icy conditions. The aim is to keep your inputs smooth and predictable.

Driving in heavy rain and flooded roads

Wet roads reduce tyre grip and increase stopping distances. Allow at least twice the normal stopping distance in wet conditions and leave more space between you and the vehicle ahead.

If your steering suddenly feels light or unresponsive, your tyres may have lost contact with the road surface because of standing water. Ease off the accelerator and slow down gradually. Avoid sudden braking or steering.

Take care around flood water

Don't attempt to drive through a flooded road if the water looks too deep or you can't judge its depth. Find another route instead.

Even shallow-looking water can conceal potholes, debris or a damaged road surface. If you do encounter water that you are confident is shallow enough to cross, drive slowly and avoid the deepest areas, which are often close to the kerb.

Once you've safely cleared the water, test your brakes gently before returning to normal speed.

Staying visible in poor weather

Good visibility matters for you and everyone else on the road.

• Use your headlights when visibility is significantly reduced.

• In heavy rain, hail or snow, use dipped headlights and reduce your speed.

• Use fog lights only when visibility is sufficiently poor to warrant them, and switch them off when conditions improve.

• Keep your lights and number plates clean. Winter road spray can quickly cover both.

If you get stuck or break down

Winter conditions can turn a short journey into a long wait, so it's worth knowing what to do if things go wrong.

• Don't use a mobile phone while driving. Stop somewhere safe before making a call, or ask a passenger to do it.

• On a motorway, use a roadside emergency telephone where possible. These can help emergency services identify your location quickly.

• If you need to contact emergency services from a mobile phone, use the marker posts beside the road to identify your location.

• An abandoned vehicle can obstruct rescue vehicles and snowploughs. Where it is safe to do so, stay with your vehicle until help arrives.

• Never put yourself at risk to stay with the vehicle. If you're on the hard shoulder, follow the appropriate motorway safety guidance and get to a place of safety if possible.

• If you have to leave the vehicle to get help, make sure you're clearly visible to other road users.

Winter vehicle checks

A few basic checks are particularly important during the colder months. These are in addition to the routine checks you should make throughout the year. Our guide to regular electric vehicle maintenance and safety checks covers the essentials.

Look after your wipers and lights

Don't leave your wipers set to automatic when parking if there's a risk of frost. If the blades freeze to the windscreen, they could be damaged when the car starts and the wipers operate.

Keep your lights clean, particularly when roads are wet and dirty. You may need to clean them after a journey in particularly poor conditions.

Keep your number plates clean too. They need to remain clearly visible and legible.

Check your tyres

Check your tyre pressures regularly and inspect the tread and condition of your tyres.

The legal minimum tread depth for cars in Great Britain is 1.6mm across the central three-quarters of the tread and around the entire circumference. For winter driving, many motoring organisations and tyre manufacturers recommend changing tyres before they reach the legal minimum. A tread depth of around 3mm is often recommended as a practical winter benchmark.

Don't reduce your tyre pressures to try to get more grip. It doesn't make your car safer and can affect handling, braking and tyre wear.

Consider your tyre choice

If you regularly drive in colder conditions, you could consider winter or all-season tyres. These use compounds and tread patterns designed to provide better grip in colder, wet or wintry conditions.

Whether they're worthwhile depends on where, when and how you drive. For many UK drivers, a good set of properly inflated summer tyres remains suitable for normal winter conditions.

The key winter tips for EV drivers

Most winter-driving advice applies to every vehicle. For EV drivers, the main things to remember are:

• Cold weather can reduce efficiency, so allow extra battery margin.

• Pre-heat the cabin while plugged in where possible.

• Use heated seats or driver-only heating to stay comfortable while reducing cabin heating demand.

• Take care with regenerative braking on icy or slippery roads.

• Plan charging stops and your route with potential delays and lower efficiency in mind.

A little preparation means you can focus on the road rather than your range or the weather.

Stay safe out there this winter.

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