Quick facts on EV battery drain
EV range drops significantly in freezing temperatures.
Steady highway driving drains the battery faster than start-and-stop city driving.
Infotainment screens and other electronics consume little battery power.
Battery range is top of mind for most electric vehicle owners and potential EV buyers. Whether you have a long commute, take frequent road trips, or just run quick errands around town, know where the battery power in your electric car is going. Learn about all the things that drain your EV battery. See: 12 best American road trips
Driving: City vs. highway First things first, driving your EV will always drain the battery. The purpose of any EV battery is to provide power to propel the car along the road. Higher speeds require more energy than lower speeds. Additionally, the general rate at which driving will drain the battery varies based on how much energy you use on other power-sucking items in this list. “Steady driving at highway speed drains the battery much faster than driving in stop-and-go traffic,” said Kelley Blue Book senior advice editor Chris Hardesty. “Electric cars have regenerative braking systems that put some energy back into the batt …