Winter as the real test for EVs: what to check before buying one for Latvia's climate
Cold weather can cut an electric car's range by 30–40%, so buyers in Latvia should look beyond the manufacturer's WLTP figure to features like heat pumps and battery preheating.
As fuel prices climb, more people in Latvia are considering switching to electric vehicles, but a common concern is that not every EV model copes equally well with the local climate. In Latvia, an electric car has to handle not just warm summers but also wet autumns, frost, snow, and months when temperatures hover around freezing.
Winter reveals the real differences
It is precisely during the cold season that differences between EV models become most apparent. Some cars see energy consumption spike sharply and range shrink in cold weather, while others maintain far more reliable performance thanks to battery preheating and an efficient heat pump.
Range can drop by a third
Energy company Elektrum notes that in cold weather, an electric vehicle's overall range can decrease by 30–40%, since extra energy is needed to heat both the cabin and the battery. This means that when choosing a car for Latvian conditions, it isn't enough to rely solely on the manufacturer's stated WLTP range.
What to look for when choosing an EV
Several factors deserve particular attention: whether the car has a heat pump, whether it offers battery preheating, how much its consumption rises in cold weather, and how quickly it can charge in winter conditions. These factors can significantly affect both everyday comfort and actual range during the winter months.
The comparison draws on data from ADAC's winter tests as well as trials conducted in Latvia by Elektrum Drive, which tested several EV models under real winter conditions. It is noted that such an analysis is not meant to be an absolute ranking of every EV available on the market, but rather a look at models that have shown particularly strong results specifically in cold-climate testing.
