Electric Vehicles: Bus Crisis in Oslo?

No, not really (or at all), but, while this report in Euronews debunks some overwrought reports of cold weather (15 degrees Fahrenheit or so) “paralyzing” Oslo’s new electric bus fleet, it still provides a few troubling details that are worth noting.

Euronews:

In an email, a spokesperson [for Ruter, the company that operates the electric buses] called the allegations “an extreme exaggeration. . . . We cancelled, on average, between 50 and 100 departures, out of more than 4,000 daily departures, for a few days.”

The company did however admit they had a few “challenges with the range of the buses being shorter in cold weather.”

“We solved this by changing the charging shifts. And also by fixing the charging infrastructure.”

Ruter claims the issues have since been fixed and the fleet of electric buses continues to run as usual.

Cold weather impacts both the range of an electric vehicle (EV) – how far it can travel on a single charge — and also the charging time.

“Every single engine system whether it’s a battery or living beings like humans, doesn’t function well in the cold. Internal combustion engines also have trouble being cranked at low temperatures,” explained Anna Stefanopoulou, professor of mechanical engineering at the University of Michigan.

This problem is not only specific to cars. You’ve probably noticed how fast a phone or laptop loses power in the cold.

The colder the temperature, the slower the reactions in the batteries needed to generate power.

According to Anna Stefanopoulou, at -12 Celsius [10 degrees Fahrenheit], a parked EV can lose up to 30-40% of its range before it even starts its route. 

About two-thirds of the extra energy consumed is used just to heat the inside of the car so it’s comfortable for the driver and passengers.

Electric vehicles are more efficient than gas engines which means they can’t draw on heat produced by the motor to warm the inside of the car.

They have to generate heat in other ways, hence using more energy from the battery which means losing… range.

Although the cold does reduce an EV’s range and charging speed, Professor Stefanopoulou believes it’s all a matter of organisation and planning.

“The buses need to stay plugged in, if possible, early on, before they start the route and stay plugged in overnight. When you do that, the battery can start and operate at this maximum range.”

“Then the transit authorities have to either adjust their routes and notify passengers or equip the bus with diesel heaters for these few cold months to make up for the 30% loss in range if they want to maintain a full schedule and their usual routes,” explained the battery expert.

But installing diesel engines means going against the zero-emission goal the city of Oslo is striving to achieve by 2024 for all of its public transportation. [Emphasis added.]

Oh.

Meanwhile EV owners who live in northern cities that get cold on January nights (Minneapolis, say) would do well to ensure that they have access to overnight parking with charging facilities, which also should be better than “Level 1” (a standard residential outlet).

And maybe they shouldn’t drive too far if it gets too cold, unless they are sure that they can find (functioning) charging stations nearby.

Kelley Blue Book has some winter charging advice:

No matter what type of charger — Level 1, Level 2, or Level 3 DC Fast — you use to charge your EV battery, it will take longer in times of extreme cold.

• Level 1: If you’re charging overnight on a Level 1 charger, most of the energy will go toward keeping the battery warm instead of boosting your power levels. We do not recommend using a trickle charge in freezing winter temperatures.

• Level 2: If your car has been powered off and sitting for a prolonged period, a Level 2 charger will charge more slowly at first. Once the battery is warm enough, the charging times will pick up and level off. This rate will vary based on the external temperature and how long the vehicle has been sitting idle in the cold. Use the manufacturer’s mobile app (if applicable) to keep an eye on how the charging times fluctuate when the weather drops below freezing. Use that information to adjust your routine accordingly when the forecast shows frigid weather.

• Level 3: DC fast chargers will still be the quickest option for recharging your EV battery in the winter. Many DC stations can push the battery in a newer EV from a 20% state of charge to 80% in 20 to 30 minutes. In times of extreme cold, you’re less likely to reach 80% in such a short amount of time. It may take twice as long to hit that threshold. The difference won’t be as significant if the battery is already warm from a longer drive. Still, keep this in mind if you rely on a fast charge during your regular grocery runs and errands.

I note the fact that the 20 to 30 minutes required to take the battery in a newer (hmm. . .) EV from 20 percent to 80 percent is described as “a short amount of time” when a “fast” charger is used, and that this, uh, brief interlude may be doubled if it is very cold.

Progress!