Tips from the pros

Here are a few tips to simplify your charging sessions when it’s cold outside.

Plastic adapts poorly to cold weather

It’s well known that plastic does not tolerate cold temperatures very well. To avoid damaging the charging station connector or your vehicle’s charging socket, you should do the following:

• Make sure there is no ice or snow accumulation on the connector or in the vehicle’s charging socket.
• Do not use force to withdraw the charging connector. The locking mechanism can be difficult to activate in cold temperatures.
• Make sure you firmly press the connector button to free the locking mechanism.

Slower charging speed

Important reminder: It is the electric vehicle’s charging system that manages the charging session. When it’s cold, if the battery is not warmed up and you are using a fast-charge station, the vehicle’s system will ask the charging station to limit its speed, and not the other way around.

In the winter, you will no doubt notice that the charging speed slows down. Although there are many factors at play, the temperature of the battery is a key component. A battery that has had time to warm up charges more quickly.

If you’re planning on using a fast-charge station in cold weather, try to charge your vehicle once you arrive at your destination after a long trip because your vehicle’s battery will have had time to warm up. If you wait until the next day, when the car and the battery are both cold, the charging session will take longer or you will start the day with a significantly reduced range. You can also choose to charge your vehicle during the night using a 240-V charging station. This will ensure that your vehicle is fully charged prior to your departure.