Winter guide: Electric cars react differently: These four tips will help you stay on the road in winter

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Almost one in three new cars sold in Switzerland will be at least partially electric by 2023. One in five even leaves showrooms fully electric. Customers who use electricity instead of gasoline for the first time immediately notice that the electric car drives differently than the combustion engine. On the one hand, it slows down more when you release the accelerator because recovery kicks in and restores energy. On the other hand, an electric vehicle generally accelerates much faster because full torque is available instantly. Both affect driving in snow and ice. To ensure that your electric car only hangs on the charging station in winter and not suddenly on the tow hook, BMW driving instructor and product instructor Saladin Karl (45) offers four tips to keep in mind:

Is there fresh snow on the street? Then you should embark on the journey slowly. If the high torque of the electric car immediately causes the wheels to spin during normal acceleration, caution is advised. Pay attention to the indicator lights: An orange light depicting a skidding car indicates that the electronic stability program ESC must brake the car to allow the tires to regain grip. Continue driving with a soft foot on the accelerator; It is best to consider tip 2.

“Eco is the best driving mode for winter,” says Karl: “Engine power is reduced and the accelerator pedal responds more smoothly.” Some models also have a true snow mode that reduces power. This helps not only when starting off, but also when accelerating out of corners. Important for a rear-wheel drive car: Too much throttle will cause the rear end to break – despite all the aids, physics cannot be fooled. Electric vehicles with strong acceleration can even skid more frequently. But aren’t most cars front-wheel drive anyway? This is true for internal combustion engines, but with electrification, some manufacturers have returned to rear-wheel drive engines. For example, VW with ID models.

Healing helps on snow and ice. When we lift the gas pedal, the vehicle slows down immediately and remains more stable than conventional braking. This leaves more time to react in extreme situations. But instructor Karl says the technology works faster: “Electric motors react faster to inputs, whether from the accelerator pedal or control systems.” This is a safety gain in extreme situations. The sooner the car recovers, the faster we reduce speed and maintain control of the car.

However: Some electric cars have pre-selectable recovery. If the highest level is ice and snow, sudden braking may surprise you and send the vehicle off the road. This is why, for example, in Kia and Hyundai you can never select the highest energy recovery level in snow driving mode.

Not all driving modes and assistance systems can surpass physics, even in electric cars. Even on dry roads they tend to be pushed to the outside of the bend; not only if you enter a corner too quickly, but also due to the high weight resulting from the heavy battery. This is called understeer: you turn the steering wheel but the car still goes straight. Therefore, when driving an electric car in snow and ice, roll around corners slower than you are used to in a car with an internal combustion engine. At least Stromer’s higher weight comes with an advantage: more grip.

Source: Blick