Winter range: what independent tests measured against WLTP, and what to expect in cold and heat

Two Norwegian winters, two very different answers

Norway's motoring organisation NAF and the magazine Motor run the El Prix test every winter and summer. The cars drive the same route at the same time and continue until they lose power or can no longer hold the speed limit. In 2025 NAF recalculated each distance from GPS stop positions, because trip computers were not accurate enough.^1,2

The January 2025 test was mild and wet, between −6°C and +8°C, with rain on frozen roads. The average shortfall against WLTP was 19.4%. The January 2026 test ran from −7°C in Oslo to −32°C on the mountain at Folldal. There the average loss was 38%, about twice as large.^1,2

The spread between cars matters as much as the average. In 2025 the best result, a Polestar 3, came within 4.1% of its rating, while a Peugeot E-3008 fell 28.6% short. In 2026 the smallest losses, about 29%, came from the Hyundai Inster and MG S6, and the largest, 46%, from a Lucid Air rated at 960 km.^1,2

Model by model: the 2025 and 2026 results

Among popular family cars in the 2025 test, the Kia EV3 covered 504 km against 590 km WLTP, 14.6% short. The BYD Sealion 7 managed 429 km against 502 km, 14.5% short. The Hyundai Ioniq 5 covered 440 km against 546 km (19.4% short), the Ford Explorer 430 km against 525 km (18.1%), and the Tesla Model 3 536 km against 702 km (23.6%).²

The 2026 field was different and the cold much harsher. The Tesla Model Y covered 359 km against 629 km WLTP, 42.9% short, at 21.2 kWh/100 km against a rated 15.9. The Kia EV4 managed 390 km against 594 km (34.3%), the Skoda Elroq 309 km against 524 km (41.0%) and the Mercedes-Benz CLA 421 km against 709 km (40.6%).¹

These are single cars, in single tests, on a route with long climbs. NAF does not publish every version detail, and the same badge can carry different batteries and wheels. Treat each result as one well-controlled data point, not a fixed property of the model.^1,2

Summer and heat: the other side of the curve

In NAF's summer 2025 test, run at 7°C to 17°C, several cars beat their ratings. The Tesla Model Y went 652.1 km, 11.3% beyond WLTP, the Zeekr 7X 593 km against 541 km, and the Skoda Elroq finished 0.5% short. NAF also changed the end point that summer, so the results are not directly comparable with older records. The summer Model Y may not be the same version as the one tested in 2026.³

Telematics data shows the same shape. Geotab analysed 5.2 million trips by 4,200 electric vehicles and found range peaked at 115% of the rated figure at 21.5°C, falling to 54% at −15°C. It did not state which official test the rated figures came from.⁸

Heat costs less than cold. In a 2019 laboratory study of five cars, AAA found that running the air conditioning at 35°C (95°F) cut range by 17%. Using the heater at −7°C (20°F) cut it by 41%. US government guidance adds that pre-cooling the cabin while the car is plugged in, and choosing a warmer air-conditioning setting, both save battery energy.^5,7

Why cold costs so much range

Most of the winter loss goes on keeping people warm. Fueleconomy.gov says about two-thirds of the extra energy used in cold weather goes on heating the cabin. Without the heater, an AAA-based estimate puts the range loss at 20°F at about 12%.⁶

Laboratory tests show how steep the effect can be on a single car. In Green NCAP's −7°C test of a 58 kWh Hyundai Ioniq 5 in 2022, energy use rose by 85% compared with its standard test. That was a laboratory cycle on an older car, but it shows how much of the battery heating can take.⁹

Government guidance offers two simple remedies. Heat the cabin while the car is still plugged in, so the energy comes from the grid rather than the battery. On the move, use the seat heaters instead of the cabin heater, which saves energy and extends range.⁶

Worked example: a Kia EV3 through the year

Charjin's car file lists the long-range Kia EV3 at up to 605 km WLTP, a figure on Kia's own site. NAF's EV3 was rated at 590 km, so the tested version was slightly different. Applying its 14.6% winter 2025 shortfall to 605 km gives about 515 km on a full battery in a mild Nordic winter.^2,10

In conditions like the 2026 test, applying the 38% average loss gives about 375 km. Most drivers on a long trip use the window between 10% and 80%, which is 70% of the battery. That cuts the usable distance between rapid charges to about 360 km in a mild winter and about 260 km in hard frost. NAF measured 31 minutes for the EV3's 10–80% charge in its 2025 winter test, a figure that excludes the time spent finding and queueing for a charger.^1,2,4

In a hot summer, AAA's 17% loss with air conditioning would put the same car near 500 km. That is a laboratory figure from older cars, so treat it as a rough guide. In temperate weather, NAF's summer results suggest a careful driver can expect close to the WLTP figure.^3,5

What to check before you buy

Compare cars using a measured winter result where one exists, and check that the tested version matches the battery and wheels you are buying. Look at consumption in kWh/100 km as well as kilometres, because it shows how hard the car works for each kilometre. Check that the car can preheat the cabin while plugged in. Then take the longest regular winter journey you make and check that it fits within 60% of the WLTP figure, with a margin.^1,2,6