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It can be cold up here in Canada!

Rev Consultants has many years experience with operating electric vehicles in the cold Canadian climate. If the vehicle is properly prepared, satisfactory performance will be maintained even at -40 deg C.

REV Consultants Ltd. can make your EV work in the cold.

  • By designing insulated and heated battery boxes.
  • By supplying special synthetic oils and lubricants.
  • By keeping the salt out.
  • By designing and/or supplying passenger compartment heating systems.

Two EVs were tested by the Canadian Government.

Two electric vehicles built by REV Consultants Ltd. were tested at the Environmental Technology Center in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada to see how effective their battery heating systems would perform in the cold. The test was designed to establish the normal range at 20 deg. C and then freeze the cars to -17 deg. C and compare the range obtained using the same test cycle. The test used was the EPA FTP-75 LA-4. This is the electric powered portion of a standard hybrid electric vehicle program. The cycle consists of a 12 KM urban trip which would simulate a typical trip to work. There are numerous starts and stops and a short highway sequence at speeds up to 90 KPH. Each cycle was followed by a 10 minute break and was repeated until the batteries showed 80% discharge. The equipment used was the same Dynamometers which are used to establish the fuel mileage ratings and emission standards for all new vehicles sold in Canada.
The EVs tested were a 1986 Pontiac Fiero, owned by Mr. Fred Green, and a 1987 VW Jetta , owned by Mr. Richard Lane. Both conversions featured a 96 volt deep cycle lead acid battery pack (16 Trojan T-125) enclosed in specially designed boxes with thermal heating.
The Fiero which had a two year old battery achieved a hot range of 57.5 KM. It was then fully recharged and moved into the cold room and parked with only the battery heaters plugged in for a period of 18 hours. The range achieved in the cold test was 52.9 KM. Only an 8% reduction! The performance was a little sluggish during the first cycle but improved during the second and following cycles. This confirmed Mr. Green's experiences having driven his electric Fiero through two winters at temperatures as low as -27 deg. C.

The Jetta was even more impressive! 

It had a hot range of 76.8 KM. It was moved into the cold room and then charged with the battery heaters turned on. After 18 hours at -17 deg C a range of 77.0 KM was achieved. It was then recharged without the battery heaters being activated to test the temperature drop of the batteries simulating being parked when away from home such as when at work. After sitting an additional 20 hours at -17 deg C, a total of 42 hours in the cold, a range of 76.7 KM was achieved. This represents only a 0.4% variation in range over the three test runs.. Temperature had little effect on performance and none on range. Special lubricants had been used in the wheel bearings and transmission which increased the efficiency of the drive train allowing the good cold performance.

The test was conclusive that with proper design of the battery boxes, selection of an efficient drive train and cold temperature lubricants the electric vehicle can be used in winter climates without the range reductions as claimed by many of the opponents to EVs.