Drivers warned not to use hot air blower in car during UK cold snap

Drivers have been issued a battery warning over using heaters in the winter months ahead of Christmas. Electric vehicle drivers are being warned about using heaters during the current cold weather, as it could significantly drain their batteries.

EV owners, particularly those with older models, are being warned over using additional battery power to generate their own heat. Greg Carter, the AA's technical specialist, told The Telegraph: "All electrical systems struggle in the cold a little bit. The main culprit for damaging the range is the heating system."

Unlike with petrol and diesel cars, owners of EVs do not get to enjoy the luxury of the “effectively free” heat which is created as a by-product of simply having the engine running in ICE vehicles. Instead, they have to use a “more substantial” amount of battery capacity to keep warm, which decreases how far they can drive.

READ MORE: Drivers born in these years told their licences will expire

READ MORE: Manoeuvre done by drivers every day could be banned within weeks

READ MORE UK faces 1 inch snow per hour this week with three parts of England worst-hit

Mr Carter told the UK newspaper: "This was best done using electricity from the charging point, as opposed to draining the battery while driving. Heat in ICE vehicles is a by-product of them running. There's a tiny amount of electricity used to run the blower, but the heat itself comes from combustion meaning it's effectively free.”

Steve Gooding, director of the RAC Foundation, advised EV drivers to carefully consider their heating options during icy weather. "In a petrol or diesel car a heated seat is a luxury but in an electric vehicle it is often a better bet than turning on the blower which requires a lot of battery energy to heat the air," he said.

It comes after the UK Health and Security Agency issued the first amber cold weather health alert of the season in some areas, warning the plummeting temperatures could cause a rise in deaths among the vulnerable, including the elderly.