• AC use in extreme heat can reduce EV Range up to 30%
• Reduce cabin temperature and AC strain to improve range
• Select ceramic tint for maximum heat rejection
• Professional installation recommended to ensure optimal results and longevity

As the Australian summer blazes in, electric vehicle (EV) owners often face a common enemy: range anxiety. The scorching Aussie sun not only heats up the interior, making for an uncomfortable drive, but also strains your EV’s air conditioning system. 

Having your AC on full blast can significantly impact your EV’s driving range. Fortunately, there’s a simple, yet powerful solution to alleviate range frustrations, beat the heat, and unlock the full potential of your electric car: ceramic window tinting.

In the US and Europe, much is written about the impact of cold temperatures on EV performance. But the simple fact is any increased energy consumption, whether it is from heating, heavy loads, or steep hills reduces performance.

Terrain and Hills:

Just like any car, EVs require more energy to climb hills or navigate challenging terrain. The increased demand on the electric motor translates to a shorter driving range compared to flat, smooth roads.

Driving Habits: 

Aggressive driving behaviours like rapid acceleration, harsh braking, and high speeds all contribute to increased energy consumption.  Maintaining a smooth, steady driving style can help maximise your EV’s range.

Cargo Weight and Passengers:  

The more weight your EV carries, the more energy it needs to propel itself.  A car packed with passengers and luggage will see a decrease in driving range compared to driving solo with minimal cargo. (Consider not lugging around additional supplies unless they are genuinely needed.).

External Temperature: 

Heat is a major enemy of electric vehicle (EV) range. Like extreme cold, extreme heat impacts overall EV battery performance.

But the focus of this article is the impact that internal heat has on AC use and therefore EV range – especially in the Aussie summer.

Typically, a car’s interior reaches 30-40℃ higher than the external temperature. So on a 30℃ day it could be 60-70℃ inside.

What is particularly insidious is that some vehicles can lock automatically, potentially trapping your child inside the rapidly heating vehicle with your keys, while you are trapped outside. Forcing some parents to smash their car windows to free them.

In situations such as these, anything that can reduce your car interior heat is worth considering seriously.

The impact of your AC use on your EV range depends on the energy used and your vehicle’s battery capacity. Recurrent found that driving in temperatures exceeding 38℃ can decrease your EV’s range by 31%!

In other words, if you are driving in hotter parts of the country, you should seriously consider adding ceramic window tint to reduce the solar gain inside your car’s cabin.

You can pre-cool your EV when it’s plugged in. This is a very effective strategy because the most energy intensive part of air conditioning is the initial cool down. It may take 3-5 kW of energy to get a 35℃ degree car to a comfortable temperature, but it takes only around 1 kW to keep it at 21 degrees (Source).

Use your app to precondition / precool your vehicle for a few minutes while it is connected to the grid.

Another low-tech option is to have the windows down for the first few minutes of driving to get rid of the worst heat before allowing the air conditioning to kick in.

Simply put, window tinting reduces heat. At Tint Haus, we use XPEL Prime XR Plus, which not only rejects 99% of Ultraviolet light, but more importantly it prevents 66% of total solar energy from entering your vehicle via the windows.

This is exceptionally useful if you have large windows and a very large rear windscreen such as a Tesla 3.

If you drive often in your EV, it is a good idea to spring for the highest rated heat rejection. Since Tint Haus 

XPEL window tint comes with a lifetime warranty against bubbling, peeling, lifting and discolouration, this one-off investment translates into range improvements and lower overall energy costs over the lifetime of your EV.

At Tint Haus, we decided to only install the highest quality ceramic Window Tint films on the market: XPEL. 

You can read more about ceramic window tint brands and more here: Choosing The Best Ceramic Window Tint For Your Car: A Comprehensive Guide.

We’ve protected thousands of EVs in and around Sydney. The single reason vehicle owners put their trust in us is the Tint Haus Difference.

Your car is an extension of yourself. That’s why we offer a comprehensive range of car enhancement services beyond window tinting  including ceramic coatings, paint protection film, interior protection and more.. Let us help you create your dream car, inside and out.

We pride ourselves on the level of perfection that we deliver (and that our clients rightly expect).

That is why we built our state-of-the-art facility equipped with incredible lighting along with infrared curing lamps – all to ensure an unmatched level of quality and service commitment.

Take a look at our window tints and package results on Facebook and Instagram. which showcase the level of perfection we pride ourselves upon and deliver.

Get in touch to see what ceramic window tint package is right for your vehicle