Energy Use of Heating, AC, and Other Systems
Yes — auxiliary systems like heating, air conditioning, and electronics can significantly impact an EV’s energy consumption:
- Cabin Heating: In cold climates, resistive heaters or heat pumps can add 1–5+ kWh/100 km to consumption. Some EVs see up to 30% range loss in winter.
- Air Conditioning: Uses less energy than heating, typically 0.5–2 kWh/100 km, depending on outside temperature and duration.
- Heated Seats & Steering Wheel: More energy-efficient than heating the whole cabin, but still draw power.
- Infotainment & Lights: Minimal impact individually, but collectively add to baseline consumption.
Efficient use of climate controls (like preconditioning while plugged in) and energy-saving features (like heat pumps) can reduce these impacts.