Comparison of consumption with diesel: Despite increased consumption in winter, electric car wins

Diesel consumption comparison
Electric car wins even as consumption rises in winter

11/29/2022 at 4:50 pm

When it gets cold outside, the power requirement for electric cars increases exponentially. Yet, they run far more efficiently and more cheaply than diesels all year round. This is shown by a long-term trial by a German university.

Cars with combustion engines consume more fuel in winter: when starting the engine is particularly cold, the lights, heating and windscreen wipers require additional energy. However, low temperatures also have a markedly negative effect on the range of electric cars. This has now also been clarified by a long-term test by the University of Wismar, in which the consumption values ​​of a VW ID.3 were determined over one year.

Hence the consumption in the months of December to February was about one third higher than in summer. In the case of a VW Golf with a diesel engine that was tested in parallel, however, the seasonal consumption effect was minor. Nevertheless, the ID.3 was chosen as the test winner, as reported by “Auto Verkehr” magazine.

During the test period, the VW ID.3 was driven a total of 30,594 km, during which an average consumption of 14.4 kWh per 100 km was determined. While the average from June to August was 13.3 kWh, consumption increased to 17.0 kWh in winter. The additional consumption due to low outdoor temperature is therefore 28 per cent. With the 64 kWh battery, the range varies between 317 and 405 kms.

ID.3 Clear winner from an energetic perspective

In the comparison diesel, which had been driven for approximately 32,000 km, the university determined an average consumption equal to 50.7 kWh. It was 49.7 kWh in summer and 52.2 kWh in winter. Thus the range varies between 1027 and 1084 kms.

Despite a negligible seasonal effect in the diesel, the head of the test series, Professor of Electrical Engineering Ansar Vigo, sees the ID.3 as the clear winner from an energy perspective. According to this, the Golf required 3.5 times more energy than the ID.3, resulting in additional costs of around 830 euros over the test period.