Asia’s EVolution: China’s rising electrical automobile pains supply classes for the area and past | UNW

Charging in frigid weather can also have lasting effects on battery health, said analysts.

In cold conditions, lithium ions – which carry charge inside most EV batteries – move more slowly, increasing the risk that lithium deposits as metal rather than storing energy properly, said Hung Dinh Nguyen, an associate professor from the School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering at Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University (NTU).

“This permanently reduces capacity,” he said, adding that in severe cases it can also raise safety concerns.

At the other end of the spectrum, hot and humid climates pose a different challenge.

While high temperatures do not necessarily reduce driving range immediately, Nguyen said they accelerate long-term battery degradation.

“Research shows that at temperatures around 55°C, battery capacity loss can be an order of magnitude higher than at moderate temperatures,” he said. Prolonged heat also causes internal damage.

Those risks are compounded in humid environments as heat dissipation becomes less efficient, further raising internal temperatures and the risk of battery failure, Nguyen said.

While modern EVs are equipped with thermal management systems to mitigate these risks, prolonged exposure to extreme temperatures places sustained strain on batteries and supporting systems.

Extreme cold and heat do not simply affect EV performance; they shape how quickly owners begin to feel the limits of ageing technology, often long before a car reaches the end of its advertised lifespan, said Mei from LEADINX.

PERILS OF AN AGEING EV

Beyond weathering the environment, time itself is emerging as a quiet but costly test for EV owners.

Sean Peng, a 30-year-old public sector officer based in Beijing who bought his EV in August 2020, said signs of ageing have become increasingly noticeable.

The car’s operating system responds more slowly, he said, while its driving range has fallen by about 10 per cent.

Charging performance has also deteriorated. Peng said the vehicle now charges significantly slower at standard charging points. He flagged the issue with the manufacturer and was told it could be fixed by replacing the wiring.

“(Twice) after charging, the system went blank and couldn’t start for about five minutes,” he said. “I wondered what was wrong.”

Fixing those issues would not be cheap. Peng said he was told repairs could cost “several thousand yuan” – expenses he would have to bear himself, as the vehicle is no longer covered under warranty.

In China, EV battery warranties typically last around eight years or between 120,000km and 150,00km, while most other vehicle components are generally covered for three to five years, depending on the manufacturer.

“It’s not a huge amount on its own,” he said, “but these are costs you didn’t really think about when buying the car.”

Still, he said the experience has remained broadly within expectations. Peng had intended from the outset to use the car mainly for short-distance commuting, and said it continues to serve that purpose well.

“When I first bought it, my expectation was that the brand would guarantee against major defects and safety issues,” he said. “So far, there hasn’t been any problem on that front.”