How Do EVs and Hybrids Handle a South Dakota Winter?

How much range you really lose

Cold hurts an EV in two ways. The battery works less efficiently when it is cold, and heating the cabin draws power from the same battery that moves the car. The Department of Energy says about two-thirds of the extra energy an EV uses in the cold goes to heating the cabin. With the heater off, range at 20 degrees was only about 12 percent lower.

Here is what that means on a real trip. Take an EV rated for 300 miles. AAA's 41 percent drop would leave about 177 miles at 20 degrees with the heat on, and highway speed and wind take more. Sioux Falls to Rapid City is about 350 miles. With a sensible safety buffer, that is at least two charging stops in winter.

Results vary a lot by model. Recurrent's 2025 rankings show wide gaps, and it noted that GM models, including the Cadillac Lyriq, trail in winter range. Look up the exact model on Recurrent's winter page before you buy.

Heat pumps help, until it gets really cold

A heat pump moves heat instead of making it, so it uses less battery than a plain electric heater. Recurrent found heat pumps add about 10 percent of range at 32 degrees. Their edge shrinks as it gets colder, and near zero they are about as efficient as a regular heater.

If a car has a heat pump, that's a plus. Just don't expect it to solve a 15-below morning. Seat heaters help at any temperature. The Department of Energy notes that using them instead of the cabin heater saves energy and extends range.

Warm it up while it is still plugged in

This is the best winter habit an EV owner can build. Set a departure time in the car or its app so it heats the cabin (and on some models the battery) while it is still connected to the charger. That heat comes from the wall instead of from your range. AAA, the Department of Energy and Recurrent all recommend it. As Recurrent puts it, it takes more energy to warm up a cold car than to keep a warm car warm.

AAA also suggests parking in a garage when you can. And since an EV has no engine, there is no block heater to plug in. Plugging in the car itself does that job.

If you can't plug in at home, I'd think hard before buying an EV here. A hybrid gives you a lot of the fuel savings without doing range math on a cold January morning.

Scott Kennedy, Service Manager

Charging is slower in the cold

A cold battery takes power more slowly, so fast-charging stops take longer in winter. Recurrent says many EVs limit charging when the battery is cold, and normal speed returns once it warms up. Some newer EVs warm the battery automatically when you use the car's navigation to route to a fast charger, so use it on road trips.

At home, the charger matters. A standard 120-volt outlet adds about 5 miles of range per hour of charging, according to the Department of Energy. A 240-volt Level 2 charger adds about 25. In a cold snap you use more energy per mile and want to precondition every morning, and a regular outlet may not keep up.

Charging along I-90 and I-29

SDDOT's federally funded charging plan puts its first focus on I-90, I-29, I-229 and I-190. The federal program behind it calls for fast chargers within 50 miles of each other and within one mile of the interstate. That is the goal, not a promise that every gap is filled today. Stations open, close and go down for repairs, so we don't list them here.

Before any winter trip:

• Plan your stops with the U.S. Department of Energy's Alternative Fuels Station Locator. Its Map a Route tool shows chargers along your path. Make sure the plug fits your car.
• Pick a backup charger for every stop in case one is down or busy.
• Leave with a full charge and arrive at each stop with range to spare.
• Check SD511 for road conditions and closures. Winter storms and blowing snow can close stretches of interstate.
• Pack a winter kit. Our winter checklist covers what to carry.

When an EV is the wrong choice

We would steer you toward a hybrid or a gas vehicle if:

• You can't charge at home or at work. Relying only on public fast chargers in January is slow and stressful.
• You regularly drive long rural stretches in deep cold, with towns and chargers far apart.
• Your car sits outside with no outlet, so you can't precondition.
• It's your household's only vehicle and it has to be ready for a long trip any day of the winter.

An EV is a strong fit if you have a garage with a 240-volt charger, mostly drive in and around Sioux Falls, and have a second vehicle for long winter trips.

Hybrids: the middle ground

A regular hybrid never needs a plug. The gas engine backs up the battery and makes heat, so cold weather costs you fuel economy, not range. The Department of Energy says hybrids lose about 30 to 34 percent of their fuel economy in cold city driving, compared with about 15 percent for a regular gas car. You will notice it at the pump, but you won't be hunting for a charger.

Plug-in hybrids sit in between. A 2024 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe, for example, has an EPA electric range of about 26 miles before the gas engine takes over. Expect that electric range to shrink in the cold. The gas engine means you never depend on a charger to finish a trip.

A hybrid still has a gas engine. If yours sits outside overnight, ask our service team whether a block heater makes sense for that model. We install them.

Before winter, check the tires and the small 12-volt battery on any EV or hybrid. Cold is hard on that battery, and these cars still need it to start up.

Scott Kennedy, Service Manager

Tires matter on an EV too; our AWD vs. 4WD vs. FWD guide explains why. Our service center mounts winter tires, and you can book service online any time.