Volvo's C30 Electric freezes north of the Arctic Circle, chases elk and loses half its range (video)

There are those predicting doom and gloom for electric cars when temperatures drop, and those steadfastedly saying that frigid batteries will not be the end of the road when it comes to fuel-free transportation. The reality lies somewhere in between, but Volvo's at least doing the right thing: testing the frozen snot out of its C30 Electric way up north of the Arctic Circle. When things get really cold the car can use an ethanol-powered heater to keep things comfortable for both drivers and batteries and, at temperatures down to -30C (that's -22F), the car has proven to manage a range of 80km, which is just a tick under 50 miles. Given the hatchback is rated for 100 miles of range when warmer that's not exactly good news for Eskimo environmentalists who love Swedish cars. Still, it also must be said those are rather extreme conditions, as shown in the video below, which also includes footage of some extreme elk herding.

Continue reading Volvo's C30 Electric freezes north of the Arctic Circle, chases elk and loses half its range (video)

Volvo's C30 Electric freezes north of the Arctic Circle, chases elk and loses half its range (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 23 Mar 2011 15:51:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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