Parking Electric Cars: Inside or Outside When Not in Use
Parking your electric car (EV) inside or outside when not in use is a common concern for many EV owners. Understanding the implications of each option can help you make an informed decision to ensure the optimal condition of your vehicle.
Understanding the Recommendations
Maker Recommendations often suggest parking EVs outside, particularly in the event of a fire. One of the reason is that if an EV catches fire, it is advised to park it away from the house to prevent potential damage. However, this recommendation aligns with general car parking guidelines. An electric car, like any other car, can be safely parked both inside and outside.
Weather Considerations
It is generally better for any car, including electric cars, to be parked in a garage rather than out in the weather. In winter, a car stored in a passively heated garage benefits from warmer walls, which can minimize ice, snow, and frost on the windows. This reduces the time it takes to heat the interior to a comfortable temperature. Under a good shade tree, you can also avoid the extreme temperatures experienced in sunny regions, but this comes with the downside of bird droppings on your car, which can damage the paint.
Impact on the Vehicle and Battery
The reduced weather exposure of an indoor garage significantly lowers the rate of deterioration of many car components. Additionally, for electric cars in particular, the battery's performance is crucial. Lithium-ion batteries, the most common type in electric vehicles, perform best when stored at temperatures above 40°F (about 4.4°C). Charging a lithium battery at temperatures below this threshold can be detrimental, as rapid drops in temperature can cause internal stresses and degrade the battery's capacity over time.
During cold winters, if an electric car is parked outdoors, the battery heater might require significant energy to maintain a safe temperature for charging. Storing the car indoors, with the benefit of the house's ambient heat, can help keep the battery at a more stable temperature, reducing the strain on the battery heater and potentially saving on electricity.
A Personal Perspective
Most electric cars do not necessarily need to be parked inside or outside; they are too large to fit into a pocket and be carried away. However, if space limitations or other circumstances mean your car must be parked outside, it is generally advisable to do so as long as the car can be kept in a shaded area with protection from extreme weather. In my experience, I have owned several electric cars, all of which have been parked outside without any noticeable ill effects. I have a garage, but it is filled with furniture, tools, and other items, so the car has been parked outside for three years without significant issues.
Recommendation: If possible, parking your electric car indoors can provide the best protection for your vehicle and its battery. If indoor parking is not feasible, ensure the car is parked in a well-shaded area to minimize external weather exposure.