In the hot seat: EV owners warned extreme summer heat could melt travel plans

Electric vehicles meant to help curb climate change are also some of the most susceptible to the very problem they seek to treat: extreme heat.

As the planet experiences its hottest days on record and heat waves blanket tens of millions of Americans, EV owners are advised to take steps to avoid long-term damage to the batteries powering their cars.

The warnings augment the unique challenges already facing EVs compared to traditional gas-guzzlers, including the lack of public charging stations, reliance on China for critical minerals used in batteries, electric grid reliability and high sticker prices.

The heat warnings come amid industry concerns about the feasibility of President Biden’s proposal to phase out sales of most new gas-powered cars and force automakers to sell primarily EVs by 2030.

“Just in time for [the Environmental Protection Agency’s] regulatory push on electric vehicles, this week’s heat wave in the Southwest is bad news for EVs,” Western Energy Alliance, a lobbying group for oil and natural gas, wrote on Twitter

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