What can extend electric vehicle range? That is often a question that is top of mind when people consider an EV. With gas prices seem to be creeping higher and more people than ever are opting to purchase an electric or hybrid vehicles. Those are both great options to help save you money, but they can both be made even better with an addition. Did you know that by utilizing a heat rejecting automotive window film / tint can help extend electric / hybrid vehicle range? In this brief article we will explain the how and why automotive window tint is beneficial to extend electric vehicle range.

First, let’s explore one of the primary ways that the battery in an EV or hybrid vehicle gets drained. In addition to powering the vehicle, much of the power from the batteries goes to operating the comfort systems. These would include things like lights, sound system and most importantly, the HVAC system. Depending on the vehicle, use of the air conditioning can reduce range from 9-17%. See estimate graphics from Tesla’s own website below that show range estimate for various cars in their line-up with all things being equal except the use of the HVAC system.

Tesla Model S 85 Range With and Without HVAC Use

This is based on data pulled from the Tesla website. It assumes a Tesla Model S 85 with 19″ wheels. To ascertain range, they assume a speed of 50mph and an outside temperature of 90 degrees. The range with HVAC usage is 307 miles. The range without HVAC usage is 370 miles. That is an increased rage of 63 miles!

Can Window Tint Increase The Range of an Electric Vehicle (EV) or Hybrid Vehicle?

Now that we have established that running the HVAC does decrease the range of your vehicle, how can window tint help?

Through the use of an automotive window film, solar energy (heat) entering the car through the windows can be reduced significantly. Many modern automotive window films can reduce the heat entering through the glass by over 60%. By reducing the heat entering the vehicle, the need to run the air conditioning to keep the interior comfortable may be reduced.

To be fair, you may still need to utilize the HVAC to keep comfort at optimal levels, but the assumption is the heat reducing film will enable you to use it less. The net result based on the data above is that reducing the use of your air conditioning usage would extend electric vehicle range. Over time, through the extended range and reduced running costs associated with recharging, a professional window tint installation could actually pay for itself.

Hopefully this brief article will help you understand how automotive window tint can help extend electric vehicle range. If you would like more information about automotive window film / tint and how they can be implemented into your electric or hybrid vehicle, contact a Window Film Pros in your area to learn more or schedule a free, no obligation consultation and estimate.