A journalist tested Volvo's EX30 Cross Country and EX90 electric vehicles in northern Sweden's freezing conditions, demonstrating their reliability on snow-covered roads and frozen lakes. Despite common misconceptions about EVs in cold weather, the cars provided strong traction and safety, with manageable range challenges. Norway's high EV adoption rates underscore their viability in harsh winters.
In early 2025, Andrew Lanxon drove Volvo's new electric vehicles near Luleå, Sweden, two hours north in Arctic conditions. Invited by Volvo, he navigated winding, snow-drifted roads and a frozen lake racetrack to assess EV performance in extreme cold.
The EX90's 2,800kg weight and low battery placement ensured stable handling during a two-hour cross-country drive. Instant torque from dual motors prevented skids, even when braking for reindeer on the road. On the ice track, Lanxon executed controlled drifts, though one overzealous turn sent the EX30 into a snow ditch—unharmed, thanks to powdery snow.
Both vehicles wore studded winter tires, crucial for grip. Lanxon contrasted this with past experiences: a terrifying 2019 drive on a snowy Swiss mountain pass in a gas-powered VW Golf R without proper tires, and a 2023 detour in a Lotus Eletre EV due to accumulating snow in Spain.
Cold reduces EV range by up to 25% as lithium-ion batteries thicken, similar to gas cars' 20% efficiency drop. Preconditioning via app warms the cabin using grid power, while heat pumps efficiently transfer battery heat. Regenerative braking recaptures up to 20% energy.
At Volvo's Gothenburg facility, batteries endure tests from -30°C to 70°C. Karin Almqvist, head of propulsion and energy, noted: "We are still learning how battery electric vehicles are to be optimized for different temperatures, including cold climates." Sweden's climate aids development.
Maria Cecilia Pinto de Moura of the Union of Concerned Scientists added: "Electric vehicles are getting better all the time, with new battery technology bringing down the cost of a new EV and increasing their range." Rural drivers face more planning due to sparse chargers, but US public points doubled to 190,000 by August 2024. Norway saw 97% EV sales in November 2025, proving winter feasibility with preparation like tire choice and route planning.
