Why Hot Summers Could Ruin Your Winter Road Trips

In 2022, the United States experienced its third hottest summer on record according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Enduring heat is a sign of the times as climate changes. Yes, heat in the summer is naturally-expected, but there is clear evidence that human activity is amplifying it. However, you may not realize how extreme summer temperatures affect your road trip to the In-laws or Grandparents’ house this holiday season. Here’s an explanation.

According to a Batteries Plus press release, extreme summer heat is a recipe for car batteries to fail quicker in the wintertime. Derek Detenber is the Chief Marketing and Merchandising Officer for Batteries Plus. He said, “Drivers are always surprised to learn that the real killer of car batteries is the summer’s heat and not the winter’s cold.” If you are like many readers, you may be wondering why that happens. Detenber went on to note, “In most cases, extreme heat all but kills the battery and then the added stress of the freezing temperatures finishes it off.”

Ok, let’s get into the science of why. For many readers, the notion that summer heat can be worse on a battery than winter cold is likely counterintuitive. Blame science. Heat causes evaporation and associated disruptions in the chemistry required in the battery. According to a U.S. Department of Energy website, “Batteries use chemistry, in the form of chemical potential, to store energy, just like many other everyday energy sources.” Extreme heat impacts the battery in several ways – internal corrosion and drying the energy-carrying electrolytes. Electrolytes are substances or chemicals that conduct electricity when dissolved in water. Detenber points out that a already heat-weakened batteries are vulnerable when they have to deal with the sudden or sustained shock of cold snaps, which can drain the power of the battery by up to 60%.

In a year when AAA estimates over 112 million Americans will travel this holiday season, what should consumers do? Detenber recommends:

• Checking for visible signs of corrosion
• Ensuring their terminals are tight, and
• Testing their batteries regularly if they are more than three years old.

The U.S. Department of Energy points out, “Batteries were invented in 1800, but their complex chemical processes are still being studied.” They are apparently still no match for extreme temperatures either. This fact should also stoke your consumer “spidey-senses” as our climate system continues to warm causing more frequent and/or intense heatwaves.