[freddym]

Hi all, which if any EV vehicles come with handbooks that detail the screenwash capacities?

This is a handy thing to know if say, you are running 8:1 dilution and wish to increase the screenwash concentration to 4:1 or 2:1 as the overnight temperatures drop.

Cold winter days as well in North of Scotland need some freezing protection.

With the EU directive in place that took out some components, this is becoming a bit more of an issue.

 

[SueH]

Has anybody any experience of winter driving with an EV to be able to comment? With an ICE the bottle and some of the tubing normally gets warmth from the engine which helps. No doubt some posh EVs will have screenwash bottle heaters, or there'll be an aftermarket upgrade!

 

[Harry_Zoe]

Hi all, which if any EV vehicles come with handbooks that detail the screenwash capacities?

This is a handy thing to know if say, you are running 8:1 dilution and wish to increase the screenwash concentration to 4:1 or 2:1 as the overnight temperatures drop.

Cold winter days as well in North of Scotland need some freezing protection.

With the EU directive in place that took out some components, this is becoming a bit more of an issue.

Not sure about the handbook, but Sue's comment is correct - EVs are more prone to freezing of the washer jets as there's no engine heat to thaw things out. Living in the frozen north, I use the stuff linked below and don't muck about with dilution, I just use it permanently, undiluted. It was recommended to me on this site.

Triple QX 5 Litre Screenwash 5L Concentrated Screen Wash -15C Protection Winter: Amazon.co.uk: Car & Motorbike

 

[80698]

Has anybody any experience of winter driving with an EV to be able to comment? With an ICE the bottle and some of the tubing normally gets warmth from the engine which helps. No doubt some posh EVs will have screenwash bottle heaters, or there'll be an aftermarket upgrade!

You definitely can't cheap out with screenwash in an EV in the winter. The fluid will freeze and there won't be anything to really heat it up. Once the temperatures drop you absolutely need to go with some decent screenwash with a low freezing point. Last winter I was using Prestone ready-to-use screenwash which claimed to work down to -10c. I'm pleased to report that I didn't have any issues with it freezing up. But if you live somewhere very cold I believe they do one that's good to -18c too.

During the summer is a very different story. Whatever weird scented Triple QX screenwash is the cheapest at Euro Car Parts and works with some random promo code is what's going in my car for the warmer months. Usually end up walking out with 5 Liters for little over £1.

 

[andyswarbs]

I've just become aware of RainX Frosty morning? Be prepared... - RainX which can also ease the defrost process for ICE. I wonder if this is more useful for EVs in winter conditions.

A youtube review looked pretty impressive for rain - even not using wipers in heavy rain!

 

[91423]

RAIN X Is good but the clue is in the name. It's not called SNOW X or FROST X or SPRAY FROM THE CAR INFRONT X.

I've been using it for years and it's great in the wet and even then you have to be driving reasonably fast but it can't work miracles. You'll always need windscreen washer.

 

[91423]

It's manageable. 20 years ago I used to drive an MG TF convertible. Engine at the back, washer bottle at the front. Genius design. Same problem. Only way is to have pretty much undiluted windscreen washer. At least with our EVs we can pre-heat which helps get you out the drive but only wipers with decent washer fluid can clear way muddy spray from other cars in front.

 

[Jayne]

I also live in the North of Scotland. I use the Prestone -18 stuff undiluted over winter. In summer I did a roughly 1:3 dilution. Really should do a top up to get the stuff in the car more concentrated again. It's expensive, not helped by the amount the car insists on spraying over the headlights, but I've not had it freeze on me yet and I can tolerate the smell better than some others I've tried.

Having had some own brand (probably Tesco or Halfords) -10 screenwash regularly freeze on me in a diesel car when it rarely got below -5, I really don't trust the temperatures they quote.

 

[donald]

Premix is best TBH, for a variety of reasons.

Ampera takes over 5 litres from the low warning, the design logic being you can decant an entire bottle into it and then not have a half bottle kicking around.

.. I filled mine up ONCE in the two years I had it.

 

[freddym]

Has anybody any experience of winter driving with an EV to be able to comment? With an ICE the bottle and some of the tubing normally gets warmth from the engine which helps. No doubt some posh EVs will have screenwash bottle heaters, or there'll be an aftermarket upgrade!

this was more of a thing in the 1970s and 1980s. Almost all modern cars have the washer reservoir down behind the bumper totally isolated from any engine heat.

 

[Ian]

I measured my E-Niro, it has a 5 litre capacity bottle but there is also a part bulkhead inside it which traps a very large air space, so a good bit of shaking it will take a little more. I assume the space is to prevent the bottle from splitting if it freezes solid.

I use Autoglym screen wash mixed to -6ºC, good enough for the East Neuk of Fife.

 

[Jayne]

I filled mine up ONCE in the two years I had it.

How?! Did you just never drive it in bad weather?

 

[donald]

How?! Did you just never drive it in bad weather?

You don't need to squirt endlessly on to the screen, you know? If you are using more than 5L in a year then I'd suggest you are very enthusiastic with the squirter.

 

[freddym]

How?! Did you just never drive it in bad weather?

Jayne, I'm with you on this one. Driving in the winter on gritted roads pretty much always ends up with a dirty film of fines, "road juice" and general muck which will quickly impede visibility and must be washed/wiped away on a regular basis. Sometimes driving in "good" weather on winter gritted roads is worse!

 

[Jayne]

You don't need to squirt endlessly on to the screen, you know? If you are using more than 5L in a year then I'd suggest you are very enthusiastic with the squirter.

Agree they don't need used endlessly but it will depend on mileage, where you drive and the kind of weather you have. I barely use any around town but in winter it's exactly as @freddym describes.

I have it in for my headlight skooshers though. They use loads. Wish I could turn them off, or at least significantly reduce how often they spray.

 

[91423]

In my MG with frozen washer fluid, if I saw someone using theirs, I'd get close enough to their car so that their washer fluid would hit my windscreen and I'd clean my screen like that. Oh the joys of having a shitty car.

 

[donald]

Agree they don't need used endlessly but it will depend on mileage, where you drive and the kind of weather you have. I barely use any around town but in winter it's exactly as @freddym describes.

I have it in for my headlight skooshers though. They use loads. Wish I could turn them off, or at least significantly reduce how often they spray.

True, good point. Those automatic headlight things do a right dousing. I think most people use less water for their daily shower.

 

[cDy]

Hi all, which if any EV vehicles come with handbooks that detail the screenwash capacities?

This is a handy thing to know if say, you are running 8:1 dilution and wish to increase the screenwash concentration to 4:1 or 2:1 as the overnight temperatures drop.

Cold winter days as well in North of Scotland need some freezing protection.

With the EU directive in place that took out some components, this is becoming a bit more of an issue.

As an alternative, I use concentrated screen wash and keep an old empty 5L bottle to mix up the correct dilution for the current season. Put in the water first, leaving the correct space for the required concentrate. If you put the concentrate in first it just foams up when you add the water. That totally avoids the need to know the screen wash capacity for your car.

 

[freddym]

As an alternative, I use concentrated screen wash and keep an old empty 5L bottle to mix up the correct dilution for the current season. Put in the water first, leaving the correct space for the required concentrate. If you put the concentrate in first it just foams up when you add the water. That totally avoids the need to know the screen wash capacity for your car.

Typical winter here is 4 days of minus 8 in the mornings, followed by 3 weeks of no frosts and nothing less than 3 degrees. So when the temperature drops, it important to increase concentration otherwise just keep it suitable for about minus 3.

 

[Hilltop Dave]

In summer I use Halfords blue ready-mix which is rated to -5 degrees C (I dilute with about an equal amount of water in the height of summer) and in winter use Halfords red ready-mix which is rated to -10 degrees C. I also have a can of windscreen de-icer spray in the boot should the screenwash jets get iced over.