World’s Biggest EV Test Meets China’s Freezing Winter — Did Your Favourite Car Survive?
In December 2025, China’s leading automotive platform, Autohome, conducted the world’s largest electric vehicle winter evaluation. They tested 67 new energy vehicles, including pure EVs and plug-in hybrids, at freezing temperatures down to -25°C in Yakeshi, Inner Mongolia.
This Guinness-recognized pushed cars through seven brutal scenarios to reveal real-world cold-weather performance.
The test highlighted significant challenges for electric vehicles in extreme cold, with battery range dropping substantially due to heating demands and reduced efficiency.
Pure EVs dominated the top spots in the key winter range category, achieving up to 53.9% of their claimed WLTC range.
However, plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) showed strengths in other areas, such as faster charging on some models.
Key Test Scenarios
Autohome evaluated vehicles across:
- Real-world winter range (WLTC)
- Energy consumption per 100 km
- Fast charging (30% to 80%)
- Cabin heating with AC
- Automatic emergency braking (AEB)
- Acceleration
- Off-road capability on snow
Temperatures ranged from -25°C to -10°C, simulating harsh winter driving.
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Quick Insight
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The Xpeng P7 achieved the highest percentage of its claimed range at 53.9%.
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Only three vehicles retained nearly half or more of their rated range (Xpeng P7, Yangwang U7, and Zeekr 001).
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The Li Auto i8 ranked last in this set, achieving only 34.8% of its range in winter conditions.
Pure EV vs Hybrid Performance Highlights
Pure EVs excelled in range retention for sedans under milder cold (-20°C to -10°C), but SUVs faced tougher -25°C conditions.
| RANK | Model | Body Style | Range Retention (%) | Real-World Range (km) At |
| 1 | XPeng P7 (AWD) | Sedan | 53.9% | 366.7 |
| 2 | BYD Yangwang U7 | Luxury Sedan | 51.8% | 372.9 |
| 3 | Zeekr 001 | Luxury Shooting Brake | 49.6% | 362.1 |
| 4 | Tesla Model 3 | Sedan | 48.0% | 361.8 |
| 5 | Nissan N7 | Sedan | 47.4% | 296.3 |
| 6 | BYD Seal 06 | Sedan | 35.6% | 248.7 |
| 7 | XPeng Mona M03 | Sedan | 45.0% | 270 |
| 8 | Fang Cheng Bao 3 | SUV | 44.9% | 224.7 |
| 9 | Aito M7 | SUV | 44.4% | 282 |
| 10 | BYD Han L | Sedan | 43.9% | 263.9 |
Key Takeaway for Drivers and Enthusiasts
China’s 2025 EV winter test underscores rapid advancements in cold-weather tech, with Chinese brands like XPeng and Zeekr outperforming globals in key metrics.
This test emphasizes the importance of checking real-world winter data rather than relying solely on lab claims.
For buyers in Pakistan, where XPeng has just debuted the G6 and X9, these results are a promising sign that the brand’s core technology delivers world-class efficiency and real-world range reliability.
