Batteries are improving all the time, becoming increasinglymore efficient and being used in many more contexts than they ever have in the past. We just need to think of the huge lithium-ion batteries that are found inside electric vehicles, or the batteries which are now becoming efficient enough to even be used as an alternative supply to mains power.

Furthermore, as well as these new batteries, there are updates of the old ones. Just consider the USB-C rechargeable 9V smart batteries, such as those produced by battery experts Pale Blue Earth. These are certainly very high tech, but they look just like the 9V, AA, and AAA household batteries of old.

Such is the lay of the land when it comes to battery technology. Batteries may have been around for an exceptionally long time, but it would be fair to say that they are only now reaching their true apogee, exploding in use and diversity. And this is a process that is set to only increase in the future.

Amongthe many strategies proposed for realizing the sustainable energy future, reliance on batteries is thought to be a serious contender.Theyare at least part of a multi-variate solution. Make no mistake, batteries are having their day and they seem certain to have the future too.

Old Wisdoms

All of this leads us to a curious observation. Despite the fact that battery technology is advancing at an incredible rate, the tips and tricks for caring for and using batteries have proven stubbornly resistant to change. The previously mentioned USB smart batteries, for example, come with many of the same care tips as the batteries of old. Another wisdom which has never changed is that batteries do not cope well in extreme temperatures.

Even in the most high-tech EV batteries, for example, it is still advisable to avoid extremes of hot or cold. EV driversare cautioned not to park their vehicles in direct sunlight and to protect them from excessive coldlest the batteries run down quicker, lose their efficiencyas well as their ability to hold charge.

Batteries at The Poles

Nevertheless, sometimes extremes of temperature are nigh on impossible to avoid. Batteries are used all over the world – and that includes in cold places. Additionally, everyone likes to take things like their smartphones and cameras on winter holidays. For those folk photographing polar bears at the Artic, there certainly isn’t anywhere around to plug in their cameras!

So, we can conclude that batteries are and will always be used in extreme cold. We also know that they don’t cope well with it (there is no battery, for example, which doesn’t experience some kind of reduction in functionality when exposed to the cold). So, how do those making use of battery power in cold conditions tackle this challenge?

Using Batteries in Cold Weather

As it happens, the trick to using batteries in cold weather is simply to use the right type and to protect them from the worst of the temperatures as best you can. The latter point herenaturally involves using warm cases and other technologies to keep the device and its battery at a more optimal temperature.

Beyond this, it’s all about using the right type. All batteries react badly to extreme cold, but some more and some less than others. Go with lithium-ion batteries or cylindrical lithium batteries for the cold. These do not experience the effects as severely and will serve you well throughout use in the cold.

In the end, these batteries will not perform optimally, but they will be there for you when you simply need battery power in the cold.