Some experts advise that the ideal state of charge is at 20 – 80% and others says 15-90%. Fundamentally, the golden rule is to not overcharge it. Also avoid charging your electric car following a particularly spirited drive – give your battery some time to cool down.
14th October 2021
4 tips on how to extend the life of your EV battery
Although the electric market is growing quickly with currently more than 300,000 EVs on the UK roads, there are still some concerns related to the EV battery’s lifespan.
The current predictions are that an electric battery will last 10-20 years before they need to be replaced and most EV manufacturers offer an 8 years or 100,000 mile warranty for their EV batteries.
By taking a good care of your battery, you will slow down the degradation process and maximise its performance. With this in mind, we wanted to share a few important tips on how to prolong your EV’s battery life.
Most EV batteries have a built-in buffer, which means you can never really drain them to 0% charge or, in some cases, charge them to a true 100%. That’s because it’s the continual 0-100% charging cycle that is most damaging to batteries over a relatively short timespan. However, if your battery is below 5%, charge it as soon as possible. If left uncharged for a long period of time, you risk damaging the battery’s cells.
There are times when you need a top-up on the move, however don’t rely solely on fast chargers to keep your car topped up. According to research, fast charging increases the rate that batteries degrade so slow charge whenever you can.
While EV batteries have a built-in thermal management system to keep them cool, whenever possible, avoid parking your EV in direct sunlight when the temperature is high.
On the other hand, cold temperature can affect the EV’s range but doesn’t have a long lasting effect on the battery lifespan.
To find out more information, tools and resources about EVs, visit our EV Hub.