Whether it be the environmental benefits or the big savings thanks to EV energy tariffs, EVs have continued to perform strongly. In fact, just last April, it was reported that European EV sales had gone up by 51%, accounting for one in five new cars!
With an influx of first-time electric motorists on the road, there is some EV etiquette that they might not be well-versed in, especially when it comes to the battery. Don’t fret, though, as we have five invaluable bits of advice to help you extend your EV battery life.
Note: Remember that EV battery life is long-term battery health, while range is its daily mileage.
5 Best Charging Habits for EV Battery Health
#1) Keep Your EV Battery Between 25% and 75%
Why? Just like the lithium-ion batteries found in your other devices – like the phone you’re probably reading this on – frequently charging your battery to 100% can be detrimental.
Think of it like your dinner plate: it’s easy to find some space for food when it’s 0-80% full, but after that point, it starts to get a little cramped. With your EV battery, higher voltage is required to pack those remaining lithium ions in, causing physical and chemical stress that leads to the battery degrading and permanently losing its charging capacity.
The same can be said for when the battery is under 20%, as it works overtime trying to find that remaining ‘juice.’ Over time, this tautness can result in the electrodes cracking, potentially leading to a short circuit that will leave your battery completely dead.
For that reason, it’s best to aim for that optimum charge window of 25-75%.
While it’s usually advised to avoid charging overnight, it’s worth noting that many EV models have a built-in buffer to stop the battery from getting to either 100% or 0% charge. You should try to use scheduled charging where possible and avoid leaving the car sitting at 100% for long periods.
#2) Drive Smoothly and Avoid Constant High Speeds
No one is expecting you to cut your speed to the point where a snail can overtake you, but the formula is simple:
The quicker you drive => The battery drains faster => You need to charge the battery, risking degradation
So, keeping it slow and steady is an important and easy step when trying to help improve your battery’s longevity.
Do Tyres Affect EV Battery Range and Life?
For EV battery range, it’s worth considering which tyres your car has equipped: a Low Rolling Resistance (LRR) tyre – such as the Bridgestone Ecopia EP500 - will help reduce the energy lost when driving, whilst a High-Torque Management tyre – like the Michelin Pilot Sport EV – is built to handle sudden bursts of speed without wearing down prematurely.
This feeds into how tyres affect EV battery life as well:
EV-ready tyres => Reduced energy use => Better range => Fewer charging stops => Less risk of battery degradation
#3) Protect Your EV Battery From Extreme Temperatures
It’s best to be wary of extreme weather conditions, no matter what car you drive, but there are some extra caveats when it comes to EVs.
How Does Hot Weather Affect EV Batteries
An EV battery’s thermal management system will kick in when the temperature needs to be brought down, leading to the battery draining. For this reason,
avoid parking your EV in direct heat and, if possible, plug it in so you’re using the grid’s power rather than your battery.
How Does Cold Weather Affect EV Batteries
The same thermal system kicks in to keep the battery at an operational temperature when it’s too cold as well. For these freezing cold scenarios,
keep your car parked somewhere like a garage and, like heatwaves, keep it plugged in while not in use.
#4) Avoid Using Rapid Charging
As tempting as it might be to charge your battery significantly faster, the stress caused by rapid charging will compound over time, straining your EV’s battery and depleting it faster.
#5) Optimise Your EV Settings
While this is a bit of a catch-all for some mini tips, the following advice is still useful for maximising your EV battery’s life:
- Adjust your regenerative braking setting: While the regenerative braking feature of an EV is a great advantage – putting energy back into the battery when you slow down – this in turn creates more heat. Find a happy middle by going with a medium setting for this feature.
- Keep air conditioning at a low level: Not only does keeping your air conditioning on help keep you cool, but it also helps keep your battery’s temperature at an optimal level. While having the air conditioning on at a low level in your EV will use energy from your battery, the impact is small.
Final Thoughts
As you’ll have hopefully discovered today, EV batteries aren’t quite as simple as some first-time drivers may have expected. Fortunately, there’s plenty you can do to get the most out of your battery life so that you get more time on the road and less time stuck charging.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I charge my EV to 100%?
For day-to-day driving, no. It is generally recommended to charge your EV to 80% for regular use. The key reason for this is the long-term degradation that this causes in your battery. If you have a standard lithium-ion battery, only charge to 100% right before you head out on a long road trip, so the car doesn't sit idle at maximum capacity.
However, if you have a Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) battery, you should ignore this advice as most LFP battery manufacturers recommend charging to 100% once a week to calibrate the battery management system.
Is rapid charging bad for EV batteries?
It is generally recommended to avoid using rapid chargers frequently, as the massive amounts of electricity it uses leads to a lot of heat that degrades a battery’s internal components over time.
That isn’t to say rapid charging is inherently bad, as there are scenarios, such as being caught out when on a long trip with little EV infrastructure around, where you should.
How do my tyres affect my EV's battery life and range?
A lot and far more than most would think. One aspect of them that makes a huge difference in how far you get on a single charge is rolling resistance: that’s the friction between the tyre and the road, where lower rolling resistance means less power is needed to maintain speed.
The negative impact of inefficient tyres is twofold: the first issue being that they inherently cut your EV range anywhere from 10-15%. That means you’ll have to charge more frequently, in turn contributing to long-term battery degradation.
What drains an EV battery fastest?
The two biggest drains of an EV battery are:
- High-Speed Driving: Aerodynamic drag increases exponentially the faster you go, requiring massive amounts of energy to sustain motorway speeds.
- Extreme Temperatures: Both cold snaps and heatwaves negatively impact EV batteries, making them work overtime to regulate temperature and reducing their efficiency as a result.
And when you combine either of these drains with the wrong pair of tyres, the headache can double. A freezing cold day will already drain the battery of an ill-prepared EV driver, but high-rolling-resistance tyres that struggle to carry the weight of an EV will cause even more drag.
Does the weight of an EV battery require special XL (Extra Load) tyres?
Yes, it absolutely does. Because of their massive lithium-ion battery packs, EVs are heavier than equivalent petrol or diesel cars.
To safely handle this weight, you must look for specific load ratings on the sidewall:
- XL (Extra Load): Reinforced tyres designed to handle higher inflation pressures and heavier weights than standard tyres.
- HL (High Load): A newer standard designed specifically for heavy EVs and SUVs, allowing even greater load capacity at the same tyre size.
