Like any battery, or any other car engine for that matter, the battery and engine in an electric car or vehicle will slowly deteriorate over time.
Modern electric vehicles can last just as long as their petrol or diesel engines counterparts; roughly 100,000 miles or 10 years (although often, the milage is much higher than this before the vehicle starts to experience problems)
But when it comes to electric car charging there are things you can do that could reduce the rate of deterioration in the car’s battery and make it last longer.
A lot of this comes down to the charging itself and managing the battery in a more efficient way.
In this article we’ll take you through the main things to consider for electric car charging that could make your electric vehicle last longer.
Don’t always charge to full capacity
It’s a natural instinct with batteries to charge them to full capacity every time you plug them in. The higher the charge, the longer the battery will last, right?
But it’s not always the best thing to do.
Keeping your electric vehicle’s battery at full charge all the time will actually degrade the battery quicker and reduce its capacity to below 100% a lot faster.
Like most new petrol and diesel cars, electric cars have an internal distance monitor that tell you how far you can still drive before you need to top up the battery.
It’s best to check that and if you can make the journey based on the remaining charge (especially if it’s a short journey) just use the existing charge.
Save the full battery charges for long journeys instead.
Don’t let the battery run down completely
If you’ve ever had a petrol car you’ll know the temptation of just letting the petrol light come on and letting the indictor run as close to empty as you can before filling up.
With electric car charging, this is a sure way to quickly degrade the life of your car’s battery.
Constantly letting the battery run close to zero (especially followed by charging back to 100%) will increase the rate of deterioration and reduce the capacity in your car’s battery.
The recommended range is to keep your electric car charged between 20% and 80% capacity for the majority of the time, and then charge to full capacity when you’re planning a long trip.
You shouldn’t let the car’s battery regularly dip below 20% charged.
Don’t leave your car unused for long periods
Any car owner will have experienced the situation when you don’t use your car for a long period, then when you come to use it there’s a problem with the engine because the car has been sitting idle for so long.
Or you can end up with problems with your tyres when the weight of the car has been driving down on one spot for extended periods.
Overall, it’s better for the health of your electric vehicle to use it often, even for short drives.
Don’t just rely on rapid charging
Rapid charging your electric car is great when you’re out and need a quick top up to get home or a little further in your journey.
And they’re readily available in thousands of publicly available places like shopping centres, supermarkets and other town centre and city centre locations.
They can get your electric vehicle charged quickly and often ready to drive within 30 minutes (sometimes less depending on the length of your journey and your battery’s existing charge level)
But you shouldn’t just rely on rapid chargers for your electric vehicle charging.
In fact, it can be damaging to the car’s battery to constantly recharge it as fast possible.
For the majority of your charging, you should rely on slower charging through standard electric vehicle charging, and use rapid chargers when you’re in need of a quick top up or in an emergency.
Don’t expose your electric vehicle engine to extreme temperatures when unplugged
In extreme temperatures an electric vehicle’s battery can degrade quicker if it’s sitting idle and unplugged.
If you can plug your electric vehicle in then the smart technology built into the right charger can help you maintain the battery better.
But that requires a home ev charger, which is something you should consider.
Better manage your electric vehicle charging with a home EV charger
Being able to charge your vehicle at home isn’t just more convenient, it’s also more cost effective and can help you better manage the life of your electric vehicle.
The smart technology built into electric vehicle chargers can help you control the level of charging your electric vehicle is subjected to, so you won’t have to risk overcharging it.
You can also use the technology to time your vehicle charging in line with when utility prices are lowest so you’re always saving money on your vehicle.
Plus, there are Government grants available through the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles that can cover the majority of the costs for buying and installing a smart home EV charger.
If you’re interested in installing a home ev charger for your electric vehicle, get in touch.
We have a range of the best ev chargers available that can work with any electric car and include all the latest software and technology to help you make the most of your investment.
We can also help with your OZEV grant application so you know you’re getting all the discounts you’re entitled to.
