7 Ways To Get The Most Out Of Your Battery Charge
7 Ways To Get The Most Out Of Your Battery Charge
Posted on September 21, 2022
As more and more battery powered vehicles hit the road, consumers are learning to make the most out of their electric vehicles the same way they did with gas powered cars. Extending the life of your power source, whether it’s fuel or battery power, is always top of mind with drivers. Though many people commonly know how to improve their gas mileage, getting the most of your battery charge may be a new concept for most consumers.
The average battery to power a vehicle lasts about 10-20 years. There are many factors that affect the longevity of your battery, but similar to fuel powered vehicles, the things that increase your battery life in the short term are also going to increase it over the long term as well.
Here are some ways you can get the most of out each charge and extend the lifespan of your battery overall.
1. Minimize Exposure To Extremely High Temperatures. High temperatures cause your automated temperature control system installed in your electric car will needlessly drain your batteries to keep the temperatures down for optimal efficiency. It’s also a good idea to park in the shade whenever possible to avoid high usage when you turn the vehicle on.
2. Manage Battery Charge Levels Effectively. Optimal use for your electric vehicle’s battery power is to avoid discharging it to under 20% and charging it over 80%. Although a full charge will give you the maximum operating time, it is not a good idea for the overall lifespan of your battery so avoid doing so whenever possible.
3. Avoid Using Fast Charging. If your battery is very low and you need to get somewhere, using fast charging is effective and convenient, however, it presses so much current into the battery in a short period which strains it and causes the charge to wane faster. While it is hard to notice its degradation, eight years of standard charging will give you 10% more battery life compared to 8 years of using fast charging.
4. Control Battery State During Long Storage. If you are parking or storing your electric vehicle, leaving it at 100% will cause the battery to struggle with preserving its state of charge. One strategy is to set the charger to keep the charge just above the low mark, not filling it up to the maximum capacity, at an average charge level between 25-75%.
5. Avoid Frequent Charging. If you charge your vehicle too often, or regularly to a full charge, the battery will degrade it’s condition and performance much faster. Charge only when you need to and never to 100%.
6. Use The Original Charger. After market chargers might seem like a great buy at the time, but they can cause a host of issues including unreliable charging, malfunctions and EV fires. It’s recommended to use the manufacturers charger that came with your vehicle to get the most out of it and protect your investment.
7. Don’t Charge Immediately After Driving. While you are driving your electric vehicle, the battery gets extremely hot. Allow the battery to cool down for at least 30 minutes before charging to get the best charge and maintain the integrity of your battery.
Electric vehicles offer many great benefits to drivers. Follow these tips, and come in to one of our Service bays if you have any questions at all, to get the most out of each charge while also extending the life of your battery overall. Want to know what Electric Vehicle options Ford has to offer? Find a Halifax Ford Dealership near me here.