Of course, the relatively new technology of batteries powering an electric car also raises some issues. The battery life of an electric car can be affected by how it is handled. One of the most decisive factors is charging behaviour. The way an EV is charged has a long-term effect on the battery life. Find out all about how to maximise EV battery health here.

What exactly is driving my EV?

The battery that powers an EV is the same kind of battery as the one in your smartphone - a lithium-ion battery. Just as the battery of a smartphone will degrade over a long period of time, the same happens with the battery of an electric car. Although this degradation averages only a few percent per year, there are certain things you can do yourself to minimise this effect.

The first thing to know is that consistently charging from 0 to 100% is relatively stressful for all lithium-ion batteries. This causes the life span of such a battery to decrease faster. It is also bad for the battery to be left idle for an extended period when it is fully charged. So make sure that when you fully charge your battery you will also drive the car again soon, otherwise it can be counterproductive to the health of your battery. On the other hand, it is also not recommended to completely drain the battery and leave it like that for a long time. In ideal circumstances, the battery should always be 50% charged to ensure the longest lifespan. However, this is not realistically achievable, nor is it necessary to significantly extend its lifespan.

What is the best way to charge my EV?

Generally speaking, it is recommended to always drive your electric vehicle when its battery is between 20% and 80% charged. This is assuming that this is sufficient for your daily transport, for example the commute to work. But of course, if you set off on a trip with your EV, you need not be afraid to charge the car to 100%. Simply charging the car to 100% every day and driving it completely empty is strongly discouraged. For example, if you know that you only travel very short distances on a daily basis, you can choose to always drive with a battery that is 40% to 60% charged. Based on that reasoning, you can decide what percentage of battery you need for your daily transport and adjust your charging behaviour accordingly. The closer you can hover around 50% battery capacity, the better. With services such as Online Monitoring, you can monitor the status of charging yourself.

Furthermore, it appears that using fast chargers very frequently to charge an EV can also have a negative effect on the battery in the long run. This acts to shorten battery life.

Should I be worried?

NO! One certainly need not be anxious if one sometimes fully charges the battery, this is not destructive to the battery. They can certainly take a beating and charging does not have to interfere with your convenience. For daily use, if you can keep the battery between 20% and 80% and do not charge it on a fast charger all the time, this will already be more than enough to benefit its lifespan.