Maximize Your EV’s Battery Life by Limiting Charge Levels

Electric vehicle drivers are warned that they could be overcharging their cars and damaging their batteries.  Motoring experts advise EV drivers to stop charging their vehicles to maximum capacity to preserve battery health and efficiency. 

While many electric vehicle drivers may think they should drive a fully charged car as often as possible, experts warn that this could degrade the car’s battery over time.

Instead, they advise keeping the battery between 20% and 80% daily to prolong its life and performance.

Whilst charging to 100% is okay for longer journeys, consistently doing this on a daily basis can increase battery temperatures and cause stress, reducing the battery’s efficiency over time. 

Some newer EV models come with battery management systems (BMS) which can control and monitor the battery to keep it performing as efficiently as possible.

Even with BMS in place, drivers who continuously charge their cars to 100% still run the risk of overcharging. 

John Wilmot, CEO of car lease comparison site LeaseLoco.com, said: “Logically, I can see why people think they need to charge their electric vehicles 100%, but this can actually do more harm than good.

“Overcharging your EV stresses the battery by increasing its temperature, which can lead to long-term damage. Over time, this reduces efficiency and range, meaning your car may struggle to reach a full charge as the battery degrades.

“Charging your car to 80% for daily use will give you enough charge without overheating the battery and help you get the most out of it and improve its efficiency.

“It also takes less time for your car to reach 80% instead of a full charge, and this is because when you keep it charging to 100%, the charging speed slows down to help prevent strain on the battery.

“Of course, if you’re going on a much longer journey, charging to 100% is fine; it just shouldn’t be a regular habit.”

John also shared why it’s important not to let the battery drop too low. 

He said: “Letting your battery drop significantly low is another thing that can put extra strain on it, so it’s best not to let it drop below 20%.

“It can also shorten the car’s range and make the battery more sensitive to temperature fluctuations.

“With more and more people opting for electric vehicles, it’s important they know how to get the most out of their cars.”