The high voltage battery is an EV’s most critical and expensive component. Naturally, EV owners are concerned about maximizing the high voltage battery’s life. Here’re some tips that you can follow to extend your EV battery’s lifespan.
Tip #1 Do not fully deplete the high voltage battery all the time as it may reduce your EV’s charge capacity and overall driving range.
Tip #2 Minimize exposure to extreme temperatures while charging, driving, or storage to minimize battery wear. Choose a shaded spot to park your EV on a hot day and cooling your car before charging may help make the high voltage battery last longer.
Tip #3 Use DC fast charging (high-speed charging) sparingly because it can degrade high voltage batteries faster and affect the battery’s long-term performance.
Tip #4 Set the charging limit of your EV charger to up to 80% for daily driving. Fully charging the battery will affect the usable efficiency and life. The ideal charging range is between 20% and 80% for daily driving.
Tip #5 Avoid heavy acceleration and maintain a consistent speed. Abrupt acceleration drains the high voltage battery faster.
Tip #6 Avoid letting the high voltage battery drain to low levels to improve battery longevity.
Tip #7 Make sure your car is neither fully charged nor fully drained/at a low level of charge for long periods. A high voltage battery that is frequently 100% fully charged or 100% discharged loses its efficiency and usable life.
Tip #8 Don’t plug-in your EV every night. Likewise, don’t top it up to 100% when you don’t have to. An extreme state of charge is damaging to the overall lifespan of your EV battery.
Tip #9 Check your owner’s manual for manufacturer recommendations on optimal charging, operating, and repair/replacement instructions.
Tip #10 Check specific guidelines on optimal high voltage battery performance and software updates from the manufacturer.
