Motoring experts at Wessex Fleet have outlined five tips to prolong the battery life of electric vehicles after their research revealed which EV models had been declared off the road the most. These tips can be useful for drivers and ensure smoother and stress-free journeys in the future.
Only charge up to full for really long trips – keep the battery power between 20 percent and 80 percent
If drivers are travelling away on a UK city break or are heading hundreds of miles on a work trip, charging their EV battery up to 100 percent makes sense.
But if they are taking much shorter trips, charging to 100 percent on a regular basis can actually be harmful to the car and its battery pack specifically.
It’s been recommended not to let an electric car’s battery fall below 20 percent or go beyond 80 percent (apart from the aforementioned long trips).
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This is in order to prevent a negative impact on the car’s battery health.
Don’t use rapid chargers all the time
Rapid chargers can also affect the battery health of an EV if they are used on a regular basis.
If time allows, it’s better to use slow chargers for most of the EV’s charging, as they are much easier on the battery itself.
Therefore, if drivers are able to, they should try to keep their EVs in a garage or invest in a car cover.
Avoid heavy acceleration when driving
EVs, and their range specifically, don’t take too kindly to erratic driving, and any abrupt acceleration or braking will drain the battery quickly, resulting in fewer miles between charges.
Therefore, driving at a moderate pace under reasonable driving conditions prevents discharging of the battery.
