Maximising the Lifespan of Your EV Battery: Tips and Best Practices

Do you own an electric vehicle, or are you thinking of getting one? Well, in either case, an electric battery is one of the first things you need to consider. That’s because EV batteries are both crucial and expensive components that add around one-fourth of EVs total cost.

However, just like your smartphone and laptop, your electric vehicle’s battery life can also degrade with time. When you spend so much money on an EV, you want to ensure you make the most of it by maximising your electric vehicle’s battery life. With the help of some basic understanding and knowledge of using the battery of EV, you can achieve that.

In this blog post, we have covered the important tips and best practices that will help you maximise the lifespan of your EV battery.

How long does an electric vehicle battery last?

The lifespan of an electric vehicle battery relies on various factors such as battery capacity, maintenance and temperature. Generally, EV batteries can last around 65,000 to 1,00,000 miles or 8-10 years. But it doesn’t mean your electric vehicle’s battery pack loses all its power at once. Instead, it eventually starts losing its capacity to hold the charge with every passing year.

Most EVs consist of lithium-ion batteries that generate power through a chemical reaction. On average, an EV battery loses around 2.3% of its starting range annually. However, your EV battery comes with a warranty that enables the repair or replacement of EV batteries at the manufacturer-approved repair shop.

Tips and Best Practices to Maximise the Lifespan of Your EV Battery

1. Avoid Overcharging

Have you heard of the rule of charging smartphones only up to 80%? Well, the same applies to EV batteries.

Although charging your EV battery up to the maximum limit gives you more operating time, it is one of the worst things for your EV battery life. That’s because charging your EV regularly up to the limit causes an accelerated decrease in capacity and battery life.

Thankfully, most EVs now come with sophisticated battery management systems that help you to avoid overcharging.

2. Avoid Regular Deep Discharging

Similar to overcharging, deep discharging of your EV battery can also impact its lifespan. When you allow your EV to reach an extremely low level before charging it again, it causes too much strain on its cells and even lowers its capacity.

Therefore, it’s better to charge your EV battery whenever it reaches between 20-30%. Moreover, you can use notifications and alert features available in modern EVs to set such reminders. That will eventually help you to extend your electric vehicle battery lifespan.

3. Try to Minimise Exposure to Extreme Temperature

Extreme temperatures can significantly hamper your EV’s battery life. For instance, high temperatures can result in thermal stress and chemical reactions in the battery while freezing temperatures can increase internal resistance and hinder the battery’s ability to provide energy effectively.

To avoid it, park your vehicle in a shaded area in a hot climate that keeps your EV battery cool. Similarly, use a garage for parking in cold weather to protect your electric car battery life.

4. Limit Fast Charging

Although DC fast charging can be a convenient option to save time, it is not a good option for your EV battery. That’s because when you charge your EV with a DC fast charger, it presses too much current in your batteries in a short period, generates excessive heat, and weakens them faster.

Therefore, it’s better to use home or standard charges for daily charging for healthier long-term battery life. Limit the fast charging for only emergencies and long journeys where you need quick charging.

5. Maintain Speed Limit

Sudden accelerations and braking can lead to battery drainage that causes performance issues. That’s why you should drive your EV at a moderate speed in normal conditions for longer battery life.

6. Ensure Optimal Battery State During Long Storage

If you are thinking of how to prolong EV battery life, one of the simplest things you can do is to ensure that you don’t leave your vehicle battery either fully charged or discharged. That’s because when you park your 100% charged  EV for a specific time without usage, the battery will struggle to preserve this state of charge. It causes battery degradation and even loss of range.

7. Get a Basic Understanding of EV Battery Life

One of the essential things you can do to extend your EV battery is to understand its basics. For instance, every EV battery has a different chemical composition that affects your battery’s capacity and charging speed. So, lithium-ion batteries react differently than nickel-metal hydride cells.

Similarly, knowing the recommended charge cycle of your EV will help you to prolong its lifespan.

8. Follow Best Charging Practices

By following some simple charging practices, you can ensure your EV battery lasts long:

• Try to charge your EV during nighttime or off-peak hours. It will reduce electricity costs and lower battery wear and tear.
• Charge your EV battery at a set time each day. So you can avoid discharge or overcharging situations and extend battery life.
• Try to Control the amount of power your EV battery consumes during charging.

9. Ensure Timely Software Updates and Maintenance Checks

Your EV consists of an onboard system that requires regular software updates and monitoring. So when you do that, you protect your EV battery from potential issues. It includes monitoring for updates, charging terminology, battery level and adjusting settings according to temperature or altitude.

Similarly, doing maintenance checks can help you extend your EV’s battery life and get optimal performance.

Conclusion

Batteries are one of the crucial parts of electric vehicles. Any issue with the EV battery can hamper both the safety and longevity of the EV.

However, by following a few tips and best practices mentioned above, you can easily prevent such issues and maximise the lifespan of your EV battery. For more queries regarding how to extend EV battery life, feel free to reach us.