7 Habits That Help Your Electric Car Battery Last Longer

The battery is the most expensive and most important part of an electric car. The good news is that modern batteries are built to last many years, and your daily habits can make a real difference. Here are seven simple ones.

Slow, gentle charging at home is kind to the battery.
Photo by CHUTTERSNAP on Unsplash

The 7 habits

1. Avoid living at 0% or 100%. For daily driving, try to keep the charge in the middle range. Many manufacturers suggest setting a charge limit for everyday use, and charging to full only before a long trip. Check what your manual recommends.
2. Do not leave the car parked almost empty. If the car will sit for days or weeks, leave it with a moderate charge, not near zero.
3. Use fast charging only when you need it. Fast chargers are great on a road trip, but they produce more heat. For daily use, slower charging at home or at work is gentler on the battery.
4. Protect the battery from extreme heat and cold. Park in the shade or in a garage when you can. In very hot or very cold weather, plugging the car in lets it manage the battery temperature, if your car supports it.
5. Drive smoothly. Hard acceleration and constant full-speed driving use more energy and create more heat. Smooth driving also gives you more range.
6. Use the car's own settings. Many cars let you set a charge limit and a charging schedule in the app or on the screen. Use them, so you do not have to remember.
7. Keep the car up to date. Install software updates and follow the service schedule in your manual. This includes checks of the battery cooling system if your car has one.

What to avoid

• Using cheap or unknown chargers and cables that do not match your car
• Charging in a place with water or damaged wiring
• Ignoring a battery or charging warning on the dashboard

Safety note

An electric car has a high-voltage system. Never open, repair or modify the battery or the orange cables yourself. After a serious accident, flood or any damage to the underside of the car, ask a qualified electric-car technician to inspect it before you drive or charge again.

Golden tip: Read the battery warranty terms. They usually cover a long period, but the conditions are different from brand to brand.

Do you drive an electric car, or are you thinking about one? Tell us in the comments.

This article is for general information only. Electric and hybrid cars differ a lot between makes and models, so always follow your owner's manual and let a qualified technician handle anything that involves the high-voltage system.