When should you charge your electric vehicle battery to avoid battery failure and increase its lifespan?
When to charge an electric vehicle battery is a concern of many users with the desire to ensure performance and increase battery life. For the battery to achieve the best performance and prolong its life, users should comply with the charging regulations and recommendations of the manufacturer.
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Electric car battery. |
When should you charge your electric car battery?
In today's market, new generation electric vehicle models are equipped with modern Lithium-Ion or LFP battery systems that are capable of providing and storing good energy and have a long life.
Electric vehicle batteries are also designed to include an energy management and protection system to limit unexpected incidents during use and charging.
When the user charges the battery to the specified level, the battery management system will automatically switch to trickle charging mode (charge and then discharge) to avoid the risk of overcharging. Thanks to this special operating mechanism, customers can rest assured to charge at home without having to watch over it, especially when charging overnight.
To maintain the operation of some features when the vehicle is turned off and charging, the battery will alternate between a full charge and discharge cycle. For new electric vehicles, users should charge the battery for about 10 hours of use for the first 3 battery charges to age the battery. For subsequent charges, customers need to follow the charging time recommended by the manufacturer.
Types of electric vehicle battery chargers
Some of the chargers on the market include:
Slow charging (AC)
AC chargers are often preferred for home use at night due to their long battery charging time and high fire safety. In about 1 hour, this charger can usually charge from 0 to 10%. The charger uses 220V household power so vehicle owners can easily use this charger in case of emergency or when the charging station is too far away.
Fast charging (DC)
This is a charger that allows users to fully charge the battery from 0 to 100% in about 1 hour. In case the car battery is not exhausted, the charging time can be shortened, bringing a lot of convenience to the user.
Super fast charging
This charger can be used with both DC or AC power sources to produce current from 43kW to 150kW, thereby shortening the time to charge the car battery. Users prefer to use super fast chargers in emergency cases.
Notes when charging electric vehicles
In addition to paying attention to the issue of when to charge electric vehicle batteries, users need to limit improper usage habits and negative external impacts that damage the battery. Specifically:
Maintain battery capacity above 20% when in use
Car owners should not let the battery operate below 20% because this will increase the risk of battery wear and take a long time to fully charge. According to recommendations from some manufacturers, users should create a habit of charging the car regularly to save charging time and ensure the car battery operates at the highest performance level. In addition, after using the car, the owner should let the battery rest for about 30 minutes to 1 hour to reduce to the ambient temperature before charging.
Charge at maximum 80% to increase battery life
When charging the battery, users should not charge it to 100% but should only stop at a maximum of 80% to increase the life of this part. In case of needing to travel a long distance, users can charge the battery to 100% to maximize its function. However, when needing to charge fully, users should use a slow charger and charge the car overnight to better protect the battery.
Do not use roof racks or boxes
Installing racks or boxes on the roof of the car will directly affect the aerodynamics of the vehicle. Because when operating the car for a long time or moving through bumpy roads, the engine system will have to use a lot of energy, thereby causing the battery power to decrease faster.
Check the wiring if using an extension cord.
Choosing to use a long charging cable system will create many obstacles in the process of transmitting from the power source to the charger. This is the reason why the battery charging time takes longer, directly affecting the user's need to use the vehicle.
Avoid hot weather
Vehicle owners should not charge electric car/motorcycle batteries in hot weather conditions because it will increase the temperature of the battery, leading to the risk of many incidents such as fire and explosion. When charging electric vehicles, owners should park in cool, covered places and use a suitable charger.
