Range anxiety is common for people who are considering getting an EV or who have just received their electric lease car from us. Maintaining your vehicle’s battery will help to manage its range and performance so you feel more confident when making a journey in your EV.
These simple steps will help keep it in top condition:
- Unless your journey requires a full charge, experts advise that it’s best to charge to 80% – charging rates slow down dramatically past the 80% mark and constantly charging to 100% can reduce battery life.
- Don’t let your vehicle’s battery go completely flat. It’s advisable to keep your state of charge above 15%.
- After a charge, give the batteries a chance to cool down.
- Be mindful of extreme temperatures. Long-term exposure to high temperatures can decrease battery life.
- Fast chargers are a great tool when you need them but try not to use them every time, as they are not good for performance in the long run.
- If you’re going on holiday and plan to leave the car at home, it’s a good idea to set the charge level to 50% and leave it plugged in. If you are leaving the car parked somewhere and going away, make sure it has enough charge to get you home after an extended period without charge.
- Battery balancing can help to maximise your battery’s capacity. Every three months, a long drive or maximum charge will help your battery management system.
- Run your EV regularly. Take your car out for short, regular trips to keep the battery healthy and avoid issues like flat spots on tyres where they’ve been parked in one spot for too long.
- Follow the manufacturer’s recommended maintenance schedule for your EV. This includes regular check-ups, inspections, and software updates provided by the manufacturer to keep the battery up to date and improve efficiency whilst addressing any potential issues.
So, there you have it, our top tips to keep your EV battery working efficiently so you can get where you need to be, when you need to be there.
Maximising EV range in cold weather
If you’re driving an EV, you’ll need to be aware of how chilly temperatures can affect your range and take steps to mitigate these effects. Here are some tips to help you out:
First, understand the range impact
The battery’s efficiency is reduced in the cold, causing shorter travel distances on a single charge. This means the range can be much lower than what you might expect compared to the summer months.
Precondition your vehicle
Most modern EVs allow you to precondition the cabin while the vehicle is still charging. This helps maintain a comfortable temperature and ensures windows are defrosted without draining the battery.
Plan multiple charging stops
Plan your routes with charging stations in mind, especially on longer journeys. Cold weather can increase charging time due to slower battery performance. Your battery range could lose charge more quickly too in the cold, and many charging stations can get busy at this time of year.
Practice efficient driving
Maximise your EVs efficiency by driving conservatively and avoiding rapid acceleration or high speeds. If your car has an efficiency mode or eco mode, be sure to take advantage of it.
Use regenerative braking
If it’s safe to do so, adjust your acceleration instead of hitting the brakes when gradually slowing down. This is known as regenerative braking, and it’s a way to reduce speed while feeding surplus energy back to the battery.
Turn on your heated seats
Heated car seats and steering wheel heaters are much more efficient than heating the car with climate controls.
