Maximise Your EV Battery Life

Why Battery Health Matters

Though modern EV batteries are built to be durable and long-lasting, often outlasting the vehicle itself, they are not indestructible. Over time, normal driving and charging cycles will naturally lead to some degree of battery degradation.

Monitoring your battery’s health and taking steps to maximise its lifespan is important for two key reasons:

• Performance & Range: As a battery’s capacity diminishes, it can affect an EV’s driving range, requiring more frequent charging to cover the same distances. A degraded battery may also impact acceleration and overall responsiveness.
• Long-Term Cost Considerations: While EV batteries are designed to last for many years, replacing one can be a significant investment. Taking care of your battery through good charging and driving habits will help extend its lifespan, ensuring you get the most out of your EV without unexpected expenses.

By following best practices, such as avoiding extreme charge levels and high temperatures, you can help preserve your battery’s health and maintain optimal performance for years to come. 

Modern EV batteries are built to be durable and long-lasting (and in the vast majority of use cases, the battery will outlast the vehicle it is installed in), but they’re not indestructible (just like an internal combustion engine), and their condition will deteriorate naturally over time in the course of normal day-to-day driving. 

Avoid Full Depletion or Overcharging

EV batteries deteriorate faster when kept in extreme states of charge, so it’s important to avoid regularly both charging the battery to 100%, and letting it run completely flat. Generally, the best way to charge an electric car battery is to limit the charge level to 80% whenever you’re topping up, and prevent it from dropping below 20% whenever possible.

Occasionally, charging all the way to 100% for longer trips where you’re not sure how easily you’ll be able to top up is relatively harmless. However, it’s important to avoid making a habit of this for good EV charging practices.

Note that early EV battery models were commonly charged up to 100%, and it’s likely that you’ll be able to charge your EV past 80% without any noticeable damage. However, with EV technology evolving all the time, it’s impossible to track which combination of EV models, chargers, cables, etc, will affect your battery’s rate of deterioration. This is why all EV manufacturers recommend avoiding regularly charging your battery past 80% or letting it drop below 20%.

Charge Smartly: Use the Right Charging Infrastructure

Another important way to preserve EV battery performance is to ensure that your vehicle has the right charging infrastructure.

One of the ways to do this is by minimising your use of rapid or ultra-rapid public EV chargers. While using high-speed en-route charging to top up your car every now and then is relatively harmless, repeatedly channelling high levels of electricity into your EV’s battery can lead to a higher rate of degradation, shortening your battery's overall lifespan.

It’s also important to use only dedicated electric vehicle charge points compatible with your vehicle and avoid using standard three-pin plugs except for emergencies. Aside from being highly inefficient compared to dedicated EV chargers, three-pin cables aren’t designed to handle the high power output needed for EV charging and can be prone to overheating and damage.

Drive Smoothly

Similar to the fuel economy of a conventional car, the state of your EV battery’s health can be affected by your driving habits. Rapid acceleration and maintaining high speeds will cause your battery’s charge to deplete faster, which will reduce its available charge cycles and shorten the battery’s lifespan over time.

When driving, try to accelerate gradually and stick to moderate speeds. This will keep you from using up charge rapidly and hurting your battery’s ability to retain energy. Just like your average MPG gauge in your conventional petrol or diesel car, you can check your EV’s range stat as you’re driving to make sure you’re driving as efficiently as possible. 

Maintain Optimal Battery Temperatures

EV batteries that are exposed to extreme temperatures (whether hot or cold) tend to degrade faster than those in more temperate climates. While the UK’s mild weather generally stays within a safe range which won’t cause your battery to deteriorate rapidly, it’s still important to stay aware of this factor and prevent temperature damage as much as possible.

One of the key things you can do to prevent extreme temperatures damaging your battery is to precondition the vehicle in line with your day-to-day driving needs. Preconditioning your EV can usually be activated through the infotainment system or a connected smartphone app, and will automatically heat or cool your car to the battery’s optimal running temperature according to your pre-scheduled departure times. This will help to preserve the battery’s cells, and slow down the normal process of deterioration. 

Aside from regular preconditioning, it’s a good habit to park your car in shaded areas on hot days, or insulated parking facilities on cold days whenever possible. This will help protect your battery from extreme temperatures and keep it functioning as intended.

Limit Energy-Draining Features

One of the less-talked-about ways that you can care for an electric car battery is limiting your use of climate control or other non-essential features that drain the battery’s charge.

Little changes to the way you use your car, such as using its heated seats rather than heating the entire cabin or simply dressing for the weather when you drive, will help you ease up on your vehicle’s climate control system and avoid draining the battery.

Conserving your battery in this way will allow you to enjoy more range from each charge, while also conserving the total number of charge cycles your battery can provide in its natural lifespan.

Why Choose Dick Lovett for EV Expertise?

​We’ve always been a forward-thinking early adopter of electric vehicles in the UK, and stock a diverse range of some of the most popular hybrid and full-electric models in the market.

To learn more about optimising your EV experience, be sure to check out our other resources on EV ownership, or get in touch for more info.