Want to make sure your electric car battery lasts as long and efficiently as possible? Here’s how you can keep your electric car going for as long as possible.
It’s important to ensure that your best-selling electric car is healthy. Maintaining a healthy battery means that it can store more power. That directly translates into the increased driving range. A battery in great condition will last for longer, be worth more when you sell it, and won’t need to recharge as often.
In other words: It is in the best interests of all EV drivers to know how and what they need to do to keep their batteries healthy.
How does an electric car battery work?
The function of the lithium-ion car battery is identical to that of any other device you own, including a smartphone or laptop. These batteries are larger than the average and can be too large or expensive to fit into smaller gadgets.
Each lithium-ion battery cell is built in the same way. The two separate sections allow lithium ions to travel. The anode of a battery’s cathode is located in one and the cathode in the other. Lithium ions store the actual power.
The ions that are discharged move from the anode into the cathode. When the battery recharges, they move back and forth between the two. The charge level is directly related to how many ions are distributed. A fully-charged lithium battery will have all its ions on one side, while a low-charge battery will have only half. A 50% charge signifies that they’re equally divided.
It is worth noting that lithium ions can cause tiny amounts of stress within the battery. It is because lithium-ion cells eventually degrade over many years, regardless of what you do. It’s why viable solid-state state batteries technology is so popular.
Also Read:
- All About Top 10 Electric Convertible Cars of 2022 and the Future
- All Info About Honda Electric Cars You are Looking For
- 2022 Guide About Li-Ion Electric Car Battery
- All You Need to Know About Battery Used in Electric Vehicles
A secondary battery for electric cars is also crucial.
Two batteries make up an electric car. Two batteries are required to make an electric car run. The leading lithium-ion battery makes the car move, while the other is responsible for lower-voltage electrical components. This battery powers the car’s climate control, door locks, and computer. These are the three-digit voltages that power the main battery.
This battery is a standard 12V lead acid that you will find in all other cars. Tesla and other automakers have also been moving towards lithium-ion alternative batteries, although the end purpose is still the same.
It would be best if you do not worry about electric car battery.
There are usually ways to solve problems if they do happen, as can happen in any gasoline-powered car. It is possible to check to determine if the battery has gone dead. These batteries can usually be found at auto parts stores for as low as $45-250.
Also Read:
- EV Battery Manufacturers You Should Know
- Do You Need to Know About Rivian Electric Vehicles?
- All you need to Know about Hidden Costs of Owning an Electric car
How can you make sure your electric car batteries are healthy?
A first-time owner of an electric vehicle can find it daunting to maintain its battery. If your battery starts to fail, it is impossible to repair the car. That is not a very appealing option.
You can keep your battery healthy by being vigilant and not putting too much effort. Here’s what to do:
Your charge should be between 20% to 80% whenever you can.
EV owners must keep the battery level at between 20% & 80%. Let’s look at the mechanism of lithium-ion battery operation to understand why. Because lithium ions can move around during use, avoiding some stress is impossible.
It is known that too many ions in the cell can make the battery more stressed. That can be fine if you leave your car for only a few hours or overnight. But it can become a problem if you leave the battery that way for long periods.
The perfect balance point lies around 50% since the ions in the battery are equally divided. The ideal balance point is around 50%, but that’s impossible. That’s where the 20-80% threshold comes from. Anything more than those levels could lead to battery stress.
That doesn’t mean your battery cannot be fully recharged, but it is important not to let it drop below 20%. It won’t end in the grand scheme if you don’t have enough range or push your car to avoid another charging stop. Keep your car in this state for at least a few days.
Keep your electric car battery charged.
If your EV is new, chances are that it has systems in place to maintain a safe temperature. Because lithium-ion batteries are sensitive to temperature extremes, heat can cause battery degradation.
That is not something you need to worry about in most cases. Modern electric cars often have sophisticated thermal management systems that heat/cool the battery when needed. It would be best to remember this is happening because the systems depend on power. Extreme temperatures will affect your range if you use more power.
Older cars might not have active heat management. The Nissan Leaf example of a car with passive battery cooling is the Nissan Leaf.
Your battery can become too hot if you live in an area with high temperatures or depend on DC rapid charge.
It’s not possible to do much while driving about this, but it does mean that you should be conscious of where you park. It is best to park indoors or at least find a shaded spot. Although this is not the same as a permanent cover, it makes a difference. It’s a good practice for all EV users since it reduces thermal management’s impact on your vehicle’s power. The car will also be slightly more remarkable when it’s returned.
Also Read:
- Are you thinking about switching to an electric car? Here are all the details you need.
- How Does an Electric Cars Tax Credit Work in the USA?
- Policies and Incentives About Plugin Electric Cars in Norway
Charge at a speed you can control
Having a DC quick charger for fast-charging electric cars is a good idea. They are vital for electric car owners as they allow faster charging for long distances and emergencies. They are unfortunately not widely used and have a negative reputation.
Even automakers Kia (opens with a new tab) recommend you not use rapid chargers as often as possible because of the potential strain your battery could experience.
However, it is possible to charge your car quickly if you have a thermal management system. It doesn’t matter whether your car is liquid-cooled (or active-cooled); the car will account for any heat created during charging. It doesn’t mean that there isn’t anything you can do to make this process more pleasant.
As soon as possible, disconnect the charger from the car. Give the battery time to cool down. It is best to charge your car inside or in a cool dark place to avoid excessive heat.
At the most, these actions will allow you to charge the battery slightly faster because the car doesn’t need the power to cool down.
Passive cooling refers to cars that have passive battery cooling. That passive cooling system relies on ambient temperature to heat away. It is much harder to cool these batteries down quickly so heat can accumulate, which is far more likely for the battery to be damaged over the life span of a car. Check out our guide if you have questions about how it may affect your car.
Get the most range from your EV battery.
Lithium-ion cells are only designed for a specified number of charge cycles. A battery will experience more degradation as lithium ions move around it the more it accumulates charge cycles.
The best way to limit how many charges cycles a battery can last is to stop using it. However, driving more economically and getting as many miles as you can from your battery is possible. That makes it more convenient not to have to plug in as frequently and lowers the number of charges your battery needs, keeping it in good shape for longer.
These are some essential tips: Keep eco mode on, minimize excess weight and avoid driving at speeds over 60 miles per hour. You can also use regenerative braking. It helps you brake and accelerates smoothly, not push the pedals down at every opportunity.
What should you do if your electric vehicle battery is deteriorating?
In general, no. The average lifespan for electric car batteries is between 8-10 years. However, they can continue to work well past that point.
Natural degradation can be a slow, cumulative process and will take many years to affect battery performance. The same goes for automakers. They have been designing batteries to ensure that natural decay doesn’t significantly affect your range long-term.
Tesla, for example, claims (opens a new tab) that its battery capacity remains at 90% even after driving over 200,000 miles. It would take almost 139 days to cover the same distance if one drove 60 miles an hour. You won’t see an average driver driving that far any time soon.
A separate warranty typically covers batteries. The exact figures will vary, but standard warranties cover batteries for the first 8 years or 100,000 miles. You can get a new whole battery free of cost if your available capacity falls below 70%. Neglecting to care for your battery and not doing what you’re supposed to will speed up the process. How much depends on your neglectfulness. Your warranty might be valid for a while but will not last forever.
While there is no cure for battery degradation, you can manage your battery’s impact to keep it from becoming worse. These battery-preserving strategies should be used frequently.
It would be best to avoid causing inconvenience, but this doesn’t necessarily make it less counterproductive. Don’t be afraid to quickly charge your car so that it can get back on the road as fast as possible. You are the one who owns your car. Don’t be afraid of using its capabilities whenever necessary.
Also Read:
- All About Lucid Air Dream Edition Electric Car 2022-2023
- Electric Cars Impact – EV impact on the global economy
- 2022 Electric Cars with Longest Range – All You Need To Know
FAQs about the battery health of an electric car
How long can an electric vehicle’s battery last?
15 to 20% “Today, most EV Batteries have a Life Expectancy of 15-20 years in the Car – and a Second Life beyond.”
It’s important to note that EV Battery Technology is still evolving. As such, we expect batteries’ longevity to increase as technology improves. We also expect them to get smaller, lighter, and more affordable.
What are the effects on EV battery lifetime?
Avoid using fast charging.
It presses so many currents into the battery in a short time which causes strain on your EV batteries and accelerates their deterioration. You will see a 10% increase in battery life with standard charging over 8 years.
Do the batteries in electric cars degrade when they’re not in use?
Batteries are made to last for a long time and not die instantly. However, they slowly lose charge over time. This gradual decline is reported by many as a loss in percentage over several years.
How many times an electric car’s battery can be recharged?
Battery Charging Systems Cadex Electronics’ founder, Isidor Bergmann, claims these batteries can only be charged 500 times before they deplete.
Does heat affect EV batteries?
CNBC claims that lithium-ion batteries perform at 70 degrees Fahrenheit, the temperature at which they are most comfortable. EVs lose power at less than 65 degrees and more quickly below 50 degrees. However, temperatures greater than 86 degrees can also result in vehicle loss.
What happens to electric cars after the battery is dead?
The short answer is that there’s nothing. The EV will cease to run, and you will need roadside support or a tow. Similar to a car running out of gas.
Is it possible to change the battery in an electric vehicle?
You are correct that the battery is the most important part of an electric vehicle. The battery is the most important part of an electric car. Electric car manufacturers go to great lengths to protect it. If an electric vehicle’s battery fails, a mechanic will replace it.
How fast does an electric vehicle battery start to degrade?
The degradation of electric car batteries Recurrent, which monitors and tracks the battery life of EVs, estimates a 5% reduction in the range from approximately 50,000 to roughly 200,000 miles. That means there has been a 5–10% decline in capacity during the first five years.
Pretty! This was an incredibly wonderful article.
Many thanks for providing these details.