Electric cars are not a new thing. The dominant players are introducing electric cars. However, a lack of infrastructure is holding them from landing those cars on the road. Electric cars are expensive, but they are more convenient to drive. Electric car is better than manual cars in all respects, from emission to performance and from maintenance to longevity.
The most critical element of your electric car is the battery. You should be extra cautious with the upkeep of the battery. The condition of the battery will decide the performance and lifespan. It is not identical to the battery of a gear car. When the battery is in good condition, your car will drive smoothly.
The battery performance of your car will directly influence your experience. Do not forget that maintaining your car’s battery means more mileage. You can even get a higher salvage value. Not to mention, a good battery will save you money on repair and replacement work.
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Tips to look after your electric car’s battery
Before you get to know how you should take care of your car’s battery, you must understand how it works. Several aspects can impact the condition of your battery. Your charging habits play a crucial role in keeping your battery healthy.
Overcharging can reduce performance. Temperature is another crucial factor. Extreme hot and cold temperatures can affect the life of the battery. How frequently you use it is another essential factor that determines the longevity of the battery.
Here are some of the practical tips that can improve the performance of your car’s battery:
Minimise rapid charging
Rapid or ultra-rapid charging seems to be the perfect option when you need to charge this instant. The length of time to charge the battery is the most crucial concern when it comes to buying an electric car. You need a couple of minutes to refuel your car.
When you are running out of time to attend an important office meeting or you are to travel a long distance, you will prefer rapid or ultra-rapid charging. The speed it sends current into your battery will shorten the battery’s life. Though there will be occasions when you will have to use rapid charging systems, you should do it sporadically. Everyday charging using a rapid charger will destroy your battery momentarily rather than later.
Reduce its exposure to extreme heat and cold
Your electric car’s battery cannot withstand extreme temperatures. It will concern you if you live in a country like the UK where freezing cold is normal. It is normally suggested that you do not park your car for a long time when it is too cold, but that cannot be possible all the time. Therefore, you should make use of the onboard thermal management system. This will maintain your battery in good condition.
If you are living in sweltering weather, you should try to park your car in the shade rather than in the sunlight. You should use a slow AC connection if you cannot find a shady space. This will automatically use the car’s thermal management system to prevent the battery from overheating.
Avoid full charging regularly
One of the biggest mistakes that you often make that affects the lifespan of your battery is the full charge. People who use a slower AC connection which offers current at the maximum speed of 22KW are often tempted to charge it 100%. For instance, you might turn on the charger overnight. The next morning you go to your workplace, and you again plugin to have the battery fully charged.
Unfortunately, this is a bad practice. If you charge your battery 100% every day, you will end up damaging its life. Soon you will find that you will have to replace it with a new one. Remember that spare parts are very expensive for electric cars, and they might not be available so quickly. If you have already financed a car with bad credit, it can be quite difficult to stick to payments along with high repair and maintenance bills.
Of course, you will get an alert about the charging status of your battery, so you do not need to plug it in every time to charge it up to 100%. Make sure you charge it up to 95%, and a couple of hours are more than enough to do so even while using slow AC connections. Do not plug in overnight. If you use only 30% of your fully charged battery, charge it every third day. The more you push the need to charge the battery full, the more the lifespan will be.
Drive sensibly
The most intriguing feature of the electric car is that they drive very fast as you put your foot down. However, remember that it will consume your battery sooner. You will feel the need to charge the battery more frequently, and this, in turn, will affect the lifespan of it.
If you want to protect your car’s battery from wear and tear, you should drive it at a moderate speed. Everybody knows that your battery will have to suffer when you drive faster and harder. This will result in changing your car’s battery more frequently. Be gentle with your car at the time of driving.
The bottom line
Maintaining the health of an electric car’s battery is not that easy, but with a few tricks, you can increase its lifespan. You should not charge the battery up to 100% every day. If you are to cover a long distance, it is fine then.
Make sure you do not accelerate too hard because it will cause a strain on your battery. This will cause friction, and soon, you will end up replacing the battery. Drive your car at a moderate speed. Minimise rapid charging. You can do it occasionally, but avoid regular rapid charging. Follow the ways to prevent your car’s battery from exposure to extreme heat and cold conditions.