Should I charge to 90% and should I charge every night?
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 9 ก.ค. 2019
- That’s the question I was asking as I saw my mileage doing funky things. So I talk about that. I’ll keep track of it and let you know.
Update for March, 2021. I’ve evolved my thinking a bit and currently go to 80% regularly. More here: • Charging to 80% all th...
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If you set the battery readout to %, it should give an accurate reading of what is left. But if you set it to Range, the computer must use your recent history (of how hard you’ve been driving) to calculate how much further you can go, at the most recent rate of consumption. Whatever caused that spike shown in consumption has skewed its predictive algorithm of how far you will get on what’s left. Range makes sense on longer trips, because it assumes that consumption is at a consistent rate, but around town where consumption fluctuates, % makes a lot more sense.
Really like the idea of changing your mindset when it comes to charging. I’ve been hesitant to charge my model y every night but feel like it’s the best option. Thank you for your input really helped me out!
Chris Cazarez glad to help. And of course, now that I’ve been home for ~6 months and I’m driving very little, I’ve evolved my thinking yet again. The paradigm shift from gas to battery really does take some adjustment.
Enjoy your model Y!
I have a model y performance? So should I charge every night or when I’m super Low
I’ve been trying different methods. Right now, I try and keep the charge level between 20-80%. I’ll leave it plug in if I think I won’t be driving for a while.
I have had teslas over 4 years now but regardless of the vehicle there are no sensors inside the battery that measure ionic reaction so dont use the screen value as absolute the actual charge stored in the chemical cell could be way way less so always charge before it gets lower than 40 miles and do not charge over 80 miles unless going on a long trip.
I just got my Model 3 and still not sure what to do with the charging. I only drive total of 6 miles a day M-F and I'm not sure whether I should charge the car every night. At least what is clear to me is that charging to 90% and a minimum of one full charge (100%) every quarter is best.
I still haven't found the magic formula for charging, but I try to think of it similar to my phone battery. I let it range between 10-90%, and charge it regularly.
I found that 90% every night is moderately impractical; I just can't make that work. Based on my own driving habits, distances, etc plus free charging at work, I try and be reasonable about keeping it close to 90% regularly, but that's about all I can reasonably do.
I agree with the 90% regularly, and 100% every few weeks is best.
In the meantime, I'm tracking the battery usage. For now, it seems to be tracking the same as it was when I was trying to do a 90% charge.
Once I have a chance to review it a little more, I'll post another video.
I noticed AC effects a lot while it’s on. I tested when ac is off charge time is less. Test drive while ac is off see what happens.
AC is always has the biggest draw of power, whether it’s your home, an internal combustion engine, or an electric car.
You’ve got me thinking that it might make for an interesting video with a little experimentation, after I give it a little thought in terms of how to present it - and after it reaches a point where I can drive without AC somewhat comfortably. 😆
You can reduce your climate control drain by a significant amount if you spend a moment setting cabin temperatures. For instance, in winter I set the climate control heat to around 17 C (62 F). I'm already wearing a coat so I can stay quite comfortable at that temp. If I'm not wearing gloves I may turn on the steering wheel heater. It seems to draw minimal current.
In summer I set climate control to 23 C (74 F). Again, I'm dressed in light clothing so that cabin temperature is reasonably pleasant. Both temperatures seem easy for the system to maintain and the climate control only drops my range reserve by around 10 km (6 miles).
So can I charge my model 3 every let's say 3 days 20%~90% If I'm driving around 10 miles a day?
In order to save the number of the charging cycles ? Does this sound like a good idea?
Short answer: yes. I’ve come to the conclusion that the software is efficient at managing battery health, and as long as you’re not always taking it down close to 0, and not always topping off at 100 you should go whatever you are comfortable with and what best suits your situation.
And even if you do charge to 100% all the time, you probably will be alright anyway.
What about the quantity of expected charge cycles? Doesn’t that degrade the battery faster in the life of the battery when you charge it everyday?
My own research suggests there is no easy answer to this question. EVs have electronics, physical components, and the computer system to manage charging. Each of which help preserve battery life so that “our habits” have the least effect on battery life. Still, always charging to 100%, and draining close to 0% will have an impact because that’s testing the limits of the safeguards.
Every battery has a number of cycles (charges/discharges) that are in its life span, and degradation will ultimately happen. But EV owners have observed very little degradation over the course of 5-7 or so years of use, when following generally good charging habits.
I suppose it’s something we’ll know more about as more EVs are on the road. And the manufacturers will do their part in using the data to update what they do to preserve battery life.
Charge cycles mean COMPLETE charge cycles in which 100% of the battery's worth of energy is used. For example, going down to 50%, charging to 100%, falling back down to 50%, and charging back up to 100% counts as 1 charge cycle, not 2
Have a model x 2016 And recently had an issue with the computer where it would not fire up, and Tesla service replaced some parts in the computer and now it is working well except now lost about 50 miles on a full charge and Tesla insists this is normal
That’s very strange. Perhaps it will adjust itself with a software update? Or maybe the adjustment will come by charging and driving as the computer “relearns” the battery health/range?
So I just recently got a Volvo c40 recharge. Volvo suggests to keep battery between 20-90%. I drive about 40 miles a day. In your opinion. Should I “top off” each day or let it go down some. I’m getting mixed information on this. How extra charging puts more stress on the battery, etc. thanks
I’ve more recently come to the conclusion that you should do what you’re comfortable with in terms of charging.
The battery science suggests that you keep charging and discharging between 20%-80%. But you may want to go a little higher or lower depending on what charging you have available and how easy it is to charge.
In a way, you might look at it like a cellphone. With the important caveat that UNLIKE a cell phone battery, the car computer will better manage the overall battery health. And you typically take a phone farther (under 10% to closer to 100%) anyway.
And that suggests that while a cellphone battery might degrade over the course of a few years, the car battery will not because of how it’s managed.
The original Teslas (and other cars that have been on the road for 10+ years) show some degradation. But it’s surprisingly little - in part due to how the battery is used.
I believe that more important than topping off or charging more or less regularly, you might consider the type of charging you do. Regular fast charging will degrade the battery. Always trickle charging will degrade the battery. But charging with 240 volts at something like 24amps should keep the battery “happy”
I’ve come to accept that what I do is trivial because other factors are way more important. So I do what’s convenient.
Just my two cents. Happy driving!
@@davestechstories8832 thanks for the response! I appreciate it. My job actually has free level 2 chargers that employees can charge their EV’s for free. So I’ve only really done level 2 charging and when I’m at work. Which is 3 days a week since I’m a hybrid wfh employee. So sounds like I’m on the right path.
@@jonlightsonnochaway Happy to help!
And yeah, its always good to have charging available while you're otherwise engaged.
I do not own a Tesla, but I am assuming the charging regiment would be the same for the RAVE4 Prime?
Correct. The batteries are all similar and should be charged somewhere between 20-80% regularly to maintain battery health.
Enjoy your adventure!!
I have a 2018 Hyundai Ioniq PHEV about 46,000 miles. Battery is 100% as to the published range of 29 miles. The engineering is different on PHEVs as the battery size vs usable is set by default. I charge each time no matter if I drive 3, 15, 29 miles and the battery is fine after 6 years! Do not worry and charge as needed to meet driving needs. One thing about PHEVs, it’s a great technology that deserves more recognition.
It is best for the battery to keep it between 20 and 80% for daily use. Yes, you can go above and below that if you really need it but for the best battery health 20 - 80% is best. Most people drive an average of 40 - 50 miles a day. The battery display will change as the calculations change with how you drive. Charge higher if you are going on a road trip and less for daily driving around town.
That is a logical argument!
Tesla now states to charge up to 90% as often as possible, completely safe. They recommend leaving the car plugged in whenever not in use, whenever possible. New LFP batteries should be charged to 100% at least once per week.
@@bdoering2712 90% is safe but not optimum for battery health. Why keep the battery at such a high sate of charge when you don't need the range on a daily basis. Charge up when you need to for a long trip but for day to day short trips it is not necessary and better for the battery to not go to the extremes at either end.
@@KJSvitko why charge to 80%, when you could just charge to 70%, or 60 % if you don't need the range the next day? My point is only that Tesla says anything up to 90% is safe / won't affect battery degradation. So charging to 80% or 90% or 65% all have the same effect on the battery longevity. May as well "top off the tank" in the safe range.
If you’re not using your car for a while would it be better to keep it plugged at lower voltage(110)?
That’s a good question, and intuitively you would think so. But I’m not sure how the computer systems handle the different voltages. It’s possible that the system just regulates it....I think I might do a little research.
Simple tip for people coming here - Read the manual! It tells you everything to do to maintain battery life. In big bold capital letters it says “LEAVE YOUR VEHICLE PLUGGED IN when not driving”!
It does indeed say that. And I’d agree it’s a best practice.
But I have seen other information - from Elon and at one point on their website - which suggests otherwise.
I would argue it’s an ever-evolving technology and “probably” has a little wiggle room. Maybe the answer is to plug it in regularly, and during periods of extended non-use. But that’s more of an opinion.
Over my life span I have bought about 10 cars and Never read any manual, Tesla is the only car I read the entire manual and put markers to go back and read it again and yes you are absolutely right
Kindof depressing that you need to treat a 100 thousand dollar vehicle like a 6 year old ipad that needs to be constantly plugged in.
@@definingslawek4731 I charge once in a week, it’s up to you to keep it plugged in or not.
@@webdriverguy how far do you drive in a week? Would seem like it's not far.
You are right that it's up to you but the manual does say you should have it plugged in 100% of the time (well, tsla) which I found weird and I imagine that would make me anxious if I had an ev. Love my electric skateboard though :)
a guy in north dakota plugged his car into an outlet and lost some of his charge overnight lol that is too funny
I saw a headline about that but never got to the article. Have a link?
Why I like to lease their cars 3 years at a time. No worries about the battery.
There are teslas with over 500k miles without battery degradation
What’s the cost on leasing
I do too! The cost of a Tesla model Y lease, price tag 52K and 2K down, 15K miles per year is around $675/mo.
@@scottstewart8737 Somehow I doubt it. If so that's really cool, and I wish the same could apply to literally every other tech product, yet magically it does not.
Trickle charge it every night.
I've been driving a Hyundai Kona EV for going on two years. Finding the straight goods on charging is the only real vexation I've encountered. Hyundai is exasperatingly vague about protocols. It seems no manufacturer is keen to step up and just give us the optimum Information.
However, after perusing a number of owner forums and chasing down obscure engineering reports scattered across the web, I've come up with a protocol of my own. For what it's worth, here are the rules I follow:
1) Don't try to charge over 80% on a Level 3 (DC) charger. Hard on the batteries. Hard on the wallet because of the time it takes to squeeze in that last 20% of charge.
2) Where possible, install a Level 2 (AC) charger at your home. Even if your batteries are way low, you can get all or close to a full charge overnight. Also, home charging is by far the cheapest method...well...unless you can still find one of those rare Level 3's that offer free charging. But they are few and far between. Just for the record a full home charge (0% -- 100%) would set me back about $9.00. Works out to less than two cents per kilometre.
(3) Recharge when you get down to about 40% reserve. This info was offered online by an electrical engineer. He seemed to know what he was talking about.
(4) Don't charge over 90% unless you are about to embark on a road trip. Then 100% is fine.
I've been following these protocols for going on a year-and-a-half. So far I've seen zero drop in battery charge capacity.
Great summary!
I agree: there is no clear documentation or specific recommendations on charging. It’s kind of a Wild West situation, though we can share our experiences and cobble together “tribal knowledge”…
…in some ways I think we’re pioneers - and what we learn can help the next generation of ev car buyers.
For reference, I created a few videos that serve as kind of an update, based on my own experiences. I charge at 80% at home as often as possible and rarely charge at Level 3.
So far - coming up on 3 years - I haven’t had any noticeable degradation in battery. So I think I’m doing something right.
Does tesla car ever die like a gasoline car do you need to jump start?
All electric cars are primarily dependent on the battery. Other components like the motor itself require very little maintenance and should not suffer from mechanical breakdown.
As far as managing the battery, the software is designed to “remind” as the charge gets very low and to encourage you to seek charging.
That said, if you do happen to let the battery run out, the car will stop. There is no “jump start” to get going again. Rather it needs power.
There are some companies that have added ev roadside assistance - they bring a portable battery and give you enough charge to get you on your way. But that can take 30-60 mins to get enough power to move.
But in general, the most common solution is to have it towed to a charging station where you can charge up and be on your way.
So you have to be aware of charging options as you plan a route. As more ev stations pop up, this becomes less of a concern.
@@misbahufc2467 Fair question. In addition to the big, lithium battery pack, Teslas and Konas (like I drive) and -- as far as I know -- all mainstream EV's, use an additional standard 12 V lead/acid car battery. It runs your accessories (wipers, radio, signals, etc.). It also is required to start the operational systems of the vehicle. It charges itself by automatically drawing power from the big battery pack.
I've been told that if the 12 V battery should fail for any reason your entire EV quits. Period. A jump start would probably work (see last paragraph, below) if the 12 V battery had simply been run down by leaving an accessory on too long, for example. But if there is a failure in the 12 V's charging system, or in the 12 V battery itself, only a replacement battery would get you going again.
For the record, I'd be pretty reluctant to put jumper cables onto a EV for any reason. Way too much high tech, high priced circuitry to risk damaging...
I agree with your comment.
The one thing I’d add is that Tesla (and I think now other EV makers) have a warning indicator if the 12v experiences problems with holding a charge as an indicator they will need to be replaced.
Jump starting via the 12v can be done, since it is electrically separate from the EV battery system - but I still wouldn’t jump start it. Better to have it towed to somewhere and replace the 12v battery.
Tesla recommends plugging in everyday and leaving it plugged in if not in use when available and Only charge to 100% before trips. This is what I have been told by tesla engineers.
I think the optimal range to charge to is 80%, unless you’re planning a road trip - and to keep it from going under 20% as much as possible. And leave it plugged in whenever you can.
Of course. It’s relative, based on what tesla says is “80%”
I would say no. It’s an inexact measurement of the battery storage. So it’s 80% of the 60kwh (more or less), assuming no loss and no degradation. The expected mileage is the other choice for display. But that is probably even less accurate.
So I use it as a barometer. It keeps me from fully charging, much as I try to stay at 20% or above to keep from fully discharging.
did it will cost more to your electric bill if you leave your car plug in?
@@dionhimandoraditya50 almost not noticeable. It only draws energy when it needs it; basically to run the fans, maintain the software, etc.
So there’s maybe a couple of kWh draw per day. At
lol sounds like you lose sleep over charging your car. that is ok you can take a nice long nap when ir runs out and you need to wait days for it to charge back up again lol
I don’t lose sleep over charging. That’s the point of some of videos. I don’t worry about it, but early on I was curious what the best method (if there was such a thing) if charging might be.
Turns out it’s … whatever is comfortable.
And the way the car can supercharge, typically you’re on your way in under 20 min. Longer than fueling? Yes. But the gap is narrowing.
Huh?
Not this baby boomer out here charging to way too high 🤣🤦♂️
Its not rocket science, research how to take care of Lithium batteries. If you drive very little, keep it between 25% and 75%. Lithium batteries dont like extremes.
John Rutkai touché. As I mention in the video, it’s kind of like charging a phone. You want to maximize the life of the battery.
80% . . . for best results
try to avoid super chargers if possible
Don't go for milage go for % of battery use not miles. Not accurate!
do you know that it takes more fossil fuel to make one ev battery than a gas car uses in its entire life time
how it that for green
That’s debatable. But your point is taken that at the moment the relative benefits of using batteries vs the “cost” to make them isn’t quite there.
I charge my tesla between 40 and 65%. working well
I’ve found that there’s some flexibility in how you charge - so long as you don’t go below 10% or above 90% and charge regularly.
@@davestechstories8832 can i ask something. if you leave your car plug in overnight did it cost more to ur electric bill or not?
80% every day at home.
Yeah, that’s where I landed after many different trials and thoughts. Seems to keep the car and battery happy. And as others have pointed out “always be charging”