All vehicles have their own maintenance and performance best practices, and while most people are more comfortable with internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles’ needs, electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV) are just as easy to learn. Certain driving and battery best practices and knowledge of electric vehicle chargers can make a big difference on the longevity and performance of your EV or PHEV.
Driving best practices
How you drive your EV or PHEV can make a big difference on how long the battery lasts and the car’s overall operations. There are a few driving best practices that will keep your EV or PHEV on the road longer.
Drive more gently
Driving more gently increases range in both ICE vehicles and EVs/PHEVs. Since acceleration requires energy, slamming on the gas pedal in your electric or hybrid vehicle will more quickly decrease your range. Use less energy while getting up to your preferred speed by accelerating more slowly.
Try regenerative breaking
Regenerative braking allows kinetic energy normally lost during braking to be converted back into electricity to keep the battery charged—some estimates show that upwards of 70% of kinetic energy can be recaptured. During regenerative braking, the electric motor reverses, which acts as a generator that charges the battery instead of using the energy to drive the wheels.
Regenerative braking both extends the life of your electric or hybrid vehicle’s battery and also increases its efficiency, increasing range by some estimates of up to hundreds of miles. It also reduces the frequency of maintenance because the normal wear and tear on the braking system is reduced.
By utilizing regenerative braking, you not only extend your battery life but also increase your vehicle’s overall efficiency. Regenerative braking benefits include increased range as well as less maintenance since it reduces wear and tear on your braking system.
To use regenerative braking, some EVs and hybrids have a paddle by the steering wheel that activates the regenerative brakes; then, drivers need only lift their feet off the accelerator, and regenerative braking will activate. Additionally, applying the brake pedal makes the regenerative brakes activate, along with the friction brakes. As each car is different, refer to your user manual.
Keep tires inflated
Keeping tires inflated will decrease energy consumption in both ICE and EVs/hybrids. When tires are not fully inflated, more energy is used to propel the car forward due to greater rolling resistance. Filling the tires of your vehicle to its designated PSI will help improve its range.
Slow down
Driving fast in any vehicle consumes more fuel. While driving below 30 miles per hour, most of a car’s energy is used to actually move the weight of the vehicle. At speeds higher than 30 miles per hour, however, cars use more energy pushing aside air as they drive. This increases exponentially with the square of the speed, meaning that much more energy is used at 80 miles per hour versus 65 miles per hour. Keeping your speed down will enhance your vehicle’s range.
Use Eco mode
If you buy a newer EV or hybrid, most models come with an Eco Mode that is designed to make your vehicle operate at maximum efficiency. This includes reducing power output and limiting the use of features that may more drastically use energy, like air conditioning or heat. Eco Mode can be especially advantageous in city driving or driving at lower speeds.
Learn about your EV’s battery
The majority of EV and hybrid vehicle batteries out there are designed to last at least up to 200,000 miles, which is also a typical lifespan of an ICE vehicle. However, if regularly put under strain due to charging practices, weather, or driving habits, some only last 8-12 years. While each EV/PHEV’s battery life depends on its make and model, a general understanding of the battery and how to best take care of it can increase its life and your vehicle’s range. Check in your owner’s manual to learn how many charging cycles your battery is rated for.
Battery care
Most electric vehicle batteries require very little maintenance. However, some battery models do require liquid coolant to help keep the battery at a level temperature. If your model requires battery coolant, ensure a professional is regularly checking your battery coolant levels and that the system is still working well to avoid overheating your battery.
Battery charging
One of the easiest ways you can prolong the life of your EV/PHEV’s battery is to allow the battery to cool for a few minutes before charging it. While batteries perform better while warm, it charges better when it is cool.
That being said, extreme weather can have a major impact on all vehicles, including electric and hybrid electric vehicles and their batteries. Cold weather can significantly reduce an EVs range by nearly 40%, and hybrid vehicles’ range by up to 34%, especially when making short trips with frequent stops and using energy to heat the cabin. We have a blog on how to improve your EV’s fuel economy in winter that can give you tips on improving range in colder weather.
Conversely, hot weather can also have an effect on your battery. While range isn’t as negatively affected, it decreases by 5% at 90°F and can decrease by over 30% in temperatures above 100°F. This can be exasperated by using the air conditioner.
Additionally, having a fully charged or fully drained battery can have a great effect on an EV/PHEV’s battery because it puts additional strain on the electrodes. One of the most important guidelines of charging an electric vehicle battery is the 20-80% rule. This means ensuring your battery is never under 20% charged and does not exceed a charge of over 80%, which helps the electrodes maintain their integrity.
Many electric and hybrid vehicles have a feature that allows you to specify the desired charge level, meaning you can plug in your car and set the charge level to 80%. Additionally, most EVs/PHEVs are designed to reduce charging speeds once the battery is charged to 80%. Keeping your battery at 80% also provides the opportunity for regenerative braking to generate and store energy.
Understanding EV chargers
A major part of taking care of your battery is learning about the different chargers, their power needs, and how using each type of charger affects the battery. While some charge slower and are better for the battery, others charge at a more convenient pace but degrade the battery faster. Additionally, there are chargers with greater connectivity features to help you understand your charging behavior and needs.
Level One chargers
Level One charging is the slowest way to charge your electric or hybrid electric vehicle’s battery but also requires the least amount of home updates and is the best way to charge to keep your battery healthy. Level One charging utilizes a 120V AC outlet, which is the standard outlet in any building outfitted with electricity. However, due to its slow charging nature, using a Level one charger adds roughly 3-5 miles of range per hour of charging, meaning it will likely take over 50 hours to fully charge the battery.
Level Two chargers
Level Two chargers are the most preferred by EV/PHEV drivers, as they charge faster than Level One chargers but are not as rough on the battery as fast chargers. Operating on 240V AC power through a dedicated circuit, Level Two chargers can add 12-80 miles of range per hour, depending on the make and model of the vehicle. Implementing a Level Two charger requires a certified electrician with proper electric vehicle charger installation experience, and may require panel updates. Most Level Two chargers are also more highly equipped with smart technology, which allows greater communication between the computer in your vehicle and the computer of the charger.
Level Three chargers (DCFC)
Level Three chargers, or Direct Current Fast Chargers (DCFC), require 480V DC power and should only be used while making pitstops. While able to fully charge an EV in 30-60 minutes, it is also the most detrimental to the battery—consistently using Level Three chargers has been shown to decrease battery life by 3-5% over 50,000 miles. Because DCFC’s utilize direct current, the charger can directly send power to the battery, whereas Level One and Level Two chargers have to convert the energy from AC to DC within the vehicle, which is why they are slower charging methods.
Smart chargers
To best control an electric or hybrid’s charging speed and amount, owners will want to consider a smart charger. Smart chargers can connect to the internet, can transmit data to and from an vehicle and a home, become smarter over time, and have additional charging features other chargers do not have:
Dynamic load balancing
Your home has a maximum amount of energy that it can pull from the power grid to prevent fuses from blowing. This is called dynamic load balancing. This includes charging a vehicle, as well as operating all your other home appliances.
A smart charging station is able to monitor how much strain the electrical circuit is under at all times and then adjust its power output, based on other electricity use in your home. If, for instance, you had the dryer running, it would use less energy to charge your car. However, when the dryer stops, it will adjust and increase the power going towards charging your vehicle. Dynamic load balancing is especially important if you have two electric or hybrid vehicles you are trying to charge at the same time from the same circuit.
Most first-generation EV charging stations would require a meter box upgrade, as it cannot handle the increased energy use from charging a vehicle. However, due to the ability of smart chargers to perform dynamic load balancing, most smart charger owners do not need to upgrade their home meter box.
Vehicle-to-grid (V2G)
Vehicle-to-grid technology makes it possible to send energy back to the power grid from your EV/PHEV’s battery and in return receive cash or a reduction in power bills. This is especially important when there is higher demand for electricity. Incentivizing EV and PHEV owners to allow their vehicle’s battery to support the electric grid helps reduce strain on the grid.
Vehicle-to-home (V2H)
Similar to V2G, V2H allows EV and PHEV owners to send energy from their vehicle’s battery back to their homes—most fully-electric vehicles’ batteries can store more power than an average home uses per day. This can be especially useful during power outages.
Charging control through your smartphone
By installing a smart charger, you can use your smartphone to stop and start charging, see insights on your energy usage, and make adjustments with a few taps, as smart chargers provide a wealth of data on your charging behavior. Using the insights gathered, smart charger owners can adjust their behavior to take advantage of easy ways to save money. This includes setting charge times for when energy prices are lower, or load shifting, and understanding your electrical consumption and how long it takes your vehicle to charge.
Enhance the longevity of your EV and PHEV
Electric and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles and charging infrastructure are getting more efficient and smarter. Both electric vehicles and EV charging stations receive software updates over-the-air, providing access to battery management improvements and for newer, non-smart EV chargers, the ability to download smart charging features.
With all of the available and upcoming technology and best practices, any electric vehicle or plug-in hybrid electric vehicle owner can prolong the life of their vehicle’s battery and improve the performance of their vehicle.