What % Do You Charge Your EV To, And Why?

[eddieparker]

I've heard online that you should charge to 80%. I understand it's something about holding more charge being bad for the battery?

I'm posting a poll here to see, but I'd also love any links that people have that point to rationale for what % to use, if anyone has any!

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[eddieparker]

(Just found that the ford website itself recommends 90%... Interesting! https://www.ford.com/mustang/ev-cha...VEL SHOULD I,A FORD CONNECTED CHARGE STATION? )

 

[AKgrampy]

90% - works good for me, especially in winter. I would go to 100 for a trip.

 

[tbrumleve]

90% for NCM packs (2023.0 and lower). 100% on occasions when you need it is fine. 100% for LFP (2023.5 Standard ranges).

 

[Maquis]

I charge to 85% unless I need more. 85 corresponds to about 80% of total pack capacity. There’s a guy on the Lightning forum who tests these batteries for a living and he charges to 85%. Apparently, there is a slight inflection of the degradation curve around 80%. For most, it probably won’t make a noticeable difference, but if it fits my use case, why not?

 

[hybrid2bev]

I have two charge settings now. 70% at home and 90% at work.

Since I'm doing 1/2 days in the office 3 times a week I haven't hit the 90% limit yet. Usually I leave the office when it's around 80%-85%. Which is enough to get me back home with slightly more charge than what I started with. I set a higher limit at work because it's free and the car wouldn't sit at a high % for very long.

 

[ctenidae]

90% at home, because that's what the manual said to do. When out and about, I charge to whatever is needed/convenient.

 

[the golden eel]

I do 90% in the winter when range is reduced, and 80% the rest of the year.

This is all done at home, overnight.

 

[JamieGeek]

90% on my Mach-E and I charge it like an ICE: I charge it when it needs to be charged (usually when <60% or so). Thus it isn't plugged in all the time. Typically plugged in twice a week, more frequently in winter.

My last EV (Bolt) I would leave in "Hilltop reserve" (which, I believe was something like 90%) and charge it similarly to the Mach-E. e.g. when its about <60%, winter more.

For both the Bolt & Mach-E if I were taking it on a long trip it would be charged to 100% the night before.

Prior to that, my C-Max Energi would get charged to 100% daily.

Before that, my Focus Electric would also get charged to 100% daily (sometimes twice a day).

I don't think I've ever seen any battery degradation in any of the above vehicles in the ~3 years that I've owned each.

 

[KevinS]

90% at home regularly (as Ford recommends 90%.) If I'm on the road, it can vary based on the distance I need to travel and charging speed. If I'm going on a long trip, I will charge to 100% before I leave the house.

 

[GreaseMonkey]

Somewhere between 80-90% is the sweet spot for me. I DCFC exclusively once a week on Sunday mornings regardless of SoC. If coffee’s too hot, 90%, otherwise closer to 80%.

 

[4sallypat]

100% L2
90% L3

 

[O’Msjestic1]

100% L2 always. Never have charged L3. ‘22 Lightning platinum and ‘22 GT PE.

 

[AtomicInternet]

80% because I work from home and hardly drive anywhere. I never DCFC beyond 80% on trips either, so I guess my car will never know what 100% is like lol.

 

[Jack Roberts]

I've heard online that you should charge to 80%. I understand it's something about holding more charge being bad for the battery?

I'm posting a poll here to see, but I'd also love any links that people have that point to rationale for what % to use, if anyone has any!

I went by the charge chart from the charger. The charger graft shows that reduced amp starts at about 91 percent and continues to reduce over the final 10 percent when you charge to 100 percent. By charging to 90 percent you get the full charge across the 90 percent charge. A nice square wave on the charger chart.

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