What is the best charging practice

heisnuts

Well-Known Member
First Name
Darrel
Joined
Dec 5, 2021
Threads
21
Messages
933
Reaction score
1,923
Location
Oregon
Vehicles
Model 3 Performance
Country flag
Like a lot of people my daily work commute is not a lot of miles (about 20 miles round trip). So if I start the week at 80 or 90%, I can easily go several days, if not the whole week, without charging. Since the car sits inside at night where temperatures are well above freezing (and we are very rarely below freezing during the day) wouldn’t it be the best practice for battery health to not charge until the battery gets to around 30%? What is your practice when it comes to charging?
Sponsored

 

RickMachE

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 1, 2021
Threads
200
Messages
13,134
Reaction score
17,853
Location
SE MI
Vehicles
2022 Mach-E Premium 4X, 2022 Lightning Lariat
Country flag
Many threads on this. It makes zero difference to battery health if you wait until you are at 30% to charge, or charge every night to 90%.

The sweet spot for the battery is around 70 degrees. That would be the area where setting a departure time does nothing except adjusting cabin temp. If it's 50, it wants to warm the battery. If it's 80, it wants to cool it.

It DOES make a difference if you precondition via setting departure times and have the vehicle plugged in. Increased range for one.

Leaving the vehicle plugged in allows it to maintain the 12v battery using house current.
 

ChasingCoral

Well-Known Member
First Name
Mark
Joined
Feb 3, 2020
Threads
376
Messages
12,403
Reaction score
24,517
Location
Maryland
Vehicles
GB E4X FE, Leaf, Tacoma, F-150 Lightning ordered
Occupation
Retired oceanographer
Country flag
I charge to 80% and usually don't plug in until under 40. My car is in freezing conditions at night but I don't always plug in. Lithium Ion batteries are happiest around 50%, so I generally stay in that mid-zone.

Does it matter? Maybe not. Just avoid having it sit at 100% or near empty.
Sponsored

 
 




Top