If you are on the fence about buying an electric vehicle or you have already bought a brand new Tesla, you have hopefully done all your research about all that needs to be done in order to operate and keep your electric car running like new. Obviously, the biggest concern with electric cars is the battery that is situated in your car. And just like your phone battery, it degrades with time and eventually it will need to be replaced. And while Tesla’s and other EV’s have good battery management systems, there is a lot you can do to help prevent your battery from draining and your range from decreasing.
1. Don’t leave your battery at 100%
This may seem counterintuitive, but leaving your car plugged in while it is at 100% charge is not the best for your battery. The reason is because this puts unnecessary stress on the battery. And while it is sometimes necessary to charge your car all the way up to 100% to take advantage of its maximum range, for regular city driving you can likely have your car at under 90%
2. Don’t leave your battery at less than 30%
Just as before, but the opposite, too little battery can also damage your battery. Having your battery at under 30% all the time will put unnecessary stress on your battery as well. So it is best to charge whenever you can and if you are out for a long time charge it up as much as possible and hope it doesn’t run out of battery. In the worst case scenario that it does die out, then you might be able to jump the car or just tow it back to your house.
3. Don’t drive in extreme weather conditions
Finally, driving if it is too hot or cold can damage your battery. As having to start up when it’s cold puts stress on the battery. And if your car is parked in the sun on a 100+ degree day then your cars cooling system will work even when the car is off to try and preserve the battery as lithium ion batteries can catch fire if they get too hot, leading to your dream car melting to the ground. So if you can best avoid it try and drive as little as possible when it is super hot or cold outside. And people in hot and cold climates still drive their Tesla’s everyday with little problems, its just that down the road they will end up having to replace the battery earlier.