How to extend the life of your electric car battery

How long does an electric car battery last? The short answer: a long time. The slightly longer answer is that it largely depends on how you take care of your car – and how you charge it. We asked an expert for help!

We had a chat with Martin Reinholdsson, our charging expert colleague who can also be called responsible for our vehicle test . Here he helps us with five things that are good to keep in mind when charging your electric car, and wants to do it in the most gentle way possible, when it comes to the battery's lifespan.

1. Don't fully charge often

Try to keep the battery charge between 20 and 80 percent during everyday life and save 100 percent charge for just before longer trips.

2. Avoid extreme heat and cold

Protect your battery from extreme temperatures by parking your car in a cool place in hot weather, preheating it when plugged in in cold conditions, and using any battery preconditioning.

3. Fast charge rarely

Use fast charging when needed but not all the time; avoid fast charging a freezing cold battery and top up your charger at home before leaving.

Read more: Guide - how to charge your car at home

4. Don't leave the car fully charged

Don't leave the car near 0 or 100 percent for long, and if it's going to be idle for more than two weeks, leave it around 40–60 percent and turn off energy-intensive functions.

5. Set a charging limit

Take advantage of the car's software support: set a charging limit (around 80%), plan charging so that it ends close to departure, and keep the software updated.

Read more: Get more out of every charge – the factors that control charging speed