The battery is the heart of every electric car. If you take good care of them, you can significantly extend the life of the battery. In addition to correct charging, this also includes your own driving behavior.
By far the most expensive component in electric cars is the battery. Modern electric cars can achieve a range of up to 400 kilometers with one charge. But discussions about too few charging stations can still encourage the fear of being stranded without electricity.
How long the battery lasts also largely depends on how you fill up your tank and drive. Sporty drivers usually consume more energy. In this point, electric vehicles and combustion engines do not differ so much from each other. Tips on what to consider when charging and how to extend battery life.
Avoid heat and cold
It doesn’t matter whether it’s winter or summer: “With electric vehicles, the temperature is very important, which is due to the chemical processes within the battery,” explains Markus Gregor from Tüv Süd.
A battery is just as sensitive to cold as it is to extreme heat. In both cases, the battery loses capacity more quickly. Ideally, the temperature is between 20 and 30 degrees. Park your e-car in the shade if possible in summer and in the garage in winter.
Battery life
“In our experience, e-car batteries have a lifespan of between eight and twelve years,” says Gregor. After that, they often only reach 70 to 80 percent of the originally possible capacity.
The bandwidth of the actual condition of the batteries is large. This is shown by an analysis of discarded batteries. “During investigations, we measured very different states between 50 and 95 percent of the original capacity,” says Gregor.
Of the ADAC came to similar test results: after five years and 100,000 kilometers, a BMW i3 still achieved an energy capacity of 86 percent. Extrapolated over ten years, it would be 70 percent for 200,000 kilometers.
The number and length of loading processes is decisive
Each charging process causes the battery to age. However, how the battery of the e-car is charged is also crucial. “If you take good care of your battery, you can definitely use it for much longer,” says Gregor.
This also includes not using a fast charging station more often than necessary. “Fast charging tends to age the battery because, to put it simply, the electrodes then have to move from one side to the other very quickly. That leads to gaps,” explains Gregor.
Slow loading is particularly gentle. “If you have the time, you should charge your vehicle as often as possible with the adapter for the normal household socket,” advises Gregor. This takes a long time, but it is the most sustainable way to charge the battery.
Prevent deep discharge during longer driving breaks
In contrast to the combustion engine, a battery also ages when the vehicle is stationary. “For example, parking an e-car with a high charge level for a longer period of time can put a lot of strain on the battery,” says Lennart Hinrichs from the Twaice company.
If you want to park your e-vehicle unused during the holidays, for example, it is best to ensure that the charge level is between 30 and 70 percent. This prevents battery-damaging deep discharge. Incidentally, this rule also applies to smartphone batteries.
The urge to fill up is also not good for the battery. “Many users still tend to do this,” says Hinrichs. But it should be avoided. Many manufacturers react to this, the target charge level is often preset to 80 percent in the factory settings.
If you regularly drive off at a certain time, it is best to charge the battery directly beforehand. “This has the advantage that the battery is already preheated for the upcoming journey, which in turn protects the chemistry in the battery,” explains Gregor. In most e-cars, charging planning can now even be programmed.
With material from dpa