Why do car manufacturers recommend only charging a battery to 80/90%?
In: 9
Batteries follow a charging curve – it’s fairly easy to put electricity into a battery when it’s nearly empty but it gets harder the closer to full it becomes. Think of it like packing a suitcase – the first few things you put in are easy, but at the end you’re sitting on the lid to try and get it closed. In general you can fill to 80% very quickly, but the last 20% will take as long as the first 80%. It will also generate more heat and waste more power.
Now that’s not to say you can’t or shouldn’t do it if you’re going to need the range – but unless you’re planning a road trip, for day to day use it’s cheaper for you and less stressful for the battery if you only top up to 80% over night. Save the ‘sitting on the lid’ charges for when you’re actually going to need those extra miles.
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