World EV Day: Five key tips to make sure your EV battery lives longer

Electric vehicles have been finding a strong footprint in the Indian market. Several EV startups and legacy players have already launched their respective electric vehicles in both the four-wheeler and two-wheeler categories, in both mass-market and luxury segments. While the consumer sentiment towards electric vehicles has become positive, there are still some worries and anxieties among them. One of them is range anxiety which is a very pertinent one.

Several EV battery firms have been working on technologies to ensure the electric vehicle battery life becomes longer and they become safer. While they have been doing that, you as a consumer can follow some easy and useful tips to ensure a longer lifespan for your electric vehicle's battery.

Here are five key tips to follow to make sure your EV battery lives longer.

Avoid exposure to high-temperature

Exposure to extremely high temperatures when the EV is parked should be avoided. Several EV fires occur due to the vehicles parked in high temperatures. The electric vehicles are equipped with an automated temperature control system, which discharges the batteries to keep the temperature down for optimum efficiency. This system works only when the ignition is on and the vehicle is using the battery. If the EV is parked in a place where the temperature is high and the thermal management system is not working, the risk of a fire incident increases. Also, this impacts heavily on the battery's overall shelf life.

Avoid using fast-charging

Fast charging allows an EV battery to be charged significantly quicker than its standard charging time. This technology might be very appealing for EV owners, but not good for the battery's health. Fast charging presses too much electricity into the batteries in a short period, which strains the battery life and wanes them faster. In a nutshell, fast charging can fry the battery easily. By opting for standard charging rather than fast charging in one year, an EV owner can ensure 10 per cent more battery life.

Maintain the optimum battery charge

When EVs are parked for a long time with a fully drained-out or fully charged battery, the battery degrades. Hence, maintaining an optimal battery charge is always important for the long life of the EV battery. Always try to keep the battery's charge between 20 per cent and 80 per cent. Also, turn off the MCB in case the vehicle is not running for a considerable amount of time.

Avoid frequent charging

Charging the EV battery to the fullest is tempting, but it impacts the battery's life. Frequent charging of the battery can degrade its condition and performance quickly.

Use original charger

Always use the original OEM-provided EV charger. A third-party EV charger may be tempting to buy from the market as they are often cheaper and easily available than the ones provided by the EV manufacturers, but using the third-party chargers increases the risk of malfunction and an EV fire as well. Also, they result in the degradation of the EV batteries quickly.

How to ensure longer life for EV batteries

Step 1 :

Avoid exposure to high temperature

Step 2 :

Avoid using fast-charging

Step 3 :

Maintain optimum charge

Step 4 :

Avoid frequent charging

Step 5 :

Always use original charger