At what battery level should new energy vehicles be charged?
4 Answers
It is advisable to charge the vehicle when the battery level drops to around 20%. Specific reasons: Most manufacturers recommend charging the vehicle when the battery level is around 20%. This ensures the vehicle can safely reach the nearest charging station and prevents minor damage to the battery from frequent charging. Additionally, not fully charging or discharging the battery regularly can lead to a reduction in battery capacity. Tips for charging new energy vehicles: During use, accurately control charging time and frequency based on actual conditions. Overcharging, excessive discharging, or insufficient charging can shorten battery life. Avoid overheating of the charging plug, as prolonged overheating may cause short circuits or poor contact, damaging both the charger and the battery.
There's a lot to consider when charging new energy vehicles. I usually plug in the charging cable when the battery drops to 20%. After driving an electric car for three years, I've noticed that if the battery frequently falls below 10%, a red warning pops up on the dashboard. Doing this long-term accelerates battery degradation significantly. Once, during a business trip, I was forced to drive until the battery reached 5%, and after charging at home, the range directly decreased by 8 kilometers. Nowadays, car manufacturers recommend maintaining the battery level between 20% and 80%, similar to how you shouldn't wait until your phone dies before charging it. Extra caution is needed in winter, as low temperatures can make the battery display inaccurately high—what appears as 15% might actually be just 8%. So, I've developed a habit: charging at 30% during commutes and topping up to 50% at service areas during long trips.
The biggest fear when driving a new energy vehicle is running out of battery. I usually charge when it's around 25% remaining. A neighbor in my community who has driven an electric car for 8 years shared some experience: it's best not to let lithium iron phosphate batteries drop below 15%, and ternary lithium batteries below 10%. Otherwise, it's as damaging to the battery as charging your phone only after it automatically shuts down. After the recent OTA update, a battery health page appeared on the central control screen, showing that I charged three times last month when the battery was below 18%, marked with an orange warning. By the way, here's a fast-charging tip: charging speed is the fastest when the battery is below 20%. I take advantage of this time to recharge for half an hour at the mall.
I've been repairing new energy vehicles for five years, and the recommended charging threshold is 20%. I've seen too many battery failure cases: some owners frequently charge only when the battery drops to 5%, and after two years, the battery capacity is reduced to only 70%. The vehicle's battery management system is actually very intelligent. When the battery level drops to 15%, it automatically reduces power to protect the battery, and at 5%, it cuts off the air conditioning. The best approach is shallow charging and discharging. With charging stations so densely distributed now, just plug in and charge for a while when you pass by—don't wait until it's nearly empty. Perform a full charge and discharge at least once a month to calibrate the battery.
