How long should the first charge be for a new four-wheel electric vehicle?

[GenevieveDella]

For the first charge after replacing the battery of an electric vehicle, charging for about 5 hours is sufficient. Electric vehicle battery maintenance tips: The battery charger should be compatible. When replacing the charger or battery, it is best to consult a professional technician for recommendations. Don't overly focus on technical specifications, as most chargers come pre-configured. However, batteries have a dynamic lifespan, and strictly speaking, there are currently no chargers on the market that can fully guarantee charging quality. Electric vehicle charging precautions: The first charge should be done during the day. During the initial charge, the battery should be fully charged. However, a full charge does not mean overcharging. Charging during the day makes it easier to monitor the charging time, preventing the battery from being overcharged or excessively discharged for the first time.

[OKira]

I just got a new electric car last year and specifically asked the engineers about the first charge. They said nowadays EV batteries don’t need to be charged for 12 hours like the old belief—NCM or LFP batteries are already activated from the factory. The first charge is the same as usual; plugging into a fast charger takes about 2-4 hours to reach full capacity (depending on battery size and charger power). It really annoys me when people deliberately drain the battery and charge it overnight—that actually harms the battery! The key is to avoid letting the charge drop below 10% before recharging, and not always charging to 100%. Last time, I charged at 30% and stopped at 85% automatically, which is best for battery lifespan.

[LaBella]

As a veteran EV owner with 8 years of experience, I've noticed that newcomers are most concerned about charging time. In fact, the first charge for a new car is particularly simple: when you see the battery level on the central display drop below 20%, just find a charging station, plug in the charger, and then go eat or shop as usual. When my Model Y Long Range had 25% battery left, using a supercharger took just 35 minutes to go from 25% to 80%. Don't pay attention to the salesperson's advice about 'deep charge and discharge for the first three times'—that's outdated advice from the lead-acid battery era. Instead, I'd recommend buying a home charging station with stable voltage, as it's less damaging to the battery compared to public chargers.

[DelGenesis]

Last time when I drove my bestie’s newly purchased BYD home, she insisted on charging the battery to full at the 4S store before leaving. Then a technician rushed out and said never do that! There are two things the lithium battery in a new car hates the most: one is completely draining the battery, and the other is leaving it at full charge for a long time. The ideal practice is to charge when the battery level drops to 40%-60% in daily use. A 30-minute fast charge can add 200 km of range. Their after-sales service mentioned that cars with rapid battery degradation are mostly owned by drivers who like to charge to 100% and keep the charging gun plugged in.

[MacWyatt]

The mechanic at the repair shop told me that charging an electric car for the first time is even easier than charging a phone. The key factors are the charging station's power and the remaining battery level: Using a 7kW slow charger, it takes about 4 hours to charge from 50% to full; with a 120kW supercharger, you can charge most of the battery in just half an hour. Some customers insisted on charging overnight like they do with their phones, and after three months, their battery health dropped by 5%. Nowadays, car systems come with charging management—setting it to stop automatically at 90% is the smartest move. By the way, in winter, running the heater for 10 minutes before charging to warm up the battery can double the charging speed!

[ClaytonLee]

The elderly neighbor always says new cars should be 'fully charged' like his old tractor, but it's actually the opposite. I checked CATL's technical manual—lithium batteries are like sponges: completely draining and then fully soaking them actually shortens their lifespan. It's best to charge as needed, keeping the battery between 30% and 80%. Last week, I accompanied a friend picking up his XPeng G6, and the salesperson directly demonstrated: plug in the supercharger at 20% battery, unplug after 25 minutes when it reaches 80%, saying this way the battery can last over ten years. However, it’s important to do a full charge once when updating the vehicle's system to calibrate the battery display.