What Happens If You Continue Charging an Electric Car After It's Fully Charged?
2 Answers
Continuing to charge an electric car after it's fully charged can affect its lifespan. Avoid overcharging. Once the charger indicates a full charge, you should unplug it. Here are some tips for maintaining your car battery: Drive Frequently: Do not leave the vehicle unused for extended periods. Drive it regularly to keep the battery sufficiently charged. Pay Attention to Device Usage: Turn off the lights before shutting off the engine and minimize the use of charging devices in the car to prevent battery drain. Regular Inspections: Have the battery's charging capacity checked at a 4S shop every six months. If the battery performance declines, consider replacing it with a new one. Regular Cleaning: Wipe the battery periodically to prevent the buildup of corrosive acid powder.
After my electric car is fully charged and continues to charge, the battery management system will automatically cut off the current to prevent overcharging and damage, because lithium batteries are prone to aging when stored at high charge levels for a long time. Just like I've been maintaining cars for many years, doing this frequently can cause the battery health to decline faster, potentially shortening its lifespan from 10 years to 7 years. I recommend setting the charging limit to 80% or 90% and regularly checking the battery status. Develop good habits, unplug the charger once it's full, or use the timer function—this protects the battery and saves trouble. Occasionally forgetting isn’t a big deal, but don’t make it a habit. Additionally, although overcharging is prevented, the battery may accumulate slight heat, accelerating the aging of internal components and affecting overall performance.