Extend the Life of Your Electric Car Battery

In a bid to improve range and convenience, Milex Complete Auto Care advises electric car owners to take steps to extend the battery life of their vehicles.


Benefits of EVs
Purchasing an electric vehicle can save you money on fuel, allow you to gain single-occupant access to HOV lanes, and help reduce your carbon footprint. Lifetime electric vehicle emissions were three times lower than a conventional car, according to CarbonBrief, a climate resource. Electric cars don’t require oil changes, spark plugs, or fuel filters. Regenerative brakes that help recharge the battery do double duty by extending the lifespan of your brake pads. Many states also offer tax incentives or discounts on electricity for electric car owners.

The high price tag on electric vehicles used to make them inaccessible for many Americans. But, as prices fall and manufacturers focus on launching new models, the number of electric vehicles on the road is rising. Global sales of electric vehicles were up 63% during the first half of 2022 compared with the prior-year period. In the United States, sales of electric vehicles are slowly gaining ground. Approximately 414,000 electric vehicles were delivered to customers during the first half of 2022.

EV Battery Care
If you are considering taking the leap to electric, it’s important to take steps to extend the life of your EV battery to get the most out of your investment. The cells in electric car batteries degrade during regular use and as they recharge. In general, electric car batteries carry a warranty of eight years or 100,000 miles. The good news is newer EV batteries are lasting close to 500,000 miles. Some manufacturers, like Hyundai, now provide lifetime warranties for their EV batteries.

Here are some tried-and-true methods to keep your electric car battery in stellar condition:

Limit the use of fast-charging stations. Rapid-charging stations are convenient if your battery needs charging while you are running errands or on a road trip. The stations use direct current to charge your battery quickly and get you back out on the road. Unfortunately, the excess heat produced during the rapid-charging process degrades your battery faster than using a traditional charging method. To extend the life of your EV battery, limit stops at fast-charging stations or opt to use rapid-charging stations that allow 80% charges.

Monitor temperature. Exposure to extreme temperatures can shrink the life of your car’s battery. An EV battery needs to maintain a stable temperature to work properly. If you park in the blazing sun, your vehicle’s automated temperature control system will need to work harder to stabilize the battery’s temperature when you start the car, which depletes your battery. Make sure to park in the shade or a garage during the dog days of summer.

Maintain optimal battery charge. It’s important to maintain an optimal battery charge. Your EV naturally loses charge while it is parked. If your car’s charge is too low or too high, it can degrade the battery. Aim to keep your car charged above 20% and below 80%.

Follow directions. Don’t relegate your owner’s manual to the glove box. When you bring your car home, take time to read your new car’s owner’s manual. It will provide guidance on how to properly charge your vehicle. Some manufacturers recommend leaving a car plugged in when it’s in the garage. Others suggest unplugging the car when it is charged to 80%. Understanding the proper best practices for your vehicle can make all the difference in the life of your battery.

Rely on Milex for Maintenance
Milex has more than 50 years of experience helping customers keep their vehicles in optimal condition. Our service technicians are equipped with up-to-date training and skills to meet our customer’s needs as new electric vehicle advancements hit the market. You can rely on the mechanics at Milex to answer your questions and ensure the efficiency of your investment. Find your local Milex to schedule a service appointment today.

 

Milex Brands is committed to ensuring effective communication and digital accessibility to all users. We are continually improving the user experience for everyone, and apply the relevant accessibility standards to achieve these goals. We welcome your feedback. Please call (800) 581-8468 if you have any issues in accessing any area of our website.