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The best charging habits to keep your battery healthy
“If you fully charge and discharge every time, the lifespan of your battery will be shortened,” says Philippe Vereecken, battery technology expert at KU Leuven and Imec. “It is better, for example, to charge the battery between a minimum of 15 percent and a maximum of 80 percent and to charge it as regularly as possible within this range.”
Unlike petrol and diesel cars, the residual value of the vehicle is not so much determined by its calendar age or mileage, but rather by the number of complete charging cycles. A charging cycle is the complete charging and emptying of the battery. If you charge a battery to one third three times, this is equivalent to one charge cycle.
“Never charge a battery to 100 percent and then use up the capacity immediately,” recommends Luc Claessens. “Over time, this reduces the ability of the lithium in your battery to carry the electrical charge.”
It is also advisable not to charge the battery too often at very low temperatures. “New electric cars first warm up the battery before charging starts. This is one of the reasons why charging takes up to 50 percent longer at low temperatures.”
“Some electric cars can accelerate very quickly, but I would use them carefully because a heavy foot puts a lot of strain on the batteries,” says Vereecken.
It would also not be good to connect the car to a fast charger. “That was true until recently,” assures Rylant, “but battery technology is evolving rapidly and the newest ones are hardly affected.”
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