BERLIN: The heart of an electric car is its battery. But high temperatures can quickly ruin its performance. That's why battery care is essential.
Blazing heat isn't just dangerous to anyone left in a car on a hot day, but also the car itself, especially if it relies on a battery to get around.
The lithium-ion batteries typically installed in electric cars work well in a temperature window of about 15 to 35 degrees Celsius, according to experts at German inspection organisation KUES.
At lower temperatures, the electrical resistance of the battery increases, which reduces its performance. In winter, for example, this leads to a reduced range of the car.
Temperatures above 35 degrees Celsius, on the other hand, have a negative effect on the battery's service life — and thus also on the vehicle's range.
Another disadvantage in hot weather is that the charging power is lower, which extends the charging time.
However, you won't need to worry about your own safety unless the battery is hitting temperatures of 120 degrees or more, the inspection experts say. If the battery somehow does get this hot, short circuits and chemical reactions will be the result.
The car's temperature monitoring system, pre-installed by the manufacturer, should ensure that the battery switches off well before it gets this hot.
Some models also have built-in thermal management systems. These ensure that the battery temperature remains within the optimum range.
But with the right care, experts say, you can have a good influence on the life of your electric car battery. The experts say it's good to keep the battery charged at a level of between 40 and 80 per cent - not unlike the guidelines for smartphones.
Charging and discharging in this range puts less stress on a lithium-ion battery, which has a positive effect on its service life.
So even if you need to drive a longer distance, it's best to avoid fully charging the battery and keep it under 90 per cent. Otherwise, you can expect your battery to age faster and your maximum driving range to drop over time.
If you don't plan on driving the car for a longer period of time, it's a good idea to charge the battery to about 50 per cent.
As a matter of principle, you should avoid driving the car when there's less than 15 per cent, as this accelerates the ageing of the lithium battery.
Final tip: If you arrive home on a cold day, it's best to immediately charge the car while the battery is still warm.
