One of the major concerns of new Tesla EV owners is how often to charge their batteries. Advice varies about whether you should charge your Tesla daily, every other day, or when the battery is below 20%.
The best approach is to charge your Tesla every night. This will help to improve your vehicle’s range and maintain a healthy battery. However, you should use a low voltage charger if you intend to charge daily. Make sure that your battery charges to between 70% and 90%.
Charge it daily
All-in-all, how often your charge your EV depends on how many mileages you cover daily. If you cover 37 miles daily, which is the average for American drivers, then you may only need to charge your car after every two days. However, charging every night helps to keep your car powered all the time.
The Tesla owner’s manual suggests that “the most important way to preserve the battery is to LEAVE YOUR VEHICLE PLUGGED IN when you are not using it.” Additionally, it says, “there is no advantage to waiting until the battery’s level is low before charging.”
According to Tesla, your car’s battery will stay healthy and function optimally if it’s plugged in daily when not in use. That’s why you should charge your Tesla every night, especially during off-peak hours. If you used only 30% of the charge, you can charge up to 70% and be ready to go the next day.
Of course, there are some advantages and disadvantages of charging your Tesla daily. So, before you juice up your car every day, consider what will happen to your car’s battery in the long run.
The benefits of charging a Tesla every night
Keep the battery healthy
The first perk of charging your EV daily is keeping your battery healthy. The battery will not fall below its lowest recommended limit, which is 20%. Your vehicle battery will perform optimally when it does not fall below 20% or go over 90%.
Increase battery range
Aside from keeping the battery healthy, charging daily will help to improve your vehicle’s range. You will have a lot of juice every day when you leave your home. So, you can cover more miles daily than a person who charges only when the battery is low or below 20%.
Since the average American drives about 37 miles per day, your Tesla can run for at least 5 days on a full charge. But if you charge on a daily basis, you can increase your range and commute between cities without any issues.
The setbacks of charging a Tesla every night
High electric bill
The main downside of charging your Tesla daily is that you will increase the cost of the electricity bill. Unlike ICEs, Tesla vehicles use electricity. Constantly plugging in your car at home, will cause the cost of your electric bill to begin adding up.
Reduced battery life
Another disadvantage of charging your EV daily is that you will reduce the lifespan of your battery significantly. This is because charging daily increases your battery’s cycle count. Most lithium-ion batteries are expected to withstand around 15,000 cycles before their capacity drops to 70% that of a new battery.
So, charging daily will increase the number of charging cycles, regardless of the percentage that you ramp up. In the long run, this will hurt your battery’s life.
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FAQ
Why does Tesla recommend its users to maintain a 20% to 90% charge?
Tesla recommends its customers maintain a charge limit between 20% and 90%, in order to keep the battery healthy. The main reason is to maintain battery health. Tesla EVs feature lithium-ion batteries, which have to be taken care of to avoid damage.
Lithium-ion batteries get damaged when they spend a lot of time in the very low and very high ends of the charge spectrum. This is also the reason why Tesla vehicles have a maximum charge limit of 90% by default. Tesla also recommends its users stay above 20%.
Why is Tesla against charging your battery up to 100% daily?
When you charge the battery up to full capacity, this puts strain on the battery. This is because a higher charging percentage tracks with battery voltage, which is linked with shorter battery life. Instead, you should maintain a 20% to 90% charge to maintain your battery’s health.
What are some of the consequences of charging your Tesla above 90%?
First and foremost, your battery will lose its efficiency. Charging your battery above this point puts unnecessary stress on it. On top of that, the charging rate will drop significantly. This will end up causing it to take longer to fill up, as well as adding more to your electric bill.
When should I expect my Tesla range to drop?
It’s estimated that the Tesla range will start to drop after the car covers around 185,000 miles. At this stage, you should anticipate your Tesla EV to have a 10% battery reduction, which is not bad after many years of ownership.
But if you live in cold climates, your car may never fully achieve its range. This is because the range decreases when the temperature drops. The battery simply needs additional energy to run at an optimal operating temperature.
When should I charge my Tesla up to 100%?
Only charge your Tesla up to 100% if you intend to travel a long distance. Let the car charge overnight up to 90%, and fill up the remaining 10% a few hours before driving. However, you should try to maintain a charging limit of 70% to 90% as much as possible.
Keep your battery between 20% and 90%
Depending on your driving needs, you can either charge your Tesla every night or every other day. But to keep your car’s battery health in check, it’s best to charge daily up to 70% or 90%. Additionally, you should use a low-voltage charge.
To keep your battery performing optimally, never allow the battery to fall below 20% or charge over 90%. Not only will your battery stay healthy, but it will charge efficiently within this limit. Also, the battery range will gradually increase.
