As a new electric vehicle owner, understanding your car or two-wheeler's battery capacity, longevity and charging behaviour becomes extremely important
for a trouble-free driving experience. One of the common points of confusion for new EV adopters is whether charging their EV's battery up to 100 percent every time has any deteriorating effects on its lifespan. Here are some common myths around EV battery life and the popular 80-20 rule that is widely being followed by EV owners. Have you ever wondered why EV manufacturers always promote the vehicle's charging capability for up to 80 percent or the fast-charging time from 20 percent to 80 percent State of Charge (SoC) as a selling point? From a technical point of view, this can be explained because most modern EVs have advanced battery management systems that throttle the charging speed after achieving 80 percent SoC, to give the EV a full charge without putting undue stress on the batteries. The fundamental principle of commonly used lithium-ion batteries being under higher stress when charged to full capacity serves as the basis of the 80-20 rule in EVs. The rule recommends EV users not let the battery SoC drop under 20 percent and to not charge the battery over 80 percent. The idea behind this is to keep the battery charge in the sweet spot where it does not operate under any undue stress, leading to a long battery life. While the 80-20 rule provides a practical and effective approach to protecting your EV's battery longevity, it is still not comparable to the battery degradation that we commonly see with smaller smart devices. Unlike smartphones, an EV battery pack is unlikely to show any sign of degradation for a prolonged time. This is also reflected in the up to 8-year/1.60 lakh or lifetime warranties on batteries that EV manufacturers are offering across several models. Also Read: Is Fast Charging Bad For My EV Battery? As an EV owner, it is advisable to make yourself familiar with the type and chemistry of the battery that is built into your electric vehicle and follow the charging methods that are recommended in the manufacturer's guidelines. For everyday use, the 80-20 rule offers a practical approach towards preventive maintenance of your EV battery, without running the risk of leaving you stranded.
