I’ve heard it’s good to keep your battery between 20-80%. My commute is about 22 miles, which uses around 10% of my battery, so that’s 20% per day.
Is it better to let it drop to around 20% and charge to 80% every three days, or should I just top it up to 80% every day?
Honestly, stressing over it too much isn’t worth it. More data keeps coming out showing it’s not as big of an issue as people make it out to be.
Chris said:
Honestly, stressing over it too much isn’t worth it. More data keeps coming out showing it’s not as big of an issue as people make it out to be.
Just don’t leave it at 100% for too long and you’ll be alright.
Chris said:
Honestly, stressing over it too much isn’t worth it. More data keeps coming out showing it’s not as big of an issue as people make it out to be.
That’s how I do it too lol.
There’s a YouTube channel called Engineering Explained that covers this really well. It mostly depends on your battery type.
LFP Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w1zKfIQUQ-s
NMC Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w4lvDGtfI9U
Might be more info than you’re looking for, but they explain it nicely.
@William
Why does Ford say to charge to 90%? I thought it didn’t matter whether you go from 10 to 90 or just top off from 80 to 90 multiple times? I’m curious if anyone knows.
Wes said:
@William
Why does Ford say to charge to 90%? I thought it didn’t matter whether you go from 10 to 90 or just top off from 80 to 90 multiple times? I’m curious if anyone knows.
One full charge cycle is basically 100% worth of charging, no matter how you split it up. But if you’re draining it to almost empty and charging all the way to full, it’s harder on the battery. Engineering Explained has a video on why Ford recommends 90%—they figured out that it keeps people happy with the range and avoids issues with battery warranty claims. Imagine telling everyone to charge to just 60%—most people would find that too inconvenient.
@William
It also leaves a bit of wiggle room since range estimates aren’t always spot on. Charging to 100% helps reset the state of charge calculation, but 90% is a good balance for range without stressing the battery. You’re right about that.
@William
Charging higher than 60% helps me avoid getting range anxiety.
@William
Yep, exactly.
From what I know, batteries seem happiest around 50%.
Wesley said:
From what I know, batteries seem happiest around 50%.
Yeah, there was a study that showed the most cycles from 55% to 35% for NMC batteries, but honestly, the age of the battery will probably get you before that.
Short answer: Just keep charging often and don’t worry too much about it. It’s better to charge slowly and not let the battery drop too low or go too high.
The battery management system does most of the work to keep your battery healthy. Even if you think you’re charging to 80%, the system might be balancing the charge across cells to make sure nothing gets too stressed. Your car shows 80%, but some cells might actually be around 74% with extra ones filling in the difference.
These batteries are designed to last a long time. Some estimates say it can take 15-20 years to lose just 10% capacity. Even if you do hit that point, it doesn’t mean you have to replace the battery right away.
Newer batteries like LFP can actually charge to 100% every day without an issue. It’s the older ones (like NCM) that benefit from the 80% rule.
Think of it like a plane filling up with passengers. Slow charging is like letting people find seats calmly. Fast charging is like cramming them in quickly, which can wear things out faster. That’s why 80% is kind of the sweet spot—it’s enough to keep things balanced without causing too much stress.
@Weston
That’s a pretty good way to put it. It’s like if you’re always cramming the battery to full capacity, it’s gonna feel the pressure. Better to keep it comfortable and not stress it out.
