All about maintaining electric car batteries in Singapore

Most drivers are familiar with the maintenance routine of Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) vehicles - just change the engine oil and filters regularly, ensure all fluids are of a healthy level and refrain from driving like a maniac.

But what about Electric Vehicles (EV)? In a way, the lithium batteries in EVs are extremely similar to the ones in your smartphone. However, they are also larger, and much more expensive.

You wouldn't want to be changing them out every other year, so here are some tips on how to maximise the lifespan of electric car batteries.

1. Temperature

Batteries are sensitive to extreme temperatures and it is a common occurance for electric car batteries to underperform during winter. Singapore's climate means the only temperature issue that you have to worry about is at the other end of the spectrum.

Exposure to extremely high temperature can result in shortened battery lifecycle. Thus, you should park your electric car in the shade as much as possible, and to avoid heating up the battery unnecessarily.

2. Charging speed

While advancement in electric car charging and battery technology now allows batteries to be charged in a relatively short time, it does come with its fair share of issues.

Charging with a high current can intensify the stress on batteries. If you have ever meddled with RC cars or even your smartphone, you might've noticed that quick charging often results in higher temperature as well.

In the long run, you can extend your car's battery life by opting for a slower charge rate when time allows - you don't really need to get your electric car charged in three hours and accelerate wear when you'll only have to drive it the next morning.

3. State of charge

Keeping your EV's battery between 20% to 80% of charge can be beneficial to its lifespan

Science has proven that batteries do not like to be consistently in a high or low state of charge - either state can actually reduce the battery's lifespan.

While the internet and various sources differs in opinion of the exact amount of charge for maximum battery longevity, an often-quoted rule of thumb is to keep the battery between 20 per cent to 80 per cent charge.

You should refrain from charging the battery to 100 per cent all the time as it will only accelerate the battery's wear. Anyhow, you wouldn't really want to charge it all the way as the last couple percent will often take a fair bit of time charge up.

4. Drive it regularly

Like any car, it's advisable to take it for a spin often

In this aspect, electric cars are still highly similar to their ICE counterparts - they still benefit from regular use.

By driving it regularly, it will be unlikely for the battery to remain in a high or low state of charge for an extended period - you'll have to charge it to drive it, and you can't drive it if the battery is flat.

Generally, not only the battery can benefit from regular drives, it will also help prevent flat spots on the tyres, and ensure that all other moving components are working properly.

5. Don't drive like a maniac

Don't drive your EV like you are on a racetrack!

Oh, we mentioned that one of the ways to preserve an ICE car is to refrain from driving like a maniac? Well, this applies to electric cars as well. Driving aggressively can put undue stress on all components in a car, be it an ICE, hybrid or an EV.

You have probably seen the YouTube videos where Teslas on Ludicrous Mode scare the soul out of unknowing passengers. Well, those hard neck-breaking acceleration not only looks incredible, doing it in real life, is equally fun!

However, it isn't as fun when you have to deal with the real-world consequences of shortening the lifespan of your car.

You see, discharging the battery at a high rate has the potential to shorten the lifespan of it. So, you really should keep those urges in check to ensure the maximum lifespan of your EV battery.

This article was first published in sgCarMart.