Is It Okay To Charge Your Electric Car Before It Runs Out Of Charge?

Charging an electric car is your daily need. But Charging to 100% will get charge which decreases the lifespan of an electric car battery. So when to charge? How to charge? how much amount do you need to charge? And is it okay to charge your electric car before it runs out of charge?

Yes, you should charge Your electric car before it runs out of charge, and doing so is much better when the battery is low. We typically keep a State of Charge (SoC) when operating between 20% and 80%. We typically extend this to 5%-90% when quick charging or supercharging is necessary during lengthy trips. Avoid parking your car for extended periods of time with an SoC between 20% and 80% since this may increase battery degeneration.

Electric automobiles require some energy when they are parked, just like all other vehicles do. Electric vehicles enter a deep sleep to prevent the small 12V battery from being completely discharged.

A high voltage relay disconnects the high voltage battery during this deep sleep, and the vehicle awakens to begin charging the small 12V battery from the high voltage & high capacity battery.

The table shows charging periods for electric cars

Type of Electric Car	Small Electric Car	Medium Electric Car	Large Electric Car	Light Commercial
Average Battery Size (right) Power Output (Below)	25 kWh	50 kWh	75 kWh	100 kWh
Level 1 2.3 kW	10h30m	24h30m	32h45m	43h30m
Level 2 7.4 kW	3h45m	7h45m	10h00m	13h30m
Level 2 11 kW	2h00m	5h15m	6h45m	9h00m
Level 2 22 kW	1h00m	3h00m	4h30m	6h00m
Level 3 50 kW	36 min	53 min	1h20m	1h48m
Level 3 120 kW	11 min	22 min	33 min	44 min
Level 3 150 kW	10 min	18 min	27 min	36 min
Level 3 240 kW	6 min	12 min	17 min	22 min

charging periods for electric cars

The Average Price of Electric Car Charging

Vehicle type	Battery size	Home charging cost per kWh: $0.15	Public/workplace charging cost per kWh: $0.30 + $1 charging a fee	Fast charging cost per kWh: $0.50 + $2 charging a fee
Fiat 500e	24 kWh	$3.60	$8.20	$14.00
Nissan LEAF	40 kWh	$6.00	$13.00	$22.00
Tesla Model S	75 kWh	$11.25	$23.50	$39.50
Porsche Taycan	90 kWh	$13.50	$28.00	$47.00

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Electric Car Charging at Night may Make American Electricity Networks Unstable.

Electric cars were created to lessen both air pollution and the cost of transportation. Due to the electric nature of the vehicle, it is possible to find yourself unexpectedly stranded if you are far from a public charging station and your car runs out of battery.

Generally speaking, you shouldn't charge your electric car every night. Most of the time, it is not required. The routine of charging an electric automobile at night could reduce the battery pack's lifespan.

It's vital to remember that you should always adhere to the battery charging instructions provided in the owner's manual of your car.

When you overestimate your battery's lifespan, you risk becoming stranded and needing roadside help. When this happens, your roadside help company will show up with a flatbed and tow your vehicle to the desired destination, allowing you to recharge it and carry on with your plans.

Drivers of electric cars frequently experience range anxiety. Range anxiety, or the fear of running out of charge before reaching a destination or a charging station, is a common concern among drivers.

Electric cars (EVs) might be a complete joy to drive, but the adrenaline rush you get from a 4-second zero-to-60-mph sprint has a price: it uses up valuable battery energy. Here are some best practices for driving, charging, and maintaining your electric car to maximize its range maximize your battery's state of charge as much as possible, and promote long-term battery health.

According to data from the Federal Highway Administration of the United States Department of Transportation, a typical driver logs about 14,300 miles yearly, or about 275 miles per week.

What Should You Do if Your Electric Car's Battery Runs Out?

If you've ever driven a standard gas-powered vehicle, you are likely familiar with the tension that comes with getting stopped on the side of the road without any fuel or local gas stations.

Electric car drivers are quite concerned about this issue. The distance your car will travel until you reach the next charging station, or your home, if you charge it there, can occasionally be underestimated.

Call a roadside help service

When this happens, you should phone a roadside help service, and whichever one you've registered with will come to your aid and transport your car to the closest charging station or back to your home if that's where you charge it from.

Flatbed Transport

Make sure the roadside help you call has a flatbed when they arrive. If you have an electric vehicle, towing is preferable to flatbed transport.

Because it harms the traction motors that generate electricity through regenerative braking, pulling an electric car with a rope or lifts is not recommended.

Example

A Nissan Leaf can be towed, though. According to Nissan, you can tow a Nissan Leaf by raising the front wheels to prevent damage to the traction motors. However, it is safer to have your car transported on a flatbed to avoid avoidable accidents.

What Happens if the Battery Runs Out in My Electric Car Tesla or Another Brand)?

Tesla's brand hits the market in today's era. And charging of Tesla's electric car battery is the main concern.

Identify the issue

The first thing to remember is that it will be simple to identify the issue when your Tesla runs out of battery. The battery icon's color will change from green to yellow to red in the upper left corner of the Tesla display, next to the speedometer.

You can tell your car is about to die that way. Red means that your car is going to die and is sapping its last reserves of power.

Tesla issues warnings

Before your car eventually stops, Tesla issues numerous warnings. You wouldn't run out of power if you were anywhere near a charging station.

The car will recommend charging stations

Your car will start recommending charging stations for you to visit as you continue to run low and your Tesla is in urgent need of a battery. Additionally, it will alert you if you are getting farther from the closest charging station.

There is yet hope if you are still far from the closest charging station. You wouldn't just have your Tesla die. Even when your range has been reduced to zero, it has a few more 10–20 miles.

It's not a guarantee, but it's comforting to know that you can travel those 20 to 10 miles at 65 mph, and perhaps you'll make it to your destination and charge it.

It should go without saying that you shouldn't rely on those additional kilometers for regular use. They should only be used in dire situations when you are totally stranded.

Buffer

The buffer refers to the additional miles you receive in a Tesla. When it runs out, you won't be able to keep moving at 65 mph.

Progressive slowing of the vehicle

Instead, you'll observe a progressive slowing of your vehicle. It allows you plenty of time to stop your car on the side of the road and wait while you plan your next course of action.

Your Tesla will warn you that it won't be able to drive for a while as it continues to slow down to about 15 mph, and then it finally comes to a halt and parks itself.

Call a tow truck or roadside assistance

At this point, you'll need to call a tow truck or roadside assistance to bring you to the closest charging station. To prevent damage, make sure to transport your Tesla on a flatbed.

Switch to transport mode

When roadside help arrives, put the automobile in "transport mode" so that the tow truck drivers can simply pull it into the tow truck.

Key Charging Terms to Understand

You must be sure you comprehend some of the language used before discussing electric vehicle charging standards. You probably have yet to encounter it with your ICE vehicle.

The switch from combustion to electric energy output introduces a plethora of new units and the dreaded usage of math. Here are some crucial terminologies you'll use frequently, so familiarise yourself with them.

Ampere (Amp)	An electrical current measurement unit.
Connector/Cable set	A component with a cable connection that connects to an EV and enables charging.
kW (kilowatt)	A unit of measurement is used to express the electric motor's output power. Consider the amount of energy the engine produces during a specific period. 1.34 HP is equal to 1 kW.
Kilowatt-hours (kWh)	A measurement of the amount of energy one kilowatt of power can move in an hour. Since EV battery capacity is measured in kWh, compare it to the number of gallons of gas your car has in the tank.
Time of use (TOU)	It is a technique for calculating how much energy you consume and charging you for it based on when it is utilized. Utility companies charge extra when electricity demand is higher during the day's peak hours.
Volts	These are units used to describe the force pushing electrical charges through a wire.

Key charging terms to understand

According to Environmental Protection Agency data, the longest-range electric vehicles can travel nearly or further than that on a single charge. When driving an average of 39 miles daily, even EVs with lesser battery ranges can get through a significant amount of the workweek.

You only need to charge your electric car every night if you frequently commute across great distances. In the same way that it is not required to keep your EV battery charged, it is unlikely that any driver of a standard gas-powered car fills their tank every day.

Battery Degradation from Charging Cycles

Electric car battery packs give them their power. While EV battery technology continues to progress, lithium-ion batteries deteriorate over time due to repeated charging and discharging cycles.

The amount of charging cycles can be decreased to slow down the loss of battery capacity. There's no need to worry whenever you plug in, but remember that every time a battery is charged, whether by 5% or 55%, the battery is put through a charging cycle, which can be stressful.

If you are familiar with the range of your electric vehicle, charge the battery only when necessary and for however long it is required to achieve the appropriate "state of charge."

Only Charging 100% is Good

A research team developed best practices for increasing the life of lithium-ion batteries at the University of Michigan. One piece of advice focuses on a battery's state of charge, or SOC, which is the estimated quantity of power a battery has to offer.

According to the study, users should limit the time batteries are at 100% or 0% charge. The rationale Batteries are stressed and have a shorter lifespan when their SOC is exceptionally high or low.

Batteries in electric vehicles are managed by mechanisms that prevent overcharging and undercharging. Some people are more guarded than others. Additionally, most EV chargers can be configured to stop working when the battery reaches the predetermined SOC.

You might occasionally desire or need to charge your EV to obtain the most range. But it shouldn't be fully charged every night. The SOC of the battery in your electric car should typically be kept between 30% and 80% of its maximum capacity.

More charging stations are available in Common.

Many EV owners struggle with battery anxiety and find it difficult to resist the urge to charge their cars every night. They might be scared. But so is the availability of several public charging stations across the country.

About 55,000 locations are included on a searchable map of electric vehicle charging stations provided by the U.S. Department of Energy Alternative Fuels Data Center. That quantity keeps increasing.

Importance of plugging in your automobile

Your electric vehicle is "filled up" to 100% when you plug it in, and the charger stops. You no longer need to leave the automobile plugged in once fully charged.

Which charge level is ideal for keeping your car?

The performance of the battery life of your car is improved by maintaining the battery charge between 0% and 100%. While a full charge will provide you with the longest possible operating time, it is never a good idea for the battery's overall lifespan.

It is advised to leave the battery thoroughly charged for a short period of time. It might hasten the deterioration of battery cells. Before leaving your automobile parked for a long time, it is preferable to charge the battery to no more than 50%.

Where to Keep Your Electric Vehicle for a Long Time?

To ensure that the little 12V battery that operates the car's many accessories can be routinely recharged, it is essential to leave the battery partially discharged too. We advise a 20% minimum charge for Renault ZOE. In this manner, the vehicle won't require charging before it can be used.

Make sure you don't keep your EV parked outside in the heat or the cold for an extended amount of time. - Park your electric car in the shade or plug it in to make sure the thermal management system uses only grid electricity and maintains a constant temperature range while it is running.

Hot weather is the one thing lithium-ion batteries do not enjoy. When temperatures rise over 40 degrees, a minor but irreversible reduction of the battery's overall capacity occurs. However, this capacity reduction is hardly noticeable. The batteries are generally worn out by cycles of charging and draining.

However, just like any vehicle, we advise keeping your electric car in a shaded area away from the sun and high heat. An electric automobile should be moved now and again by a foot or two, just like any other vehicle, to prevent flat spots from developing on the tires.

Therefore, there is no reason to worry.

In actuality, compared to combustion-powered vehicles, which may experience fluid and radiator hose deterioration, 12V battery loss, and other issues over extended periods of inactivity. But if you genuinely want to treat your electric car well, all you need to do is charge it between 20 and 50%, avoid exposing it to extreme heat for months, and that's it! When it is time to drive it again, it will be prepared to go instantly.

Increasing EV Range

Like with a gas-powered vehicle, you may increase the efficiency of an electric car. That entails getting rid of any extra weight and maintaining optimum tyre pressure. Even though EVs often require less maintenance than traditional vehicles, keeping up with planned maintenance is still essential.

As with any vehicle, soft stops and progressive acceleration are more effective than abrupt speed changes. An "eco" option is available on several EVs to increase efficiency. Eco mode smooths out acceleration or deceleration using powertrain software, which conserves and regenerates battery power. Additionally, keeping your speed below the speed limit can help your EV run longer.

The instrument gauge cluster or infotainment touchscreen on many EVs can provide driving efficiency advice. Some embedded navigation systems in vehicles can even determine the quickest route to your location (avoiding significant elevation changes, for example).

The heater in a gas-powered car gets its heat from the engine. While some electric vehicles (EVs) can use the battery's excess heat to warm the interior, there isn't as much available as in gas vehicles. Because of this, using the heater in cold weather sparingly rather than excessively will increase your EV's range. The same holds in warm weather for the air conditioner.

As a result, the range of your EV decreases as you use the climate control system more frequently. Consequently, purchasing an EV with heated and cooled seats might make sense.

The Battery is Charged by Regenerative Braking.

Standard gas-powered cars cannot recuperate energy, whereas electric vehicles can. The car's electric motor(s) can slow it down and re-direct up to 70% of the energy it would otherwise lose into the battery to recharge it by using regenerative braking.

Additionally, several modern EVs provide various degrees of regenerative braking. In the most robust settings, you can drive with just one pedal because withdrawing the accelerator pedal causes the car to slow down noticeably.

Regenerative braking also increases the lifespan of your brakes, allowing you to drive your automobile for more extended periods without having to replace the brake pads.

Three Things You Can Do If Your Car's Battery Dies

In an effort to lessen both air pollution and our financial commitment to maintaining our automobiles, electric cars have come into play. The electric vehicle's limited battery life means that occasionally you can find yourself unexpectedly stranded.

There is always the possibility of running out of juice and becoming stranded far from home or the nearest charging station, just like when driving a traditional gasoline vehicle. There are a few things you can do in these situations to receive help.

Driving Assistance

Every sort of car benefits greatly from driving assistance. The greatest aid you can receive may be to call roadside assistance because you can't bring gas to an electric automobile.

Make sure to let your driving assistance services know you have an electric vehicle when you call so they can send a flatbed, tow truck, or portable charger.

A rope or any other method could interfere with the electrical systems and operations of the automobile, so the only way to tow an electric vehicle is on a flatbed.

Your driving assistance will aid you in towing your vehicle to the closest charging station, where they will assist you in charging it, or they will tow it to your home if you would rather charge it there.

Tow Car

Electric car towing necessitates extreme precaution. There are towing businesses that are qualified to tow EVs without damaging their electronic parts, charging systems, or batteries.

Companies that specialize in towing electric and hybrid vehicles have a special zero-degree bed that can holster an EV without damaging its electrical system or other vital components.

Since most electric vehicles sit lower to the ground than conventional vehicles, towing them is more challenging. Verify that the tow truck you call has prior EV towing experience.

Mobile Charger

A recent invention involves using the tow car to charge EVs. Mobile chargers were created so that you may resume driving as quickly as feasible.

Few businesses have developed portable charging systems that might aid EV drivers who are stranded on the road.

When you call for roadside help, they should be able to send a fast charger, which will take some time to fully charge your vehicle before sending you on your way.

The majority of the gas-powered generators your roadside help will have produce 240 volts and 9.6 kilowatts. Find out if your driving assistance company charges a mobile fee by asking them. They might be offering it more often than not.

The Battery-Electric Car 80/20 Rule

Like smartphone batteries, an electric vehicle's battery will live longer if you keep it from being fully charged or discharged to zero. The 80/20 rule, which states not charging a battery above 80 percent and not allowing it to go below 20 percent, can help you increase the life of your EV battery.

Many EVs allow the driver to instruct the vehicle to cease charging when it reaches a specified charge level via an app or the touchscreen. According to the 80/20 rule, you will still have 150 miles of range left after charging to 80 percent if your battery can travel 250 miles on a full charge.

Depending on how far you are traveling and your driving habits, you will need to evaluate whether it makes sense to begin your trip with a battery that isn't fully charged. Your EV's battery can last longer if you manage it properly.

There are, however, certain exceptions to the 80/20 rule. Refer to your owner's manual for information on charging your particular EV.

Increasing Electric Car Range in Cold Climates

Like people, EV batteries function best at a pleasant temperature. EV batteries include inbuilt circuits that automatically keep them warm in cold temperatures, similar to how a human heart pumps blood.

How much does the cold have an impact on the EV range? A real-world test by the Norwegian Automobile Federation revealed that winter weather could cut an EV's range by about 25%. According to research from other institutions, cold temperatures can shorten the field by 40 or 50 percent.

EVs cannot travel as far in the winter as they can in the summer. However, EVs are ubiquitous in Norway, where more than half of the country's new cars are sold each month, and they operate just fine in the country's subzero temperatures.

Here are some quick tips to extend your EV's range if you have to drive it in the cold:

You may "pre-heat" the interior of an electric vehicle while plugged into the electrical grid using a connected smartphone app, much to how you would remotely start a gas-powered car. Using the pre-heat feature, you may begin your journey with a heated cabin and a full battery.

Once the vehicle moves, warming the driver with seat heaters and a heated steering wheel is more effective than heating the entire cabin.
If possible, park inside a garage to keep the electric vehicle (EV) a little warmer than outside.

Conclusion

Driving an EV efficiently is comparable to driving a gas-powered vehicle. While it is true that EVs provide unique challenges and opportunities, you can, fortunately, put some best practices into effect to maximize a battery's life in the short and long term.

FAQs.

Can you drive without charging your car for how long?

Most automobile batteries in good condition last for at least two weeks before needing to be recharged by starting the vehicle and driving. However, you should still begin your automobile once a week to replenish the 12-volt battery if you won't be driving it for a while for any reason.

When is the ideal time to charge a car?

It's better for the environment and frequently less expensive for you if you wait until after midnight to charge. You might even get paid to charge your car on a very windy night if there is an excess of renewable energy available on the grid.

How long can electric car travel after being fully charged?

The typical range of modern full-electric BEVs is 250 miles on a single charge. However, more recent versions from well-known manufacturers like Tesla and Mercedes can travel up to 600 miles on a single charge. Internal combustion engines, a fuel tank, a battery, and an electric motor are all components of hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs).

What voltage do electric cars use?

Dedicated 480V+ public fast chargers, Level 2 dedicated 208-240V dryer outlets, or regular 120-volt (V) household outlets can all be used to charge electric vehicles (Level 1). Fast charging using DC. Each of these three methods will require a different length of time to charge, depending on your drive and the size of the battery.

Is It Okay to Charge Your Electric Car Before it Runs Out of Charge?