Efficient EV Driving Techniques Maximizing Battery Life and Range

How to Optimise the Range of Your Electric Car

Tips for maximising your range while driving

• Gentle acceleration
• Watch your speed
• Use regenerative braking
• Turn off the AC/heating when you can
• Plan your route accordingly

1. Gently away!

Fast acceleration is fun, but minimising it keeps your energy consumption lower, so adjust your driving stlye.

2. Watch your speed

In a petrol or diesel car about 50mph is the optimal speed for efficiency (running the engine is so inefficient that you need to be up to that speed until you overcome static losses). In an electric car efficiency vs speed works differently. To an extent, the faster you go, the more energy you consume - the most efficient speed for electric carsis likely <10mph for most BEVs (depending on static consumption like air conditioning, heating and electrical systems) - though clearly we wouldnt recommend driving that slow!

3. Maximise your re-gen!

Driving an EV can feel like a challenge to see how long you can go without touching the brakes. And thats how it should be, if you only decelerate using regenerative braking then you are minimising your energy consumption. Make sure you always have regenerative braking on and that you leave enough space for it to slow you down before you need the brake (clearly this is safer too!).

4. Turn off/down climate control and heating - if its comfortable to do so!

Turning off, or turning down your climate control or heated seatswill reduce your static energy consumption.

5. Choose a route that will minimise your power requirement

This is not always possible! But taking a route that is similarly direct, but will require travelling at lower speed will mean you can go further. Also if you can avoid climbing hills you will improve your range - though clearly you cant alter the altitude of your destination.

TopSpeed

Electric cars have shifted from a novel concept to a tangible reality for many motorists around the world in recent times. These vehicles were once considered to be the toys of the wealthy, but now the broad market benefits from exponential gains in efficiency, affordability, and range. Electric cars are nearing the tipping point where they could soon render their internal combustion engine counterparts obsolete, as battery technology continues to evolve. Despite all the advancements, range anxiety remains a notable concern for many electric vehicle owners. Of course, there is some validity towards this emotion, because EV infrastructure is still in development, but things have gotten substantially better.

The EV world has seen some remarkable feats, such as cars that can now cover more than 300 miles on a single charge. Unfortunately, these can only be achieved by the likes of the Tesla Model S, Lucid Air, or other high-end products that are relatively inaccessible to the average consumer. Some EV consumers are still cruising around in older models or more budget-friendly options with far less range due to their more compact batteries. Overall range abilities will be inferior in these cars, but the range can be significantly extended with smart driving techniques and minor lifestyle changes. These are tried-and-true strategies for squeezing out every possible mile from your EV's battery.

Related: 10 EV Innovations That Are Setting New Industry Standards

Master The Art Of Regenerative Braking

Regenerative braking is an electric car's hallmark feature that sets it apart from internal combustion engine cars. It's an ingenious system that captures the kinetic energy typically lost when braking and converts it back into stored energy in the battery. This recovered energy can then be used to power the vehicle, effectively increasing its single-charge battery range. The system can extend your battery life by as much as 10-20 percent, depending on various factors such as driving style and road conditions.

Mastering the art of regenerative braking isn't about knowing the exact technical details, but rather adopting a specific driving technique that allows the feature to be maximized. One key tip is to avoid abrupt stops whenever possible. The regenerative braking system has more time to recapture energy when the brakes are gently eased into. This approach is particularly effective when going downhill or approaching a red light. These are moments where traditional cars would simply waste energy. Some electric cars allow for customization when it comes to regenerative braking strength. In such vehicles, drivers can usually toggle between different regenerative modes, from mild to aggressive, depending on their preferences. Aggressive modes recapture more energy, but may result in a driving experience that feels abrupt to some.

Newer vehicles integrate predictive regenerative braking systems using onboard sensors and real-time traffic data to enhance energy recovery. In this case, the car might recognize a stoplight or a slower-moving vehicle ahead and automatically initiate the regenerative braking system. There's also a concept known as one-pedal driving in more advanced electric cars. This feature integrates regenerative braking so resourcefully that lifting off the accelerator is often enough to bring the car to a complete stop, thus increasing the energy returned to the battery.

Related: 10 Electric Cars That Have Already Attained Proverbial Classic Status

Optimized Driving Styles

Driving styles play a pivotal role in determining how far an electric car can go on a single charge. It might be tempting to take advantage of the rapid acceleration many electric cars offer, but doing so can quickly deplete the battery. A smoother, more conservative driving style can significantly extend an EVs range. The pulse and glide driving technique is an excellent example of how to optimize an EV driving style. This requires a smooth acceleration up to a predetermined speed, followed by a glide motion that is achieved by lifting off the accelerator. The car's energy consumption drops dramatically while maintaining momentum during this phase. This method is particularly useful in city driving conditions, where stop-and-go traffic is commonplace.

Driving at constant, moderate speeds can also benefit range. Electric cars are most efficient at lower urban speeds, with efficiency declining at higher speeds due to increased air resistance and energy consumption by systems like air conditioning. Long journeys will feature fewer stops by aiming for a sweet spot to maximize battery life.

Avoiding aggressive lane changes and quick overtaking maneuvers also contributes to better energy efficiency. Such actions regularly warrant sudden acceleration and deceleration, which are not battery-friendly. Mastering gentle throttle and braking responses is imperative to resolving this issue. Some electric vehicles come equipped with economy driving modes that are specifically designed to optimize various car parameters like throttle response and air conditioning for maximum efficiency. Activating this mode will let the car take on some work by tweaking settings to ensure the best possible range. Optimized driving is a good way to save energy in ICE or hybrid cars as well, but the effects are far more beneficial in an EV.

Related: The Challenges Behind Developing Electric Sports Cars

Leverage Technology And Plan Routes

One of the most straightforward ways to lower electric car energy consumption is through route planning. Numerous navigation apps are designed specifically for electric vehicles. These tools do more than just guide you from point A to point B. They incorporate the locations of charging stations along the route, estimated charging times, and the current status of those stations. Some advanced apps also consider factors like terrain and driving speed to offer a more accurate estimated range.

Real-time data monitoring is another advantage provided by these apps. They can display direct feedback on driving habits and indicate how efficiently energy is being used. On-the-fly adjustments to driving styles, such as reducing speed or avoiding rapid acceleration, can be made after seeing these alerts. The integration of AI and machine learning technologies in newer models allows your vehicle to learn the drivers habits over time. The vehicle can use this to suggest personalized strategies to conserve energy, thus turning the car into somewhat of a co-pilot that is focused on efficiency.

Related: 10 Companies Relentlessly Working On Solid State Batteries

Monitor Tire Pressure Levels

Something as seemingly trivial as tire pressure can have a significant impact on an electric cars range. Under-inflated tires create more rolling resistance and subject the car to expend more energy to maintain the same speed. A well-inflated tire could be the secret weapon against range anxiety. Regularly checking and maintaining tire pressures can go a long way in improving a vehicles efficiency.

Monitoring tire pressures is just good routine maintenance, regardless of the cars propulsion system. Refer to the cars manual for the recommended pressure levels, and make it a habit to check at least once a month. Investing in high-quality and low-resistance tires is also advisable for those who are looking to extract maximum range from electric cars.

Related: How Electric Sports Cars Will Change The Automotive Landscape

Control The Cabin Climate Wisely

Heating and air conditioning systems are notorious energy hogs in electric cars. Climate control can consume a lot of power, which may result in a drastic drop in the expected range during extreme temperatures. The solution is not to avoid using this system altogether, but to rather use it more efficiently.

Pre-conditioning the cabin while your car is still plugged in will come as a big help. Most modern electric cars allow users to schedule a predetermined temperature through a mobile app. Battery energy is saved by heating or cooling the car while it's still connected to the grid. Using seat warmers instead of the car's heater or using ventilation instead of a full air conditioning system can also make a notable difference.

How to maximize battery life: Charging habits and other tips

Most of us casual users and enthusiasts alike are forever searching for smartphones with the longest battery life. And while fast charging keeps us topped up every day, the absence of replaceable batteries means eventually, the lithium-ion cells enclosed in our phones are going to age and deteriorate, making it harder to maximize battery life.

If youve held onto a phone for a couple of years, youve probably noticed the battery doesnt seem to last as long as it did when your handset was brand new. Four or five years down the line, many phones struggle to make it through the day on a single charge. Holding onto a phone even longer can even spell trouble for reliability too as you may face sudden shutdowns.

Unfortunately, battery capacity inevitably declines with age. But that doesnt mean you cant do anything to prolong the lifespan of your smartphones battery. If youve ever wondered what the best way to charge your battery is, here are some scientifically proven tips to maximize battery life.

QUICK ANSWER

If you're in a hurry, here's a quick summary of the best battery life-maximizing tips you should keep in mind:

• Avoid full charge cycles (0-100%) and overnight charging. Instead, top up your phone more regularly with partial charges.
• Limiting your smartphone's maximum charge to 80-90% is better for the battery's health than topping up to completely full everytime.
• Use fast charging and wireless charging technologies sparingly and when your device is cool.
• Heat has the potential to accelerate battery health degradation. Don't cover your phone when charging, and keep it out of warmer places.
• Don't play intensive games, stream videos, or run other intensive workloads while charging to avoid heat and stressing the battery.

Keep reading for a more detailed explanation of what factors will prolong your battery life.

Partial charging is a healthy habit

Robert Triggs / Android Authority

One particularly persistent battery myth is that you need to occasionally fully discharge and recharge to erase battery memory. This couldnt be more wrong for lithium-ion batteries. Its a leftover myth from lead-acid cells, and its pretty undesirable to charge your modern smartphone this way.

According to iFixit, you might want to consider recalibrating your phones battery periodically to sync its actual state of charge with what Androids battery reading displays. You can do this by charging your phone to 100%, keeping it there for a few hours, using it until the battery dies, and then fully charging it again. This process is largely unnecessary for modern, new phones. Still, you may consider doing this if youve installed a new battery or own an older phone with questionable battery percentage readings.

When considering daily procedures, partial charging is just fine for lithium-ion batteries and can benefit cell longevity. To understand why its important to appreciate how a battery charges. Li-ion batteries draw constant current and operate at a lower voltage when closer to empty. This voltage gradually increases as the cell charges up, leveling off at around a 70% charge before the current begins to fall until the capacity is full.

Partial charging is just fine for lithium-ion batteries and even has some positive benefits.

Notably, operating at a low voltage is good for a batterys lifespan, increasing the number of available charging cycles before you start to see a significant reduction in capacity. Roughly speaking, every 0.1V decrease in cell voltage doubles the cycle life, according to Battery University. Therefore, charging up your phone in that 30% to 80% range keeps the voltage lower and might slightly prolong the batterys lifespan.

Lower battery voltages help prolong capacity over time. Green: lower voltage charging for first ~65%. Yellow: Start of constant voltage. Red: Long period of high voltage charging for last 15%.

Smaller but regular top-ups are much better for Li-ion batteries than long full charge cycles.

Using up just 20% of your battery between charges isnt practical, but topping up when youve used about half will improve your battery life over the long term, especially if you avoid charging up to full each time, too. The bottom line is that smaller, regular top-ups are better for Li-ion batteries than long full charge cycles.

Remember, to get an accurate idea of your batterys state of charge, you may need to calibrate it periodically.

Additionally, if you plan to hold your phone in long-term storage, its best not to leave it at 100% charge. Instead, Battery University recommends that you store batteries at 40-50% state of charge if youre planning to store them long-term.

Avoid idle charging

Robert Triggs / Android Authority

Charging overnight or in a cradle during the day is a very common habit, but its not recommended for several reasons (the old overcharging myth isnt one of them). First, continuous trickle charging of a full battery can cause plating of the metallic lithium, which reduces stability in the long term and can, in rare cases, lead to system-wide malfunctions and reboots. Secondly, as mentioned above, it leaves the battery at a higher stress voltage when at 100%. Third, and most important, it creates excess heat caused by wasted power dissipation.

Some phones disable or slow down charging when nearing full capacity. Use these options.

Ideally, a device should stop charging when it reaches 100% battery capacity, only turning the charging circuit back on to top up the battery now and again or, at the very least, reducing the charging current to very small amounts.

While some phones disable charging once full, many pull up to half an amp and sometimes more from the wall outlet. Turning smartphones off doesnt make a difference in many cases, either. While this isnt a massive amount of power, it will stop your phone from cooling down as quickly and will continue to cycle through a small part of the battery, resulting in a mini-cycle.

At 100 percent charge, this phone still draws 200mA to keep the battery topped up.

Using the phone increases the current draw, inducing a mini cycle in the battery.

A final point worth mentioning is parasitic load. This occurs when the battery is being drained significantly at the same time as being charged, such as watching a video or gaming while charging.

Parasitic loads are bad for batteries because they distort the charging cycle and induce mini-cycles where part of the battery continually cycles and deteriorates faster than the rest of the cell. Worse still, parasitic loads occurring when a device is fully charged also induce higher voltage stress and heat on the battery.

Gaming or watching videos while charging is bad because it distorts charging cycles.

The best way to avoid parasitic loads is to turn your device off while charging. But thats not really realistic. Instead, its best to keep the workload light while the device is plugged in, leaving it idle most of the time. Browsing the web is probably fine. Also, remember to unplug it once the battery is topped up enough.

Heat is the enemy of long battery life

Ryan-Thomas Shaw / Android Authority

Along with all of the above, temperature is an equally key contributor to longevity and maximizing battery life. Its arguably the biggest killer of long-term battery health. Like high voltages, high temperatures stress the battery and make it lose capacity far more quickly than when kept at lower temperatures.

A cell kept between 25 40 degrees Celsius (77 86 degrees Fahrenheit) should retain around 85% to 96% of its capacity after the first year with sensible charging cycles. Raising the temperature regularly above 40C (104F) and charging to 100% sees this fall to just 65% capacity after the first year, and a 60C (140F) battery temperature will hit this marker in as little as three months.

The ideal temperature to maximise battery cycle life is below 40C

A battery dwelling in a full state of charge exposed to a high temperature is the worst of all worlds and the number one thing to avoid when charging your phone. So, do not leave your phone under your pillow to charge at night or plug it in on your cars dashboard on a hot day. And if you use it, wireless charging can impact battery health if you dont keep the phone cool.

Fast charging technologies are a contentious issue, as the higher current and voltages lead to a hotter device. With capabilities exceeding 60W and pushing to 100W even in smartphones, device longevity quickly becomes an issue. Fast charging is fine for a small top-up, but numerous standards weve tested regularly exceed 40C when charging for more than a few minutes, as shown in the graph below.

Leaving your phone to fast charge up for 5 to 15 minutes wont lead to major overheating problems, but I certainly dont recommend using them for a full charge. Instead, youd be better off using a temperature-aware fast charging solution or switching to a slower charger, especially if you plan to plug your phone in overnight.

On that note, if youre using a fast charger and your phone is topping up too tardily, you can troubleshoot why your device is charging slowly. This may also be an issue youll want to address.

How to maximize smartphone battery health long-term

Ryan Haines / Android Authority

Lithium-ion battery technology is well understood these days, and smartphones are built around our use cases, but bad habits and myths still permeate the public consciousness. While most of these habits wont massively impact your phones battery life in the medium term, the decline in removable phone batteries means we should take extra precautions to maximize battery life and, thus, our smartphones longevity.

Smaller regular charge cycles and keeping your phone cool are the key things to remember. However, I should point out that different phone batteries will always age slightly differently depending on how we treat them.

FAQs

You can do several things to boost your battery life. We recommend dimming your screen, adjusting your timeout feature, limiting your push notifications, and using power-saving modes when you dont need your phone very often.

To maximize battery life, you should charge your phone when it reaches 30% state of charge. This isnt always possible, however.

To maximize battery lifespan, consider charging your smartphone to 80% state of charge, no more.

Were in an age where smartphones last longer than ever. Most flagships offer impressive battery life, but the Galaxy S23 Ultra, ASUS ROG Phone 6D, and Google Pixel 8 Pro stand out.

There is no definite time that a 10,000mAh battery will last. Phones with premium features like 5G and a high refresh rate will burn through that much power quicker than a phone with a dimmer, weaker display. However, a 10,000mAh power bank will probably provide enough charge to keep your phone going for a few days without an outlet.

If you want to check your remaining battery life, its usually displayed in the top corner of your phone. However, if you want to check on the health of your battery, you can usually head to the Settings app to find your usage trends and the overall health of your cell.