The Top 7 Best Practices to Extend the Battery Life of an EV

Plus, Information on Where to Find Electric Cars with the Longest Range

If you’ve traveled by plane in the last twenty or so years, you know the feeling of suddenly being hyper-conscious about how much battery your cell phone has. For most travelers, it’s the source of their in-flight entertainment. Airtime hours go by way quicker when you’re crushing candies or streaming a movie.

However, if you’re under the 10% benchmark, you’ll have to pull out every trick in the book to get your phone to last for the full duration of the flight. That means dimming the screen brightness, using power-saving mode, and closing out any apps that are running in the background.

So, why are we bringing up cell phones in a car article? Because electric vehicles (EVs) operate on the same premise as your smartphone, and there are several best practices to employ that will extend the life of your battery.

If you are a current or prospective electric vehicle driver, the seven following tips will help you get the maximum amount of mileage out of your EV’s battery.

#1 – Go with Electric Cars with the Longest Range

Similar to vehicles that use a combustion engine, electric vehicles are usually offered in several different trim levels. What’s noteworthy about that is the upper-level trim offerings not only include additional features, but they also provide more in terms of single-charge driving distance and battery power.

For instance, the standard Volkswagen ID.4 uses a 62kWh battery and gets an estimated 209 miles on a single charge; however, by upgrading to the VW ID.4 Pro model that features an 82kWh battery, drivers will get an estimated 275 miles on the single charge. Getting the most out of your battery all starts with going with EVs with the longest range, which subsequently leads to less charging stops.

#2 – Follow the 80/20 Rule

According to J.D. Power, electric vehicle owners can extend the overall life of their battery by following the 80/20 rule. This means never charging your electric vehicle’s battery above 80% and never letting it drop beneath 20%. Following this simple best practice ensures long-term sustainability of the electric vehicle’s battery and mitigates the need for early replacement.

#3 – Store Your Vehicle in a Garage

Electric vehicles rely on the battery for climate control functions. For instance, if your car has been parked outside during a 100-degree day, your vehicle will use battery power to cool things down in the interior. The same goes for inverse scenarios where it’s cold outside and you need the vehicle to warm up.

Storing your vehicle in a relatively climate-controlled space, such as a garage, ensures that your vehicle doesn’t have to work too hard to heat up or cool down. This means that drivers will get more mileage when they hit the road.

#4 – Avoid Aggressive Driving

Punching the accelerator, slamming the brakes, and other forms of aggressive driving are hard on any vehicle. Not only is aggressive driving a risk to yourself and other drivers, but it also causes unnecessary wear and tear on a car, electric or otherwise.

However, with electric vehicles specifically, aggressive driving depletes battery power at a faster rate. By refraining from excessive speeding and other forms of aggressive driving, you will prolong your vehicle’s battery life and get more single-charge mileage.

#5 – Don’t Drive on Bad Tires

The same way that driving on bad tires affects the performance of vehicles that use a combustion engine, the same holds true for electric vehicles. In addition to being more susceptible to punctures and losing traction during inclement weather, driving on tires in poor condition forces your vehicle to work harder.

The additional effort translates to battery life depleting at a faster rate than normal. Always use high-quality tires in good condition to maximize your mileage when driving an electric vehicle. Further, always make sure to use tires that are appropriate for the season and driving surface.

#6 – Avoid Carrying Unnecessary Weight

Traditional vehicles carrying heavy cargo or hauling a trailer will experience decreased fuel efficiency due to the extra weight. The exact same concept holds true for electric vehicles. To get the maximum amount of mileage out of your EV’s battery, avoid driving around with any unnecessary cargo. The lighter your electric vehicle is, the more single-charge distance you will get. Those who regularly carry cargo are strongly encouraged to consider electric cars with the longest range.

#7 – Use Cruise Control When Possible

Using cruise control eliminates the need to constantly accelerate and decelerate while on the highway. Maintaining a constant speed is a less demanding form of driving, which means drivers will maximize their battery life and mileage.

It’s also worth noting that VW EV cars come with adaptive cruise control, which is a feature that will automatically slow the car down if the car you’re behind decreases its speed. If the car you’re following speeds back up, adaptive cruise control will return the vehicle to its original cruise speed.

How to Learn More About VW EV Cars

Those who are interested in learning more about EVs with the longest range are encouraged to look into the 2023 VW ID.4. It comes in multiple trim levels with several different feature packages to choose from. The best way to see one in person is by either contacting your local dealership. Volkswagen Clear Lake, the #1 Volkswagen dealership in Texas* has plenty of in-stock ID.4 EV SUVs for immediate delivery.

It’s also worth noting there is a VW EV car that’s due to be released in the near future – the VW ID.7 – which is estimated to get up to 435 miles on a single charge. The first models are scheduled to go on sale in 2024 and will rank among the top electric cars with the longest range.

To learn more or to take a test drive, you should contact your local VW dealership.

*2022 VW Retail reports.

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