Molly Ayala
Electric vehicle (EV) batteries are typically lithium-ion and based on electrochemical reactions that are impacted by temperature. Cold batteries can reduce an EV's range by up to 30%, and charging a cold battery can damage it. Therefore, pre-conditioning an EV battery is essential to maximising efficiency and extending battery life. Pre-conditioning warms the battery to an ideal temperature before charging, which facilitates faster charging times and maintains battery health. It can be done via a vehicle app or infotainment system, allowing users to set the desired in-car temperature before starting a journey. While pre-conditioning, it is crucial to monitor the battery's temperature, voltage, and current, and keep the EV parked in a cool, shaded area to prevent overheating.
Characteristics and Values of Electric Vehicle Battery Conditioning
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Purpose of Conditioning | To improve charging and vehicle performance, especially in colder seasons. |
| Benefits | Faster charging times, maintains battery health, improves comfort, and prolongs battery life. |
| Temperature Range | 60-95 degrees Fahrenheit is the ideal temperature window for charging. |
| Temperature Impact | Cold batteries can reduce range by up to 30%. |
| Charging Curve | Initially slower, then increases to a maximum, tapers off towards completion to protect from over-filling. |
| Charging Best Practices | Avoid frequent full charges to 100%, maintain a balance between 20-80% to reduce strain. |
| Charging Environment | Park in a garage or enclosed space, let the car cool down before charging, charge during cooler periods. |
| Pre-Conditioning | Warm or cool the interior or battery before use, can be automated via infotainment system or smartphone app. |
| Battery Testing | Use third-party apps or visit a certified service center for diagnostic scans and health checks. |
| Battery Types | Standard 12-volt battery and larger lithium-ion battery (30-100+ kWh depending on vehicle type). |
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What You'll Learn
Preconditioning the battery
Preconditioning is a beneficial feature of electric vehicles that can improve your driving experience and the health of your battery. It involves warming or cooling the interior of your car before driving, as well as warming or cooling the battery before charging. This process is especially useful in extreme weather conditions, such as a freezing winter morning or a scorching summer afternoon.
Preconditioning can be activated in two ways: through the car's infotainment system or a connected smartphone app. By scheduling your daily departure times, you can set the interior to your preferred temperature. When the car is plugged in, preconditioning uses electricity from the mains, not the car's battery, so it doesn't impact your driving range.
Benefits of Preconditioning
Preconditioning offers a more comfortable driving experience by allowing you to set the desired temperature before you start your journey. It also helps maximise your EV's driving range and prolongs the life of your battery. In cold weather, a preconditioned battery can speed up charging times, as a cold battery may cause the car to drop the charging rate, resulting in longer charging times. Additionally, a cold battery can reduce the electric range by up to 30%, which is significant during winter.
When to Precondition
There is no set rule about when to precondition your battery, but it is generally beneficial when the temperature drops below 60 degrees Fahrenheit. Some modern EVs have built-in heating and cooling elements, and they can automatically start preconditioning when necessary, especially if you've programmed the charger's location into your navigation system. As a general rule, preconditioning may require 20-30 minutes, but this can vary depending on the battery and temperature.
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Preconditioning the interior
One common method is through the car's infotainment system, where you can schedule your daily departure times. The car will then adjust the interior temperature accordingly, ensuring a comfortable environment when you're ready to set off. Some vehicles also offer the convenience of preconditioning the interior using a connected smartphone app, allowing you to control the temperature remotely.
It's important to note that preconditioning the interior does not deplete your battery. When the car is plugged in, electricity is drawn from the mains, so you can maintain a full battery while enjoying a comfortable cabin temperature. This is especially advantageous during extreme weather conditions, such as scorching summer days or freezing winter mornings.
Additionally, preconditioning the interior can help improve your vehicle's overall efficiency. By pre-setting the cabin temperature, you reduce the initial strain on the battery when you start your journey. This is because the climate control system is one of the biggest drains on your battery, and preconditioning helps mitigate this impact. As a result, you may find that you consume less energy during your drive.
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Charging best practices: Avoid charging to 100%
Charging your electric vehicle's battery to 100% can impact its long-term health. While the occasional full charge isn't a problem, you should avoid doing so regularly. This is because the more a lithium battery is charged, the higher the voltage is, encouraging chemical reactions that can degrade the battery more rapidly. This is true for all batteries, from your phone to your car. Automakers suggest limiting how much you charge your EV battery, and many vehicles allow you to set a charging limit.
The "80% rule" is a good guideline to follow for optimal battery life. Charging to 80% rather than 100% will also save you time at public charging points, making your journeys quicker. Additionally, charging to 100% can deactivate regenerative braking, which converts braking energy into electricity, making your car less energy efficient.
Preconditioning your electric vehicle's battery can also improve charging and vehicle performance, especially in colder seasons. It's aimed at warming up the battery to an ideal temperature before you plug in, which facilitates faster charging times and helps maintain battery health. Preconditioning can be done via your vehicle's app or infotainment system, allowing you to set the in-car temperature before setting off on your journey.
It's important to note that you can charge your EV to 100%, especially if you need the extra range for longer trips. However, for everyday use, charging to a lower percentage, such as 80%, is recommended to optimize battery life and make the most of your time.
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Battery health checks
There are several ways to check the health of an electric vehicle's battery. Firstly, you can use the heater and air conditioning to see how it affects the available range. You can then compare your range to similar models of a similar age by asking other electric car owners or checking forums. This will give you an idea of what is normal and what isn't.
Another way is to measure the State of Charge (SOC), which is the amount of charge left in the battery at a particular moment. This can usually be seen on the dashboard or infotainment screen. If the SOC is dropping quickly, you may have an issue with your battery. Many electric vehicles come with a Battery Management System (BMS) that continuously monitors the battery's performance.
Third-party battery health data providers, like the ClearWatt EV Health Checker app, can also test the real-range capability and battery health of any electric car. These apps measure the efficiency of the vehicle across a few sample journeys, using a combination of mobile telematics and AI to establish the car's normalised range capability. This eliminates external factors like driving style and environmental conditions for a more accurate measure.
You can also use a multimeter to diagnose problems with electric vehicle batteries. This tool can measure voltage, current, and resistance. However, it can be expensive, costing a couple of hundred pounds. Battery testers are another option, measuring the battery's state of charge, voltage, and temperature, and identifying failure or damage.
Finally, many manufacturers provide software or smartphone apps that can give an overview of your electric car's battery health. These apps usually work using an OBD2 reader, which monitors and shares advanced battery statistics, including charging patterns, battery capacity measures, and historical data.
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Battery-charging curve
The charging protocol for an electric vehicle battery depends on the size and type of the battery being charged. The voltage of the source must be higher than that of the battery to force a current to flow into it, but not too much higher, or the battery may be damaged. The charging current is a compromise between charging time (favouring high currents), the prevention of damage due to overheating or outgassing (favouring low currents), and the cost of the charger (favouring low currents).
The charging curve of a battery refers to the rate at which it pulls charge. When you first plug in an electric vehicle, the battery will initially pull charge at a slower rate before increasing to hit its maximum charging power. It will then stay close to this for most of the charge, but as you approach completion (usually above 80%), the power will taper off to protect the battery from overfilling. The maximum charging speed during the peak phase will depend on factors such as the charger being used, vehicle specification, state of charge, grid connection, weather conditions, and battery temperature.
The C-rate of a battery is a measure of the rate at which it is charged or discharged relative to its capacity. The unit of the C-rate is h-1, which is equivalent to stating the battery's capacity to store an electrical charge in unit hour times current in the same unit as the charge or discharge current. The C-rate is never negative, so whether it describes a charging or discharging process depends on the context. For example, a battery with a capacity of 500 mAh and a discharge rate of 5000 mA (5 A) corresponds to a C-rate of 10C, meaning that such a current can discharge 10 such batteries in one hour.
The Uo-phase is the constant-voltage boost stage, absorption stage, or topping charge. In this stage, the battery is charged at a constant (over) voltage Uo, but the charge current is decreasing. The voltage in the Uo-phase is too high to be applied indefinitely, but it allows the battery to be charged fully in a relatively short time. The Uo-phase is concluded when the charge current goes below a threshold Imin, after which the U-phase is entered. This happens when the battery is charged to around 95% of its capacity.
The U-phase is also known as the float charge state, where the voltage is reduced to a value that is safe to be applied for long periods without significantly reducing the lifetime of the battery. During this phase, the charge current gradually decreases to a small residual value that compensates for any self-discharge of the battery.
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Frequently asked questions
Preconditioning is a feature of electric cars that allows you to pre-heat or pre-cool the car's cabin before starting your journey. It can be activated via the car's infotainment system or a connected smartphone app.
Preconditioning can improve charging and vehicle performance, especially in colder seasons. It also helps to extend the battery's life and preserve the car's potential range.
There is no set rule about when to precondition a battery. However, a general rule is that it is beneficial to precondition a battery when it is below 60 degrees Fahrenheit.
The time required for preconditioning depends on the battery and temperature. A general rule is about 20-30 minutes. However, automakers may have more specific recommendations for their vehicles.
Avoid charging your electric vehicle to 100% every night or frequently, as this can damage the battery. Keeping your charge between 20% and 80% puts the least amount of strain on the battery. Additionally, park your electric car in a garage or enclosed space to protect it from extreme weather conditions, and let it cool down before charging. To assess the health of your battery, you can also use third-party apps or visit a certified service centre for a diagnostic scan.
