November 10, 2025
Tips & Tricks
The much-cited 80% rule is a good starting point, but not a law. What really matters is how temperature, state of charge (SoC), and timing work together. Keep an eye on these three, and you’ll noticeably slow aging - without giving up pace or comfort.
What really matters
A traction battery ages in two ways: calendar aging over time and cycle aging through use. Both are accelerated by high temperatures and very high cell voltages, while extremely low charge levels raise the risk of protection cutoffs. In practice, that means a mid SoC through the day, no long “parked at full” periods, and charging plans that fit your route and the weather. The chemistry stays relaxed and so do you.
Everyday use without dogma
For commuting and city driving, a moderate window is most comfortable. Arrive with a lower reserve, top up briefly, and continue. You don’t need ritual full cycles or a rigid upper cap. If you charge higher now and then early meeting, long leg coming up that’s fine. What matters is not parking at very high SoC for hours, especially in the sun.
Fast charging, done right
With DC fast charging, the biggest number on the sign isn’t decisive the interplay of battery temperature and charging curve is. A warm, preconditioned pack accepts power immediately. Set the charger as your navigation target so preconditioning starts in time. Plan stops to spend most of your session in the high-power plateau short in the sweet spot rather than long in the taper. You’ll save minutes, spare the cells, and avoid cost traps like idle or per-minute fees.
Heat, cold, and weather
Summer heat speeds up chemical processes, especially if the car sits very full. Park in the shade, pre-cool the cabin in time, and choose slightly more conservative targets. Cold has the opposite effect: reactions slow down, and a cold pack resists high power. Precondition before fast charging and avoid applying maximum DC power to an ice-cold battery; you’ll move faster and more efficiently. Rain, headwinds, and roof boxes increase consumption, so a calm arrival buffer takes the stress out of planning.
Make idle times easy on the battery
Batteries feel best in the middle. For longer parking, a mid SoC is ideal neither very full nor very empty. If the car sits outside overnight, a timer that finishes AC charging shortly before departure helps: you start the day with pleasant cell temperature and a suitable SoC without holding high voltage for hours.
AC for routines, DC for distance
AC is gentle and predictable build it into routines at home, at work, or at the gym. Use DC deliberately for time gains on the motorway. Frequent fast charging is fine when the conditions align: warm pack, mid SoC range, short sessions. What you want to avoid is repeatedly hitting a very cold battery with high power or letting the car sit “full and hot” for long stretches—stressful cycles with no real benefit.
Software and care
Vehicle updates often improve charging windows, predictions, and thermal management keep them current. A quick look at real power at the stall is just as useful: if power is shared or the site is crowded, a quieter high-power charger a few minutes away often wins the efficiency race.
Long trips without range stress
The most pleasant logic on the road is to plan arrivals, not chargers. Roll in with a lower reserve, charge in the plateau, and leave. Several short stops are usually faster than one big push deep in the taper. Only charge higher if the next gap is truly long and drive off right away. Sync stops with breaks you want anyway: food, restroom, a short walk while the battery fills efficiently. The charging pause feels like part of the trip, not a detour.
In short
A mid SoC in everyday life, short efficient sessions on the road, avoid heat and prepare for cold that’s really it. Battery health isn’t a mystery; it’s timing. Align temperature, SoC, and charging window, and you’ll go farther, charge faster, and keep degradation low around town, commuting, and on road trips.
StromNow shows you available, suitable fast chargers, helps you precondition before fast-charging stops, and makes it easy to keep your everyday SoC window on track.
