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So I've had my vehicle for about a month. I plan to keep it for a long time (hopefully 10-20 years) and am very interested in preserving the battery as long as possible, as I'm sure many others are.

I've read a ton on this and have found that the general consensus is 50-90 percent for day to day driving/plug in as much as possible. Set it and forget it type deal.

I've also read that keeping the vehicle between 50-62 percent is ideal for long term battery life. My question is: is there any scientific theory backing up the 50-62 percent claim? I can't find anything scientific to back that claim.

Thanks in advance.
 
Do you have backup for 50-90? That seems excessively low (of a useful range) when you limit it to 50% on the low side. I've never heard of 'don't go below 50 often', for example.. I am going to use 20-90% as a general guideline on my new car (and I also want to keep it for a long time. I'd also be interesting in scientific/testing literature details. We 'know' low and high charging are 'bad', but details would be appreciated.

(Note that I still adhere to the 'you can charge to 100% if you are going to use it immediately' rule!)
 
Do you have backup for 50-90? That seems excessively low (of a useful range) when you limit it to 50% on the low side. I've never heard of 'don't go below 50 often', for example.. I am going to use 20-90% as a general guideline on my new car (and I also want to keep it for a long time. I'd also be interesting in scientific/testing literature details. We 'know' low and high charging are 'bad', but details would be appreciated.

(Note that I still adhere to the 'you can charge to 100% if you are going to use it immediately' rule!)

I used 50-90 percent because that's what Tesla allows me to set it to for day to day driving. Appears to me that the charge percentage can't be set lower than 50 percent.

I have also charged to 100 percent once at a super charger. I'm not going to totally avoid charging to 100 percent but ensure I only do it when I need it.

I'm mostly curious about any potential data regarding what I read on another forum (that was a few years old) about ideal charging between 50-62 percent. Whether someone on a forum just pulled it out of thin air or whether there is some Scientific merritt?
 
There was a fairly strict set of guidelines in the early days of li-ion. Since Tesla came on the scene they have developed Battery Management Systems that have transformed battery life. they've also, together with Panasonic, accomplished wonders in cell chemistry and quality control that have reduced the traditional limitation of li-ion.

So, Tesla does recommend 20-90% for daily use. Quite a few Tesla drivers have exceeded 200,000 miles or more with degradation of 8% or less. Many, including me, have gone 3 years or more and 30-50,000 miles with no appreciable degradation. It would be a good ida to look over the battery life user reported datas at Plug In America or elsewhere.

Even after looking at all the available data you end out deciding on arbitrary limits. My own ar 50% for when I am storing the car, since mine sits without use for months at a time. For daily driving I use 50+my expected use of the day. For trips I use 90% and 20%, with 100% from time to time. I am nearly religious about not going lower than 20%.

Although I do that I know people who go normally to 100% and sometimes to nearly 0% and they seem to do quite well also.

In short, decide your own policy and don't worry about it.
 
I used 50-90 percent because that's what Tesla allows me to set it to for day to day driving. Appears to me that the charge percentage can't be set lower than 50 percent.

I have also charged to 100 percent once at a super charger. I'm not going to totally avoid charging to 100 percent but ensure I only do it when I need it.

I'm mostly curious about any potential data regarding what I read on another forum (that was a few years old) about ideal charging between 50-62 percent. Whether someone on a forum just pulled it out of thin air or whether there is some Scientific merritt?
When you say '50-90' that sounds like 'range of charge'. If the car lets you charge to between 50-90, that's the high end of 50 to 90, a completely different thing. I was stating that in normal use, I wouldn't let it get below 20, or above 90, except when on a road trip and needing the extra range and going to use it immediately, and then I would charge to over 90 up to 100.

No idea why Tesla limits charging to a minimum-max of 50%, perhaps because no one would want to ever do less? :D
 
Sooooo.... I decided to take a shot in the dark and email Jeff Dahn. To my surprise, he responded almost immediately for those interested:

Mike,

I would recommend charging to 70% normally. When you need a long trip charge to 100%.

I see you're in Vancouver area. That's good a nice climate for Li-ion cells.

Thanks

Jeff

Jeff Dahn, FRSC
Professor of Physics and Atmospheric Science
NSERC/Tesla Canada Industrial Research Chair
Canada Research Chair


I now know where I'll be setting my day to day charge...
 
I'll run it down LOW and charge it up HIGH, and if I blow it up, that's what the warranty is for!

But seriously, I think keeping it in the 40% to 85% range is good for having enough range for day to day driving, without overly stressing the battery either on the low end or top end.