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How often do you charge to 100%
- Thread starter BWJ.
- Start date
I've done it twice since we bought the vehicles (MYLR and MYP in fall of 2022).
Initially when I thought it would be good for a long trip, then realized that it was not required due to SC network. I generally leave mine at 50%-60% and my wife's at 80% (for her peace of mind).
Initially when I thought it would be good for a long trip, then realized that it was not required due to SC network. I generally leave mine at 50%-60% and my wife's at 80% (for her peace of mind).
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Jerry Ham
Member
I did it twice in my 2017 Model S (sold that this year). Once for a trip that was Supercharger sparse and once when it seemed to get some earlier than expected degradation as an attempt at calibration (which made no difference BTW). Never on our 2018 Model 3 so far and also never so far on our 2023 Model Y.
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I got my MYLR in Feb 2033. I charge to 80% at typically but have charged to100% probably 10 times. Our SC network is sparse in SW Colorado. For road trips I'll charge to 100% at home and use SCs in Albuquerque or Colorado Springs for our ttip back home. I've never considered changing to 100% to calibrate the battery. I didn't know that was a thing.
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SabrToothSqrl
Active Member
This comes up so often, I had to do something about it:
In the quaint town of Electronville, nestled between rolling hills and whispering forests, a peculiar event was about to unfold. In the heart of the town square, surrounded by cobblestone pathways and Victorian-style lampposts, stood the mystical Charging Pavilion. This peculiar structure, adorned with intricate patterns resembling circuitry, was rumored to possess the power to charge electric vehicles (EVs) to a staggering 100%.
Legend had it that the Charging Pavilion was built centuries ago by a mysterious group of engineers known as the Voltarcanists. They were said to have harnessed the energies of thunderstorms and channeled them into the very fabric of the pavilion, creating an otherworldly charging experience.
News of this enigmatic charging spot had spread far and wide, attracting EV enthusiasts from distant lands. One such adventurer, named Elara Sparkplug, embarked on a quest to reach Electronville and charge her EV to the mythical 100%. Guided by an ancient map she found in an abandoned library, Elara navigated through dense forests and crossed treacherous rivers to finally arrive at the town's entrance.
As she approached the Charging Pavilion, the air crackled with electric energy, and the lampposts flickered in a synchronous dance. Elara noticed a series of cryptic symbols etched into the pavilion's surface. Determined to unlock the secrets within, she recited an incantation she had deciphered from an ancient manuscript.
To her amazement, the Charging Pavilion responded with a low hum, and a swirling vortex of energy enveloped her EV. The vehicle levitated off the ground, surrounded by a kaleidoscope of colors. The townspeople gathered, awestruck by the spectacle unfolding before them.
However, the process was not as straightforward as it seemed. Elara soon realized that the Charging Pavilion was a sentient being, and it demanded a series of riddles and puzzles to be solved before allowing the charging process to continue. The questions ranged from the philosophical to the downright absurd, challenging Elara's wit and wisdom.
As she pondered each enigma, time seemed to warp and twist, creating a surreal atmosphere. The townspeople joined in the anticipation, exchanging whispers about the mysteries of the Charging Pavilion. Some claimed it held the key to unlocking the secrets of the universe, while others believed it was a gateway to a parallel electric dimension.
After hours of contemplation and cerebral acrobatics, Elara successfully answered the final riddle. The Charging Pavilion responded with a dazzling display of light, and a surge of energy flowed into her EV. The vehicle absorbed the power like a sponge, glowing with an ethereal brilliance.
As the charging process reached its climax, a thunderous roar echoed through Electronville. The Charging Pavilion, satisfied with Elara's intelligence and determination, granted her the coveted 100% charge. The townspeople erupted in cheers, and the lampposts radiated a warm, golden light.
Elara, now the stuff of local legend, bid farewell to Electronville, her EV humming with newfound energy. As she drove away, the Charging Pavilion faded into the distance, its mysteries preserved for the next brave adventurer who dared to embark on the quest for the elusive 100% charge. And so, the legend of Electronville's Charging Pavilion lived on, a tale told around electric campfires for generations to come.
In the quaint town of Electronville, nestled between rolling hills and whispering forests, a peculiar event was about to unfold. In the heart of the town square, surrounded by cobblestone pathways and Victorian-style lampposts, stood the mystical Charging Pavilion. This peculiar structure, adorned with intricate patterns resembling circuitry, was rumored to possess the power to charge electric vehicles (EVs) to a staggering 100%.
Legend had it that the Charging Pavilion was built centuries ago by a mysterious group of engineers known as the Voltarcanists. They were said to have harnessed the energies of thunderstorms and channeled them into the very fabric of the pavilion, creating an otherworldly charging experience.
News of this enigmatic charging spot had spread far and wide, attracting EV enthusiasts from distant lands. One such adventurer, named Elara Sparkplug, embarked on a quest to reach Electronville and charge her EV to the mythical 100%. Guided by an ancient map she found in an abandoned library, Elara navigated through dense forests and crossed treacherous rivers to finally arrive at the town's entrance.
As she approached the Charging Pavilion, the air crackled with electric energy, and the lampposts flickered in a synchronous dance. Elara noticed a series of cryptic symbols etched into the pavilion's surface. Determined to unlock the secrets within, she recited an incantation she had deciphered from an ancient manuscript.
To her amazement, the Charging Pavilion responded with a low hum, and a swirling vortex of energy enveloped her EV. The vehicle levitated off the ground, surrounded by a kaleidoscope of colors. The townspeople gathered, awestruck by the spectacle unfolding before them.
However, the process was not as straightforward as it seemed. Elara soon realized that the Charging Pavilion was a sentient being, and it demanded a series of riddles and puzzles to be solved before allowing the charging process to continue. The questions ranged from the philosophical to the downright absurd, challenging Elara's wit and wisdom.
As she pondered each enigma, time seemed to warp and twist, creating a surreal atmosphere. The townspeople joined in the anticipation, exchanging whispers about the mysteries of the Charging Pavilion. Some claimed it held the key to unlocking the secrets of the universe, while others believed it was a gateway to a parallel electric dimension.
After hours of contemplation and cerebral acrobatics, Elara successfully answered the final riddle. The Charging Pavilion responded with a dazzling display of light, and a surge of energy flowed into her EV. The vehicle absorbed the power like a sponge, glowing with an ethereal brilliance.
As the charging process reached its climax, a thunderous roar echoed through Electronville. The Charging Pavilion, satisfied with Elara's intelligence and determination, granted her the coveted 100% charge. The townspeople erupted in cheers, and the lampposts radiated a warm, golden light.
Elara, now the stuff of local legend, bid farewell to Electronville, her EV humming with newfound energy. As she drove away, the Charging Pavilion faded into the distance, its mysteries preserved for the next brave adventurer who dared to embark on the quest for the elusive 100% charge. And so, the legend of Electronville's Charging Pavilion lived on, a tale told around electric campfires for generations to come.
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We charge to 100% immediately before any road trips. We make road trips every couple weeks. I set the charging to 90% the night before a trip, get up in the morning and crank it up to 100%. Usually reaches 98-99% before we finish packing and breakfast the morning of a road trip.
Been charging to near 100% this way for 5 years on our Model X and seen 1% battery degradation per year. Charging to 100% is fine, just don't leave the car stored at 100%. For local driving, we kept our X at 80%, now keeping the Y at 70% (since the 2023 Model Y has 15% more range then our 2018 Model X did). Since we live rural, charging to 100% usually allows us to skip a charging stop on many of our trips, down to just one quick 10 minute stop for a 300 mile trip on the Y: very convenient. No need to fret over charging to 100%: the car is designed to be convenient, so don't overthink it.
Tesla makes fabulous cars. No need to be an armchair engineer: use every bit of the range available before your road trips. We have zero range anxiety for any trip nowadays: just hop in, enter your destination in navigation, watch the activity at possible alternative superchargers during the trip, and adjust supercharger locations for your convenience (availability/food/bathrooms), not the car's convenience. For marathon trips (over 300 miles-ish), we have also learned to supercharge often (rather than stretch out between supercharging stops) to get to a destination as quickly as possible (supercharge with the battery in its max charging rate sweet spot of 15-80%).
Been charging to near 100% this way for 5 years on our Model X and seen 1% battery degradation per year. Charging to 100% is fine, just don't leave the car stored at 100%. For local driving, we kept our X at 80%, now keeping the Y at 70% (since the 2023 Model Y has 15% more range then our 2018 Model X did). Since we live rural, charging to 100% usually allows us to skip a charging stop on many of our trips, down to just one quick 10 minute stop for a 300 mile trip on the Y: very convenient. No need to fret over charging to 100%: the car is designed to be convenient, so don't overthink it.
Tesla makes fabulous cars. No need to be an armchair engineer: use every bit of the range available before your road trips. We have zero range anxiety for any trip nowadays: just hop in, enter your destination in navigation, watch the activity at possible alternative superchargers during the trip, and adjust supercharger locations for your convenience (availability/food/bathrooms), not the car's convenience. For marathon trips (over 300 miles-ish), we have also learned to supercharge often (rather than stretch out between supercharging stops) to get to a destination as quickly as possible (supercharge with the battery in its max charging rate sweet spot of 15-80%).
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The reason I don't charge to 100% is not that I care about saving the battery, it is about saving time at superchargers.
For my trips my first charger stop is always about 1.75 hrs from our house. If I charge to 100% then I will arrive there at a much higher SoC than if I left the house at 60%. Leaving the house at 60% has me arriving at sub 15% resulting in higher charging speeds and a shorter stop. I try and always stay below 60% which keeps all my stops around 10 mins or so.
Obviously if you need the range between SCs then go higher, but I find many people charge to 100% and don't need to. If you want to eliminate range anxiety then sure, fill your boots/whatever works for you.
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I'll go to between 95-100% in the early morning before I leave for a trip, a couple times as year. Not that much because I need that energy (although I do benefit from a "full" battery somewhat, enabling the first leg of my trip to be longer). I do it because might as well help the BMS from time to time.
Nice storytelling @SabrToothSqrl
Nice storytelling @SabrToothSqrl
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gtae07
Member
That doesn't make sense. Yes, you charge faster at low SOC... but when do you stop charging? When you've hit a certain SOC (whatever's required to get to your next stop/destination), or when you've hit a certain number of kWh added?
Let's say you leave at 60%, arrive at 10%, and need to charge to 60% to get to your next stop. You're adding 50%.
If you leave at 100%, you're arriving at 50%, and to get to 60% you only need to add 10%.
Going from 10% to 60% is still going to take longer in absolute time than going from 50% to 60%.
To look at it from another perspective, that additional 40% SOC to start could allow you to skip your first charge stop altogether, depending on where the chargers are.
So from a travel time perspective it makes plenty of sense to start your trip with as high a SOC as you can, assuming you're not supercharging to start the trip or otherwise having to wait on the car to charge that high.
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I was probably trying to shorten my response too much and be too generic with my numbers.
My general idea is more stops at lower SoC than fewer stops for higher charges. For my most travelled route I hit 3 chargers for around 10 mins each. It's possible that I leave home with 100% and only hit one charger, but I would be there for more than 30 mins. Plus as I need to stop at least two times it makes sense for three short charges instead of 1 long charge stop plus one nature stop.
Again, depends on your own setting but this works out faster for my trip.
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Yes, that principle is correct, but does NOT apply for the initial charge before a road trip. As @gtae07 clearly explained, you'll always spend less total charging time on a road trip by starting out with more charge. So go ahead and charge to 100% immediately before a road trip: it saves total road charging time and does not hurt the vehicle.
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Charge to 100% right before a trip if you need the range. I do it once every week or two to get to work and home without needing to supercharge on the way home.
"Calibrating the battery" isn't really a thing. You're calibrating the BMS's estimate of range remaining. It may improve the accuracy of the displayed range remaining, but you aren't actually increasing the range or really doing anything to benefit the car/battery, just your own peace of mind.
This is true on LFP cars as well, and why the weekly 100% charge is recommended for them. LFP is more tolerant of high SoC, so there's less risk of damage, but it also has a flatter discharge curve, so it's harder to estimate range remaining from cell voltage. The range estimates on LFP cars can diverge more rapidly.
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gtae07
Member
I never said anything about having to make a long charge stop. Yes, you want to arrive at chargers with the lowest charge you are comfortable with--but if you arrive at that first stop with a higher SOC, just don't charge for as long. Or, depending on where the stops are, you could possibly just skip the first charge altogether.
Starting out with a low SOC still doesn't make sense. It's about the first charge, not all of them.
As an example using ABRP set on shortest travel time, a trip to my parents' house takes 3:36 including a single 12min charge stop if I start at 100%. Starting at 60% takes 3:57 with two charge stops totaling 29 minutes (in both cases arriving at the same SOC). In this case that 100% charge lets me skip the first charging stop altogether.
We make this trip frequently, and in reality I don't actually start at 100% just because I usually have other places to go before making the trip. But the higher I start out, the shorter the trip takes because it shortens or eliminates the first charging stop.
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