What should I be doing?

[Dan203]

When I picked up my car the girl who showed me how to use it set my max charge to 90% and I've never changed it. Thing is I don’t drive much. When I charge it up it gives me 278 miles of range, which could easily last me 10 days. I've got into the habit of just plugging it in once a week on Thursday nights when I get home from my bowling league. At that point I usually have somewhere between 90-120 miles of range but if I'm going to drive a lot it'll be over the weekend so I just want to make sure it's "full".

Is this OK for the battery? Or should I be plugging it in every day, even if I only drove a few miles, and topping it off?

 

[Dan203]

Oh one more thing.... I'm leasing. So as long as it lasts 3 years I'm fine.

 

[jjrandorin]

Oh one more thing.... I'm leasing. So as long as it lasts 3 years I'm fine.

If your "leasing so as long as it last 3 years its fine", why would you care / wonder about "what you should be doing"? There is an 8 year / 120k mile warranty on the battery in your car, and you will not hit either of those while in your 3 year lease, so it doesnt matter in the slightest.

If you want to know what tesla itself says to do, they tell you on page 122 of the manual that comes with your car to plug it in, and specifically that there is no benefit to "running it down to charge it up". There are tons of posts here on this topic, but from your standpoint, since "you are leasing and as long as it last 3 years your fine" none of it matters to you.

 

[ngogas]

You are fine. Plug in Tesla is a happy Tesla.

 

[Dan203]

The lady that did the delivery actually told me it was best to run it down to 10% every now and then. Guess she didn’t know what she was talking about.

 

[Dan203]

It's funny if I look at the graph on my power companies website for the last month there is a little spike in usage every Thursday/Friday from when I have it plugged it.

 

[ewoodrick]

No issues, keep on enjoying the car.

 

[jmaddr]

Leasing? Plug it in every night to charge to 90. Battery degradation is not a concern for you since you lease so you may as well always be prepared for a long trip if it ever arises. Tesla even recommends exactly that so degradation is questionable even with that pattern for you.

Plus, at 90 percent you always have full power. I notice a power difference at 90 than I do at 30 in my TM3P.

 

[user212_nr]

Or should I be plugging it in every day, even if I only drove a few miles, and topping it off?

Well, that's what you are supposed to do, if it is convenient.

 

[kavyboy]

The lady that did the delivery actually told me it was best to run it down to 10% every now and then. Guess she didn’t know what she was talking about.

That can result in a better estimate of how much power (miles) is currently in the car. It pretty much just makes the numbers you're looking at more accurate. It doesn't help the battery health.

And yes, in general, Tesla people not knowing what they're talking about is a very distinct possibility.

 

[TimothyHW3]

That can result in a better estimate of how much power (miles) is currently in the car. It pretty much just makes the numbers you're looking at more accurate. It doesn't help the battery health.

And yes, in general, Tesla people not knowing what they're talking about is a very distinct possibility.

Well, that does sound like an OK advice, if now and then means a few times a year. This will help the BMS know where is up and where is down. So without knowing what she adviced him, as it seems he is not too knowladgable either, we can't just jump to conclusions. Maybe she was knowledgeable.


@Dan203 Lithium batteries like it when they are between 45% and 75% and at 20C. If you can keep it that way, the person getting it after you will thank you. "As long as it lasts me 3 years" should not be in the vocabulary of an EV driver imho...We want to have somewhat sustainable future after all.

Keeping it at 90% always is not good for the battery, but ok for the BMS (the thing that calculates the charge).

So if you are at above 60% - don't plug it in and plug it in when you are around 40%. Setting it up to 90% is ok if you plan on driving right away so you should set the new advanced charging timers that will come with an update. Or set it to 80% and let it charge to 80% and then only charge the last 10% right before you plan on driving.

 

[woodguyatl]

Well, that does sound like an OK advice, if now and then means a few times a year. This will help the BMS know where is up and where is down. So without knowing what she adviced him, as it seems he is not too knowladgable either, we can't just jump to conclusions. Maybe she was knowledgeable.


@Dan203 Lithium batteries like it when they are between 45% and 75% and at 20C. If you can keep it that way, the person getting it after you will thank you. "As long as it lasts me 3 years" should not be in the vocabulary of an EV driver imho...We want to have somewhat sustainable future after all.

Keeping it at 90% always is not good for the battery, but ok for the BMS (the thing that calculates the charge).

So if you are at above 60% - don't plug it in and plug it in when you are around 40%. Setting it up to 90% is ok if you plan on driving right away so you should set the new advanced charging timers that will come with an update. Or set it to 80% and let it charge to 80% and then only charge the last 10% right before you plan on driving.

There is absolutely not reason to wait until just before a trip to charge to 90%. Where, specifically, did you get that advice? 100% yes. 90% no.

 

[smartypnz]

This thread is hilarious......

So many experts, so little time.

 

[TimothyHW3]

There is absolutely not reason to wait until just before a trip to charge to 90%. Where, specifically, did you get that advice? 100% yes. 90% no.

It is common knowledge that the car shouldn't idle with high SOC. And 90% is not 100%,very but is close to the 4.2V mark...
https://batteryuniversity.com/learn/article/how_to_prolong_lithium_based_batteries

Since I don't know what the OP does or how fast after he charges he drives the car(especially if he charges on a Thursday or Friday and doesn't drive the car over the weekend) I simply suggested to set to 80% and top up before leaving.

If I know how we drives and charges, I would suggest a more specific charging pattern, but charging to 80% should be good for most people.

In his 3 years of driving he will not experience any significant difference if he tops up to 80 or to -90%, but down the road this will help the battery live a longer life, that is certain. As you can see, the batteries like it below 75%, which on a 3 is around 80% with the buffer.

 

[woodguyatl]

It is common knowledge that the car shouldn't idle with high SOC. And 90% is not 100%,very but is close to the 4.2V mark...
https://batteryuniversity.com/learn/article/how_to_prolong_lithium_based_batteries

Since I don't know what the OP does or how fast after he charges he drives the car(especially if he charges on a Thursday or Friday and doesn't drive the car over the weekend) I simply suggested to set to 80% and top up before leaving.

If I know how we drives and charges, I would suggest a more specific charging pattern, but charging to 80% should be good for most people.

In his 3 years of driving he will not experience any significant difference if he tops up to 80 or to -90%, but down the road this will help the battery live a longer life, that is certain. As you can see, the batteries like it below 75%, which on a 3 is around 80% with the buffer.

Fair enough.

The thing that got my cackles up was the idea that letting the car idle at 90% for a few hours or overnight somewhat regularly would be measurably worse on battery life vs charging to 90% right before taking a trip.

My big takeaway from the link you posted is that keeping the car in an air-conditioned garage is one of the best things that can be done to increase battery life.

 

[TimothyHW3]

As long as it is in and around 20C +/- 5C it should be fine.

I don't know what measurably means, probably in the 3 years, if he doesn't drive much, it will not make any difference at all (or could be if he gets unlucky and has a bad battery - we see people thanking 10% capacity in the first year), but over the course of 8-10 years, surely.

 

[jjrandorin]

My big takeaway from the link you posted is that keeping the car in an air-conditioned garage is one of the best things that can be done to increase battery life.

And, at 50% state of charge, not driving it at all.. totally best for battery if you do that. /s

 

[Dan203]

Well, that does sound like an OK advice, if now and then means a few times a year. This will help the BMS know where is up and where is down. So without knowing what she adviced him, as it seems he is not too knowladgable either, we can't just jump to conclusions. Maybe she was knowledgeable.


@Dan203 Lithium batteries like it when they are between 45% and 75% and at 20C. If you can keep it that way, the person getting it after you will thank you. "As long as it lasts me 3 years" should not be in the vocabulary of an EV driver imho...We want to have somewhat sustainable future after all.

Keeping it at 90% always is not good for the battery, but ok for the BMS (the thing that calculates the charge).

So if you are at above 60% - don't plug it in and plug it in when you are around 40%. Setting it up to 90% is ok if you plan on driving right away so you should set the new advanced charging timers that will come with an update. Or set it to 80% and let it charge to 80% and then only charge the last 10% right before you plan on driving.

It’s my understanding that the reason you can’t buy out the car at the end of the lease is because Tesla wants to keep them all for their robotaxi fleet. So the person after me will be Tesla themselves.

 

[Dan203]

If it really affects power than I’m going to start charging it every night. My main goal for owning the car is the speed.

 

[jjrandorin]

It’s my understanding that the reason you can’t buy out the car at the end of the lease is because Tesla wants to keep them all for their robotaxi fleet. So the person after me will be Tesla themselves.

They say that now, but I personally dont believe that for a second (that we will be in a spot where robotaxi's will be able to hit the road 3 years from now. I fully expect that, in 3 years time, they will change course and offer the original person leasing the vehicle the chance to purchase it, and / or turn around and sell them as low mileage used teslas.