How to Keep Your Electric Car Battery Healthy (Used or New!)
Posted on May 29, 2025
Thinking of buying a used electric car? Smart choice—it’s cost-effective, eco-friendly, and often lower maintenance than gas vehicles. But just like a smartphone, your EV’s battery health plays a huge role in performance, range, and longevity.
A struggling battery means shorter drives, slower charging, and costly replacements—something no EV owner wants. Whether you’re wondering “how to check electric car battery health” or searching for “tips for maintaining your EV battery,” we’ve got you covered.
In this guide, we’ll break down proven battery care tips to extend your EV battery’s lifespan, optimize charging and efficiency, and point out the common pitfalls (even with a used EV). Let’s ensure your electric ride stays strong for years to come!
Understanding Electric Car Battery Health
What is electric car battery health, exactly? In simple terms, it’s how well your battery can hold a charge and deliver power, just like when it was new. Over time, as the battery is used, it slowly loses some of that ability. This natural process is called battery degradation.
Electric cars use lithium-ion batteries, made up of three main parts: the battery pack, the battery management system (BMS), and a cooling system. The BMS is especially important—it keeps an eye on how the battery is performing, tracks charging and discharging, and helps prevent overheating.
Think of it like a built-in health monitor for your battery. The good news is that you don’t need to be a car expert to stay on top of battery health.
How Long Does an Electric Car Battery Last?
Most electric car batteries are built to last between 8 to 20 years. They usually come with a warranty that covers 8 to 10 years or up to 160,000 km. Some models, like the Mercedes EQS, can travel over 700 km on a single charge when the battery is in top shape.
Several things can shorten battery life, including:
- Charging habits: Avoid fully charging to 100% or letting it drop to 0%. Keeping the battery between 50% and 80% is ideal.
- Extreme temperatures: Both hot and cold weather can put stress on the battery and reduce its lifespan.
- Too much fast charging: Relying on fast chargers too often can wear the battery out quicker than regular, slower charging.
Luckily, most EVs come with smart features like auto shut-off when idling and regenerative braking, which help reduce energy use and protect the battery over time.
What Are the Common Factors That Impact Battery Lifespan?
Like any other part of your vehicle, your battery’s lifespan isn’t set in stone. Several factors can either speed up or slow down its damage. Here are the biggest factors that impact your vehicle’s battery health:
- Extreme temperatures: Whether it’s -30°C in Winnipeg or a summer heatwave in Ontario, temperature swings can stress your battery.
- Frequent rapid charging: It’s convenient, sure, but it pushes your battery harder than slow charging.
- High or low state of charge: Charging to 100% or letting it drop to 0% too often strains the battery. It stresses the battery and makes it wear out faster.
- Driving behavior: Aggressive acceleration and hard braking aren’t just bad for tires; they’re rough on your battery too.
- Improper storage: Leaving your EV parked too long without charging (or fully charged) can lead to degradation.
6 Tips for Maintaining your EV Battery
Taking care of your electric car battery health isn’t as complicated as it sounds. With the right tips for driving, charging, and storing your car, you can keep your battery in great shape for years. Here are a few battery maintenance tips to consider:
1. Follow Manufacturer Guidelines
Electric cars are not created the same. So, they usually come with manuals and guidelines. Instead of tossing the manuals away, read them. Every EV is a bit different, and your manufacturer knows exactly what your battery needs.
2 .Avoid Extreme Temperatures
When possible, park indoors or in shaded areas. In winter, pre-condition your battery while plugged in so it warms up without draining your charge.
3. Keep the Battery Charged
Letting your EV battery run flat can put unnecessary strain on it. Always aim to keep the charge above 20% to maintain its health and longevity. Letting your battery drop to near-zero regularly is a recipe for early aging.
4. Don’t Overcharge Your Battery
Unless you’re gearing up for a long trip, skip the full 100% charge. Topping up just enough for your day-to-day drives is better for long-term EV battery health.
5. Avoid Rapid Charging
Yeah, it’s tempting when you're on the go, but save fast charging for road trips and emergencies. It heats up your battery faster, which can accelerate degradation.
6. Ease off the Accelerator
Driving like you’re in a Fast & Furious movie sounds fun, but it’s not friendly on the battery. Smooth acceleration and regenerative braking can help your battery (and your range) last longer.
How Do Charging Methods Affect Battery Health?
The way you charge your EV has a big impact on battery health. Slow and moderate charging is much better for long-term battery life. Fast charging is convenient, but it creates extra heat, which can wear out the battery faster over time.
If you’re serious about how to keep your electric car battery healthy, try to limit how often you use fast charging. It’s great for road trips or quick top-ups, like when you’re driving from Calgary to Banff, but not ideal for daily charging.
For everyday use, stick to Level 2 chargers. They’re faster than a regular wall outlet (Level 1), but still gentle on the battery. You’ll find them in parking lots, workplaces, or at home. Level 1 charging is even slower, but it’s the gentlest and works well for overnight charging.
Avoid making DC fast charging a habit, especially during extreme weather. The extra heat from rapid charging in cold or hot conditions, like in Montreal winters or Vancouver summers, can reduce your battery’s lifespan.
How Does the State of Charge Impact Electric Car Battery Life?
Keeping your EV’s battery between 20% and 80% helps it last longer. Letting it drop to 0% or charging it all the way to 100% too often can speed up battery wear, just like what happens with overused phone batteries.
Used electric cars already have some battery wear, so managing your charge levels is even more important. Avoid the extremes to keep your battery running strong.
In cold provinces like Alberta and Manitoba, letting your battery get too low in winter can be risky. In hot places like Ontario during summer, charging to 100% can stress the battery.
Most EVs let you set charging limits. Use that feature; stop around 80% for everyday driving and only charge to 100% when you need the full range for a longer trip.
Keep Your EV Running Strong with Smart Battery Care
Your electric car’s battery health doesn’t have to be a mystery. By following these battery care tips like avoiding extreme charges and monitoring EV battery health regularly, you’ll preserve battery life, boost efficiency, and get the most out of your used (or new!) EV.
Pro Tip: Bookmark this guide, schedule routine check-ups, and drive confidently knowing your battery is in top shape.
Need a battery health check? Explore CarHub’s services for expert care!