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When should I recharge an electric car?
I’m borrowing my uncle’s electric car while he’s on vacation, and I don’t know how often it needs to be recharged, or how to tell when it’s low, and I’m worried it’s going to run out while I’m out with his car. When should I recharge an electric car?
Bellina Gaskey · Updated on
Reviewed by Shannon Martin, Licensed Insurance Agent.
Great question! Depending on how much you drive, you might need to recharge every 2-3 days. Electric cars have a gauge that shows their charge level, just like a gasoline car.
It’ll be in different amounts than the gas vehicle, but you’ll be able to tell if you need to recharge. Some electric cars like a
Tesla
will also tell you how many miles you can drive before needing to recharge so that you can take that into account before going out.EV manufacturers recommend keeping an EV battery charge between 20% and 80%. Driving habits vary from person to person, but for the average person, this means plugging in roughly every 2-3 days.
When you do plug-in, try to avoid overcharging. If the vehicle is on the charger for too long, it can hurt battery life. If you don’t have access to an automatic charger that will cut off charging at 80%, try setting up a timer that will automatically shut off power to the charger after a few hours.
If you are concerned about needing to charge the
electric car
, there are a few things you can do to make sure you don’t need to charge right away. First, slow down. Driving faster runs your charge down faster, and can leave you running out. Also, if you live somewhere hot or it’s especially sunny outside, try to find a shady spot. Superheating the battery by leaving it in direct sunlight will drain the charge by overheating the battery.
Whether you drive gas or electric, get yourself the most affordable insurance.
Jerry
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