Does your electric vehicle (EV) battery keep asking for a recharge? No driver loves to wake up to see a dead car battery.
Most EV companies give you a warranty of five to eight years. However, your car battery can sometimes last for less than five years if you aren’t careful.
Some causes of the battery drain are your driving norms and a lack of care for your EV. The good news is that there are a couple of ways you can handle this matter. So, you can rest assured your EV battery will serve you long.
We’ll explain why your car battery keep dying and the best means to fix the issue. Let’s first know how this issue occurs.
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How does a Car Battery Drain?
Your electric vehicle (EV) battery can lose power fast when it’s less efficient. It can happen within some years or even a few days after you buy the car or battery.
You’ll notice this issue in the morning, while you are driving, or when you park during the day. So, read on to discover why this problem occurs with your EV battery.
Top Reasons why Your Car Battery Keeps Dying
The following are the activities that make your car lose battery power fast. Most of the issues come from how you handle your EV every day.
1. You Love Short Drives
Do you love using your EV for short trips? Then you should expect your battery to ask for a boost every time.
Starting the engine takes a lot of power from your car’s battery. So, if you do that several times a day, the EV will lose a lot of energy.
Remember, the alternator boosts the battery as the engine runs. The short trips don’t allow the alternator to have more time to help your battery. It will ask for a recharge every time.
2. Poor or Corroded Battery Terminals
The connection between the alternator and the battery needs proper cables. These wires work best with stable terminals.
Your car’s battery acid can affect the terminals. This reaction happens when the acid releases hydrogen gas, causing the build-up of some elements.
The particles are always greenish, whitish, or bluish. It’s the effects of these particles that make the terminals fail.
Also, it can be that the cables have a poor connection to the terminals. Then the battery won’t be able to tap power from the alternator.
3. The Alternator isn’t Working
This element in your EV is like the battery’s backup. The alternator also supplies power to the car’s electrical system.
Once the component has a problem, your car battery must work hard. You won’t drive for long hours without the alternator.
Sometimes, your battery won’t even start the car without this item. If the vehicle keeps running without an alternator, it will have a short lifespan and capacity.
4. Harsh Heat Levels
Parking or driving your car in harsh weather conditions kills your battery. New and old batteries get the effects of high and low heat levels.
EV batteries use Li-Ion material to run. During hot times, the battery will make the ions heat from the inside. So, they won’t retain much power as you drive or park.
At low heat levels, the ions lose power. If such events happen every time, your battery will have a short life and range.
5. Parasitic Drain
Every EV engineer will warn you about your car losing power without your knowledge. It can be the dome lights during the day that you won’t notice.
But the common ones are the radio, clock, power mirrors, and alarms. Such acts happen even when your engine is on or off.
Your battery will soon die if it happens many times. Jumpstarting the vehicle won’t even help.
Some of these drains need the help of an EV mechanic. The mechanic will identify the issue soon enough and fix it.
6. The Charging System has a Problem
You might be taking all the measures to safeguard the battery. Worse still, your battery will still be losing power fast.
The issue can be in your system’s charging system. Today’s EVs have a serpentine belt which uses the battery to power most elements.
This belt can be loose or fail to work. Power flow from the socket and down to the alternator will be poor. Your battery will have less power than your drive.
7. Regular High Voltage Charging
Like smartphones, you can use a fast charger to power your EV car’s battery. This aspect helps you charge your car fast before leaving for work.
If you use this method every time, your battery will die soon. The high power you give your battery gives it more heat. So, if it happens all the time, the battery becomes weak.
8. You Left the Lights On
It’s the famous cause of making EVs lose power fast. You might be off from a busy day, and the next thing you’d wish is to get out of the driving seat and rest in the house.
But you can forget to switch off your car’s lights, especially the headlights. They’ll use more power from your car battery.
So, if it becomes the norm, expect your battery to die soon. However, some EV companies design head and dome lights to stay off after some time.
9. Overcharging the Battery
Your EV battery will have issues if you don’t charge it well. Overcharging your car battery makes the battery generate more heat. Such problems reduce the battery’s holding capacity.
Such events happen a few times. EV companies like Tesla make cars with a voltage regulator. The battery won’t over or undercharge.
But if it happens many times, your battery can fail. This cause is common in old batteries.
10. Many Power-draining Elements
Upgrading your EV is fantastic. You can add features like a great sound system, heavy turbochargers, or even more lights.
Yes, it is fun, and you have the freedom to have it in your car. But such upgrades use more power. It will become harder for your battery to hold such features for a long time.
11. The Battery has Aged
Sometimes, you must accept that your car’s battery life is almost over. Once batteries start to age, they lose their holding capacity.
You might be giving it proper care or not. The battery may use a lot of power to start the EV.
It should be the last thought when your battery starts having issues. Remember, most batteries last from three to five years. The age varies with how well you handle the battery.
Best Ways to Prevent Your Car Battery from Dying
Here are the significant fixes to help your car’s battery last many years. Some of these solutions require a change in your driving habits. But others need you to hire a pro to help.
1. Check Your Car well after Driving
After parking your car well, let the switch on the dashboard guide you during the day. You’ll know if the headlights or dome lights are on during the day.
Sometimes, you can forget. So, use a mental note to remind you about switching the lights off after driving.
2. Avoid many Short Trips
Don’t use your EV for short trips. It gives your battery a longer lifespan. Going on longer trips with a full battery makes it perform well.
Better still, invest in an external battery. You’ll keep the proper voltage if you use the car every time.
3. Get Used to Trickle Charging Your Car
You’ll give it a long life if you charge your EV using this charger. Such a charger has a regulator to keep your car safe.
Unlike other local chargers, your car will charge at the same level and speed as it discharges the power. It prevents issues of overcharging and losing power fast.
4. Have Proper Charging Habits
The battery will perform best when you get used to an excellent charging norm. Most companies advise users not to overcharge for many hours.
Also, you shouldn’t charge the battery to 100% every day. The battery will keep power for longer hours.
5. Be Careful with the Warning Signs
The car’s dashboard should be your friend if you want to maintain the battery. You’ll notice it from the behavior of the battery symbol. Your dashboard will also become dimmer.
Also, beware of weird sounds from the car. Check the battery by lifting the bonnet to see any wear and tear signs. If they are present, take the car for service to safeguard your battery.
6. Drive!
Your car’s alternator will be great if it does work every moment. That act will happen if you drive your car every day.
The battery won’t stay discharged every time. It’s because various parts of the charging system remain in a proper state when you drive more.
7. Don’t Park Your EV in the Sun
Placing your EV in hot places or direct sunlight kills your battery. Instead, park it under a shade or in a garage. The car will be safe from harsh weather.
During cold times, get a battery blanket. It prevents the battery fluids from freezing. So, the charging system will remain safe for many days.
8. Always Check and Clean the Cables
Cleaning your EV every day, especially around the battery, reduces corrosion. You can use a felt anticorrosion washer on the battery post to clean the elements.
Using Vaseline electric grease on cable clamps keeps them safe from acid. The battery will have a long life through such care.
9. Maintain the Alternator
If your alternator fails, the battery will also lose its goodness. Check the car’s dashboard to see if the alternator is charging.
If the alternator has a problem, some of its elements will need you to replace them. Let a mechanic check the problem for you before spending money to replace the alternator.
Most stores do the check for free. Take a step to care for your battery.
10. Replace the Battery
Once you realize the battery has passed its age, it is time for a change. Ensure you check with your EV Company to get the correct battery for your car.
Today there are many fake EV batteries on the market. Sometimes you can get a battery that can’t hold the car’s needs. You’ll be back to the battery draining problem.
Conclusion
No driver loves to have a dead battery. It can be before starting to drive or while driving.
Such problems come from a draining battery. The battery can lose power fast because of your driving habits, your care for the car, or the weather.
Most of the tricks to making the battery last are easy. They are like trickle charging and avoiding short trips.
Replacing the battery and alternator needs more skills. Change your battery after the mechanic confirms it’s dead.
So far, has your EV’s battery ever died? What was its lifespan? Please share your side of the story.