There are many myths circulating in the public consciousness about whether it is worth waiting for the battery to completely discharge before starting to charge it. How many percent should you charge it to ensure it is suitable for you while allowing the battery to maintain its maximum lifespan? For this very reason, smart charging at home can be a real treasure, as you don’t have to juggle the charging percentages yourself.

Too much of a good thing – why is 100% not always the goal?

Lithium-ion batteries – which are found in most electric cars – are sensitive to charging cycles. If you constantly charge them to 100%, especially at high temperatures, it can reduce their capacity over time. The same is true for regularly discharging them to 0%. The optimal charging range typically lies between 20% and 80-90%.

As can be seen, it’s necessary to maneuver to stay within healthy limits for the battery. However, the home charger for electric cars is completely customizable. With a good system, you can precisely set how much percentage the car should charge to, when the charging should begin, and even the current strength at which the process should occur.

What can Voltie add to this?

Timing is crucial: with the Voltie app, you can schedule the charging so that it does not happen during peak hours, but rather when you are least taxing the network – and you are not unnecessarily heating the battery. In the summer months, this can be beneficial when heat can pose a problem for lithium cells by itself. 

The battery-saving charging mode comes in handy if you want to consciously care for your car's battery. At such times, you can pre-set that the charging does not go to a full 100%, but rather stops at 80 or 90%. This setting mode is an addition that, if you incorporate it, can likely help you maximize the battery's potential.