This is a question that is quite common among both Tesla owners and non-Tesla owners who intend to become Tesla owners: “Should I charge my Tesla to 70%, 80%, 90%, 100%?” Having owned Teslas in a few different scenarios, and having followed Tesla closely and professionally for nearly a decade (wow, that’s surprising when I think about it), I think I have a bit of useful insight to try to answer this question.
First of all, the simple answer is: it depends. Or, in popular car lingo, YMMV (your mileage may vary).
As I understand it, it is ideal to keep a lithium-ion battery as close to 50% as possible. That’s if you want to achieve super duper ideal results in terms of longevity.
No one is so extreme or has such ideal conditions to keep a car battery right around 50%. Even aiming to keep it between 40% and 60% is a bit extreme. (Though, I have considered trying to do this with my car — and I probably will try it out at some point just to see how effectively I can do this.)
I think one of the most common pieces of advice that experts (including Tesla salespeople and delivery specialists) give to owners or potential owners is to charge up to 80% unless you need to charge more than that for a trip. Basically, that doesn’t get too far away from 50% (or, to put it another way, too close to 100%). Keeping it below 80% should not cause much worry (hopefully no worry), while still providing plenty of range for normal driving needs. It’s an easy generic comfort level.
Some experts, though, will even tell you that more than that is fine, because the batteries are packaged and managed very well in a Tesla car or SUV and it’s not worth it for a person to stress over such a trivial matter. Some may just favor the approach of not worrying too much and not sweating the small stuff — which I would argue is not the worst approach to life on Earth. Enjoy your vehicle and fuggedaboutit!
That said, when I’ve charged up above 90% routinely, the Tesla infotainment screen has even warned me that it’s not good for the battery to be charged up too high on a regular basis. Tesla wouldn’t push that message out to people if there wasn’t some significant merit to it.
“Wait, why were you routinely charging up above 90%?,” you may be asking. This is where YMMV comes in again.
It’s important to not go so crazy trying to optimize your battery lifetime that you stress yourself out, waste a bunch of time, or create a challenging scenario. For a bit more than 1½ years with our Tesla Model 3 Standard Range Plus (SR+), we had no home charging. So, I was routinely charging at Tesla Superchargers or much slower ChargePoint stations when that was all that was needed. Pre-pandemic, it fit our schedule well to plug in at the grocery store and perhaps eat lunch there, plug in at the mall and work while my daughter played on a nearby playground, plug in at a Starbucks and work in the coffee shop while people watching, etc. Charging was so convenient and fit so well into our weekly habits that it didn’t really do much for me to charge above 80% or 90%. In the COVID era, however, we spend much less time out and about, which means that we have less opportunity to charge. So, I switched to doing much more Supercharging and I charged the car to a higher percentage more often in order to extend the time until we needed to charge again.
Also, in that situation, we were leaving right after charging, so we’d quickly get the charge level down to a better percentage. The worst thing is to charge a battery up to 100% or so and then leave it sitting there for a long time.
The point is that our weekly habits made it more sensible, weighing all matters, to charge above 90% two or three times a week.
A few years ago, I co-ran a Tesla shuttle service in Europe. In that business, it was important to have the Tesla Model S ready to go on long trips as much as possible, so we asked our drivers to charge up near 100% (or we did the charging ourselves when we were the ones who had to manage that). Again, circumstances called for this, so we did it. We didn’t try to keep the car’s battery below 80% because that would have been detrimental to our service and the business as a whole.
Getting back to my Tesla Model 3, I now have a garage and home charging. I’ve mostly been charging the car up to 60–80% as I get used to this, since that feels comfortable but doesn’t go too far. This is using just simple 110V charging — the same as your computer or phone or electronic toothbrush uses. I don’t seem to have any need for something faster than that. I will probably shift to a max of ~70% soon, because I certainly don’t need more than that except on the rarest of occasions (that’s about 143 miles of range in my Model 3 SR+). That will probably lead to routine draining of the battery down to 30–40%. Keeping it between 30% and 70% will feel good, especially considering the fact that I have Supercharged this Model 3 a lot … and that’s not very good for a battery in the long term.
So, with regard to the question, “Should I charge my Tesla to 80% or 90% or 100?,” the answer is “yes.” Charge it to whatever you need to charge it to and don’t stress. Though, to whatever extent is comfortable and not raising your anxiety level, try to keep the battery within 20–30% of 50%.
All of that clear? To put it in simpler terms, here’s my bullet-point prescription:
- Need to charge to 90%+ in order to get around in a convenient, stress-free, time-efficient way? Go for it!
- Fine charging to 80% without having to change much (or anything at all)? Then stick to 80%, not 83% let alone 90%+.
- Really don’t even need to charge to 80%? Hover around 50% as much as possible — whether that’s 40–60%,30–70%, 33–66%, or whatever fits.
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FAQs
Should I always charge my Tesla to 100%? ›
For All-Wheel Drive vehicles, keep the full charge limit of the battery to under 90% for daily use by using the mobile app or vehicle's touchscreen to set charge limit within the 'Daily' range.
Why should you only charge Tesla to 80 percent? ›There are two reasons: charging performance and battery longevity. Most of the time you should only charge an EV to 80% because charging rates slow down dramatically past the 80% mark. And two, the long-term health of your vehicle's battery pack is improved when kept below 100%.
Is it better to charge Tesla to 70 or 80? ›Tesla batteries will last longer if not charged to 100% too often. But what is even worse is to leave them totally discharged. Best to keep them at around 70%, until you really need more range. It is also not good to leave them fully charged longer than necessary.
Is it OK to charge Tesla to 95 percent? ›Can I charge my Tesla to 95% daily? Technically, you can still charge your battery to its maximum, but Tesla doesn't recommend it unless you're planning a long trip.
How long is it OK to leave Tesla at 100%? ›Don't leave your battery at a 100% state of charge.
According to Tesla forums, a 100% range charge is fine as long as the battery does not stay at 100% for more than a few hours. That means that a full charge at a Supercharger is fine, because owners will continue driving within minutes of leaving a Supercharger.
- Slow down your driving and avoid frequent and rapid acceleration. ...
- If safe to do so, modulate the accelerator pedal instead of using the brake pedal when gradually slowing down. ...
- Limit the use of resources such as heating and air conditioning.
For regular use, we recommend keeping your car set within the 'Daily' range bracket, up to approximately 90%. Charging up to 100% is best saved for when you are preparing for a longer trip. You can adjust how full the battery charges from the charge settings menu.
Is it okay to charge Tesla to 85? ›Partial Charge Battery- Battery Charging should be maintained between 20%-90% when possible. It's best to only charge your battery to 100% when you plan to drive your Tesla within a few hours. In some models you can set the charging time to allow you to be 100% charged within a few hours.
Can I leave my Tesla plugged in for a week? ›Your Tesla vehicle is designed to maintain its battery over time, and will not overcharge when plugged in for an extended period. For that reason, when you're away from home, we always recommend leaving your vehicle plugged in.
How long does it take to charge a Tesla from 80 to 100? ›These electric vehicle charging stations take about 20 minutes to charge to 50%, 40 minutes to charge to 80%, and 75 minutes to 100% on the original 85 kWh Model S.
Should I charge my Tesla to 90 or 95? ›
If you really need the range, go up to 90-95%. Electric car batteries should not, generally, be charged to 100%. Long-term, this reduces(Opens in a new tab) the battery's longevity, and Tesla cars actually charge up to 90% by default.
Why should I not charge my EV to 100%? ›In simple terms, charging an EV battery to 100% will lead to a reduction in the total usable capacity of the battery. It might not be noticeable at first, but your battery will gradually lose its range as it degrades over time.
Does supercharging hurt battery? ›When repeatedly charging your Tesla at one of these stations regularly, you will start to notice Tesla throttling your supercharger rate. Charging at a non-Tesla DC fast-charging station leads to damage to battery cells, that is why Tesla will throttle your supercharging rate.
How do you preserve a Tesla battery while driving? ›- Don't make any sudden or rapid accelerations. ...
- Maximize regenerative braking. ...
- Drive within the speed limit. ...
- Your Tesla is not a battery bank if you need it to last. ...
- Stay away from fast chargers. ...
- Keep the A/C off if you need to save your battery. ...
- Use your autopilot.
Do it quickly, and there's a lot of heat. That has the potential to shorten the life of your EV battery, so charging slowly means less heat, and potentially a healthier battery. However one final point of charging for extended periods with a domestic plug, consistent current over many hours could be a risk.
What speed gets best range Tesla? ›Bottom line, the most time-efficient speed is 75-80 mph. if you go faster, you'll use energy faster than the Supercharger can replace it, so you're net trip time will increase.
What is the best range for a Tesla? ›Model S line now has a 405-mile range, and the Model S Plaid comes with 396 miles of estimated range. Other models offer decent mileage: the 2022 Model Y Long Range can drive for 330 miles, and the Model X for 348 miles. Overall, Tesla models stay in the top 10 of driving range leaders.
Why does my Tesla lose miles so fast? ›Your Tesla loses range when parked caused by something called "Vampire battery drain" or just "Vampire drain". This can vary from a few miles per day to quite significant amounts depending on the settings in the car and can be a problem if leaving your car while on holiday.
Should I charge to 80 or 85 Tesla? ›Should I charge my Tesla to 85%? Partial Charge Battery- Battery Charging should be maintained between 20%-90% when possible. It's best to only charge your battery to 100% when you plan to drive your Tesla within a few hours.
What is the best Model 3 charge limit? ›Tesla recommends setting the charge limit to 100% for daily use. The Tesla Model 3 Long Range and Performance variants uses a different chemistry referred to as NMC. The Tesla Model Y owner's manual recommends setting the charge limit to 90% for daily use.
What happens if your Tesla battery runs out? ›
Typically, your Tesla will slow down and can no longer move at a normal speed when the battery is low or runs out. That does not mean you cannot move it at all; you can pilot the car to a spot on the side of the road and safely park it.
How long can Tesla sit without driving? ›These results suggest that you can leave your Tesla car parked for even a couple of months unplugged if you have a charged your car at least 70 -80%. This gives Tesla owners the peace of mind when they're away from their cars on a long vacation.
Does Tesla lose charge when parked? ›It is expected for a Tesla car to consume around 1% of charge per day while parked. In some cases, you may notice that consumption is higher. We recommend deactivating features such as preconditioning, Sentry Mode, Keep Climate On and any aftermarket equipment when not needed.
Can you charge Tesla more than 80%? ›To reduce congestion at high-use Superchargers, your vehicle's charge limit may be automatically adjusted to 80%. You can manually increase the charge limit after plugging in by using the vehicle touchscreen or Tesla app.
How long to charge Tesla to 80? ›| 20%-80% | ||
|---|---|---|
| 50kW | Public Locations | 40 - 60 min |
| 150kW | Public Locations | 20 - 20 min |
Based on the national average cost of electricity, charging your Tesla only costs $13.96. That's about $0.05 per mile across all models. So, a Tesla Model X costs about $18.30 to fully charge, while a Model S is not too far behind at $18.29.
Is it cheaper to charge Tesla at night? ›Charging your Tesla through the night is the most efficient and easiest way to do so. If you charge it during the day for a few hours, you might run your energy bill up since other appliances and high-power items are likely in use in your home.
Can you leave a Tesla plugged in for months? ›Yes, you can leave a Tesla plugged in for an extended period of time without damaging the battery or the vehicle. Tesla recommends charging the battery to 80% or less if the vehicle will be left unused for an extended period of time, as this can help to prevent battery degradation.
How often can I supercharge my Tesla? ›Tesla's position on Superchargers
In both cases there are no limitations or restrictions on how often or for what purpose you use the Supercharging network.
Generally, you shouldn't charge your EV to 100% battery every single night because charging cycles can degrade your battery. Most EVs on the market have a range of a few hundred miles on a single full charge. Unless you are driving long distances every day, that charge should last you a few days.
Does frequent charging damage EV battery? ›
CHARGING TOO OFTEN
Natural degradation may occur in the battery based on the number of charging cycles that are used over its lifespan. EV Battery performance and durability can deteriorate if the charger is used constantly. Charging should be minimized in order to help prolong high voltage battery life.
The fastest way to charge an electric vehicle is by using a rapid chargepoint.
Is it good to always supercharge your Tesla? ›Supercharging is best reserved for long-distance travel. One should not consider Supercharging for their daily charging needs since daily Supercharging will reduce the life of the battery. Additionally, it's both cheaper and more convenient to charge up at home.
Can I supercharge my Tesla daily? ›Due to their massive direct current (DC), Superchargers are not recommended for daily Tesla charging. Instead, Superchargers provide a quick charge for drivers on the go or for those making pit stops on longer road trips.
Does frequent charging damage Tesla battery? ›Repeated full charges can negatively impact li-ion battery cells, which is why Tesla recommends to only daily charge to 90% capacity and to charge to 100% only when needed for long trips.
What is the ideal charge limit for Tesla? ›For vehicles with Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) high voltage Batteries, Tesla recommends you keep your charge limit to 100%, even for daily use, and that you also fully charge your vehicle to 100% at least once per week.
Do Teslas charge faster at night? ›Charging your Tesla through the night is the most efficient and easiest way to do so. If you charge it during the day for a few hours, you might run your energy bill up since other appliances and high-power items are likely in use in your home.
Can I use Supercharger everyday? ›Supercharging is best reserved for long-distance travel. One should not consider Supercharging for their daily charging needs since daily Supercharging will reduce the life of the battery. Additionally, it's both cheaper and more convenient to charge up at home.
Can you charge a Tesla in 30 minutes? ›Tesla Supercharging Speeds
Level 3 Superchargers can take a Tesla from 0-170 miles range in just 30 minutes. It can get to 80% full in just 40 minutes. At the 80% point, charging slows to safeguard battery health.
We recommend plugging in every evening to top off the battery. What percentage should I charge the battery to? For regular use, we recommend keeping your car set within the 'Daily' range bracket, up to approximately 90%. Charging up to 100% is best saved for when you are preparing for a longer trip.
Is it OK to always use Supercharger? ›
Superchargers are designed for fast charging and therefore, should only be used for as long as it takes to charge a vehicle. If a vehicle parks at a Supercharger past a full charge being reached, idle fees start being charged.
Can I leave my Tesla at a Supercharger? ›Most Tesla Superchargers have idle fees, which means that if you leave your Tesla plugged in at a Supercharger after it is fully charging, you'll be charged a fee each minute (usually $1.00 per minute).