Tesla posted some advice on caring for lithium-ion batteries. Although it’s pretty basic stuff, we thought it worth repeating since we should not forget the fundamentals. Although we do sometimes find exploring the future to be more exciting. Tesla’s advice begins with pointing out that all batteries age, and they lose capacity as they do. Therefore, Tesla posted some tips on caring for lithium-ion batteries.
Battery Aging: What’s Tesla’s Advice on the Matter
Batteries age in two ways; they age with time and they age through use. That is a bit like our bodies really. We are not going to live for centuries, although we can live a little longer if we take care of our health and safety.
Temperature and humidity affect both types of aging. The most significant factor is the number of full discharge – charge cycles that lithium-ion can sustain. The general norm is the cut-off point which is 80% of the original capacity when fully charged. Tesla’s advice is to never assume old batteries are completely dead. This is why we need to recycle batteries, especially old button ones for the sake of the future generations.
Factors Affecting Battery Cycle and Calendar Life
Never charge a battery fully, or let it drain completely. If it is over 95% full, or less than 2% from empty this can damage the battery both physically and electrically. Avoid charging at an ambient temperature at freezing or lower. Unless you warm the battery first using a proprietary device.
Very high discharge rates are bad for batteries. These can lead to thermal runaways and fires. Always use a proprietary device when charging. Putting too much energy into a battery can spell trouble!
Calendar life depends again on ambient temperature, and periods spent in very high states of charge. Tesla advice – tongue in cheek – is lithium-ion battery calendar life would be highest if we stored them in a refrigerator at a very low state of charge.
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Preview Image: Charging a Tesla Roadster
