How to Charge and Maintain Your Battery



We’d like to explain the best charging and usage practices for your battery in the simplest way possible, without using engineering jargon.

Basically, Tesla batteries are designed with a target lifespan of around 8 years or 200,000 km, so in most cases, they will perform well even without special care.

However, if you’re considering purchasing a used vehicle or planning to keep your car well beyond the warranty period, then battery management can be beneficial.

🔋 What if we compare charging to a trash bag?

Think of the battery like a trash bag.

At first, trash goes in easily. But once the bag is nearly full, you have to press it down to fit more in.

At that point, the plastic may stretch or tear. Charging is similar in this way.

• The early stage of charging allows energy to enter easily — (like trash going in effortlessly).

• The later stage of charging requires energy to be pushed in more carefully — (like pressing down trash to make space).

In the graph below, the section where voltage (green) rises rapidly corresponds to the easy charging zone.

The part where the voltage rise flattens out and current decreases is the stressful charging zone, where the battery experiences more strain.



🔋 Battery Characteristics by Type

• NCM Battery: Energy flows in easily up to about 80%. → Charging up to 80% is recommended

• LFP Battery: The entire charging range is relatively stable. → Charging to 100% is fine

This is why people often say, “Charge NCM batteries up to 80%” and “Charging LFP batteries to 100% is okay.”



✅ The Most Ideal Battery Management Method

Keeping the battery around 50% charge is considered ideal.

However, since that's not practical in real driving situations, it's important to develop a strategy that suits your daily driving habits.

For example:

• If you use about 20% per day:→ Charge up to 60%, arrive home at 40%→ Repeat usage within the 40–60% range

• If you use about 40% per day:→ Charge up to 70%, arrive home at 30%→ Repeat usage within the 30–70% range

Setting your charging range according to your own driving pattern helps extend battery life.

🏠 If You Don't Have a Home Charger

If you don’t have a home charger (also known as "home charging"), the approach should be slightly different.

To avoid missing charging opportunities, it's okay to charge up to 80–90%.

However, it is recommended to avoid charging beyond 95% whenever possible — especially during hot summer months when the vehicle is parked outdoors. Fully charged batteries under high temperatures can accelerate battery degradation, so extra caution is advised.