When is the right time to charge?

[Nik1]

Ive been getting a few mixed opinions about charging.
1. Some say its best to let the battery deplete to 20% and then charge unto 85%.
2. Others say plug the car in daily no matter what the battery level is and charge to 85%

When is the right to time charge to ensure a healthy battery life?

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[W1NGE]

You have an 8 year warranty so don't over think this.

Charge when you need to and for how far you need to (within the limits of the car's range).

Keep to 85% unless you plan to use on the same day then charge to 100%.

Daily top ups are fine to 85% from whatever SoC you have.

 

[daveo4EV]

+1 for @W1NGE ’s comments - nothing to add - charge the car when you need to - and keep it charged so that it’s ready for you should you need the range.

 

[chrisk]

The right time to charge is whenever you find a free charger ?

 

[Dave T]

This keeps coming up. Doesn’t Porsche recommend charging to 80%, unless you actually need more?

 

[W1NGE]

This keeps coming up. Doesn’t Porsche recommend charging to 80%, unless you actually need more?

They manage to contradict themselves depending on where you look. 5% delta is not material I'd say. Go 85%.

 

[daveo4EV]

+1 for @W1NGE Porsche does contradict itself

Q: what is the proper amount to charge for daily use
A: not 100% - something less - 85% or 80% seems a good plan

Q: when should I charge?
A: when you have opportunity so that the vehicle ready for when you need it

Q: when should I charge to 100%?
A: when you know you're going to need the extra range to reach a destination and/or charging for a trip that exceeds the common 250-270 mile range you can easily achieve with the Taycan

Q: when should worry about the battery?
A: don't. 8 year unlimited mile warranty and ton's upon ton's of software between you and the battery almost guarantee there is virtually nothing you as the consumer of the vehicle can do to directly impact the battery's health or longevity - Porsche software controls the horizontal and vertical here - the software will work to minimize Porsche warranty claims - that's what it is there for - to prevent you the owner from causing Porsche to purchase you a new battery under warranty.

 

[daveo4EV]

for the curious what range do I get for charging to 100% vs. 85%

well math says the following:

15% of 83.4 kWh (usable capacity on a Taycan)
12.51 kWh
Taycan consumption is anywhere from 2.5 mi/kWh to 3.4 mi/kWh

that's a range of 31.275 to 42.53 - let's call it 37.5 miles "extra" range to charge to 100% - or about 40 min extra driving to reach a fast charging location…

so you charge to 100% when you "need" an extra 37.5 miles range as part of your road trip plan.

 

[Mike in CA]

I guess you can call it a contradiction since the recommendation has changed, but the 2021 Taycan owner's manual specifies 80%, not 85%, for daily use charging. Audi also recommends 80%, so maybe the VW group is looking for consistency on that point.

FWIW, the manufacturer of the Lion batteries in my Airstream travel trailer also recommend charging to 80% when practical and, when enabled, the optimized charging feature in iOS 13 for the iPhone charges to 80%. Coincidence?

 

[Jhenson29]

Coincidence?

Or conspiracy? ?
?

 

[nycebo]

Definitely 80 percent. And, charge it as soon as possible up to 80 percent. A study I saw indicated that battery life lasted the longest when the battery was charged to 75pct, used down to 65pct, and then charged back up. A little unrealistic but that's apparently the most optimal.

I'll see if I can find the video.

 

[andrewket]

Other than the amount of energy that has transferred through, very low SOC, high SOC and high temperatures for prolonged periods of time are what degrade Li-ion batteries. High SOC at the same time as high temperature is particularly bad.

Thus, more frequent shallow charges are better than less frequent deep charges. Staying between 20-80% and charging every night is best if your goal is it minimize degradation. If you need 100% due to a road trip, that’s fine; just try to finish the charge right before you leave to minimize the amount of time the SOC sits >90%.

 

[nycebo]

Found it. Go to minute 16:00 for the chart of different depth of charge and recharge scenarios.

 

[Nik1]

Has anyone noticed this message on the charger while charging the vehicle?
I live in Dubai and the climate right now is 40 degrees Celsius and higher however my car and charger are in a covered garage.
would anyone know how to reduce the charging current in the device setting and how would this impact my charge time?

 

[W1NGE]

What charger do you have?

If PMCC then log on to the device and reduce the amps - there's a slider in charging settings - 32A to 16A will half the current flow and will double the time to charge.

You may be able to alter the setting on the touch panel but if not the PMCC has its own web server (and hotspot) which enables access to configure. You'll need the white envelope you got with the device as this has your passwords.

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