Stop charging
to 100%
The single charging habit that saves you time, money, and years of battery life — starting tonight.
The last 20%
costs the most
Most EV owners plug in every night and let the car charge to 100%. It feels logical — a full tank, ready for anything. But on a home charger, that final 20% is where your time and money quietly disappear.
Your car’s Battery Management System (BMS) deliberately slows the charge rate above 80% to protect the cells from heat and stress. The result: the last 20% of charge (from 80% to 100%) takes almost as long as the first 80% — and draws energy the whole time.
Here’s exactly
what you’re wasting
Based on a 60 kWh battery on a 7.4 kW home wallbox — the most common home charging setup in South Africa.
80% for daily.
100% for trips.
A 60 kWh battery at 80% gives you roughly 280–320 km of real-world range. That covers the vast majority of South African daily commutes with ease.
Set your charge limit once in your car’s settings (usually under Settings → Charging → Charge Limit) and forget it. Move it to 100% the evening before a long journey — then back to 80% when you return.
Your battery
will thank you
Lithium cells held at 100% experience continuous chemical stress — a process called oxidation that permanently degrades capacity over time. Every night you charge to 100%, you’re accelerating that process.
Charging to 80–90% daily measurably reduces this wear. Independent long-term studies show EVs regularly charged to 80% retain significantly more usable capacity after 100,000 km than those charged to 100% daily.
- Slower capacity fade — your battery holds its range longer over the years
- Higher resale value — a healthier battery is a major factor in used EV pricing
- Less heat stress — cell balancing above 80% generates heat that degrades your pack
- Manufacturer-recommended — most EV brands explicitly advise 80–90% for daily use
One setting.
Three wins.
Set your charge limit to 80% tonight. It takes 30 seconds in your car’s settings and costs you nothing in daily range.
- Save ~2 hours per charge — stop waiting for a top-up you don’t need
- Save ~R1,000/month in wasted kWh over 20 charge days
- Extend battery life — protect your most valuable EV component
Stop charging to 100%
