Electric Car Mudik: What Percentage of Battery Charge Is Ideal?

JAKARTA — One of the questions frequently raised by electric vehicle users planning long journeys is: what percentage of the battery should be charged before departure?

In daily use, some manufacturers indeed advise not charging fully to protect battery health. However, conditions can differ when a vehicle is used for long trips such as Mudik.

“For daily use, it is usually advised to charge to 80–90 percent to preserve the battery’s lifespan. But for long journeys such as Mudik, charging to full is safe to maximise range,” Arif told Kompas.com on Wednesday, 4 March 2026.

The capacity of a fully charged battery provides more leeway for the driver to manage the travel pace, especially when the distance between charging stations is quite long.

The same view was expressed by Budi Darmawan Jantania, Vice Country Director Chery Business Unit PT Chery Sales Indonesia. He suggested that the electric vehicle battery be charged to 100 percent before undertaking a long journey.

Full charging is considered important to maximise driving range while also ensuring a safer energy reserve throughout the journey.

Nevertheless, users are still advised to tailor their charging strategy to the vehicle’s condition and the infrastructure on the route to be taken.

Planning charging points remains a key factor to ensure the journey proceeds smoothly and to avoid range anxiety.

In other words, while for daily activity 80-90 percent suffices, for long journeys there is nothing wrong with starting the trip with a fully charged battery for peace of mind and a more optimal range.