EV Users Should Understand Public EV Charging Stations Don't Need to Reach 100%

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - The growth of electric vehicles in Indonesia has been accompanied by an increasing number of Public Electric Vehicle Charging Stations (SPKLU). However, many users still believe that EV batteries must always be charged to 100% each time. In reality, understanding how batteries work is key to more efficient EV usage, especially when using public charging facilities.

‘Therefore, since 2021-2022, I have been stating that using electric vehicles requires an adaptation process, both for the public and users. Similar to mobile phones, when we get home, we’re accustomed to charging immediately,’ Rofiqi told Kompas.com last week.

He explained that users need to understand that EV battery charging does not occur at the same speed across the entire capacity range.

‘Similarly, when charging at SPKLU, the optimal charging point is between 20% and 80% battery capacity,’ he said.

This means charging from 80% to 100% takes significantly longer than charging from 20% to 80%.

This is a common characteristic of lithium-ion batteries used in most EVs today.

Therefore, charging to 100% at public stations is not always necessary, especially when the vehicle is used only for daily commutes or medium-distance travel.

Rofiqi hopes the public will better understand proper charging patterns to use SPKLU more wisely.

According to Rofiqi, users should ideally align their energy needs with travel plans rather than simply charging to full each time they stop at an SPKLU.

‘With this understanding, SPKLU usage can become more efficient and fair for all EV users, without having to wait for other vehicles to charge to full,’ he said.