Travelling Home by Electric Car? Here's the Ideal Battery Charge Percentage
Jakarta — Users of electric vehicles planning to undertake long-distance travel during the mudik (homecoming) period need to pay careful attention to battery charging strategy. A frequently asked question is what percentage of battery charge is ideal before embarking on long-distance journeys.
The Chief Executive Officer of Charge+ Indonesia, Anthony Utomo, stated that trip planning is crucial before commencing mudik travel using an electric vehicle.
According to him, users need to know their destination clearly so they can identify charging locations available along the route. This is important because the infrastructure of public electric vehicle charging stations (SPKLU) remains unevenly distributed across all regions.
“First, we must know our mudik destination well, so we can carefully identify charging locations. We cannot deny that there are still areas where SPKLU is not yet accessible,” said Anthony to Kompas.com in Central Jakarta recently.
“Because of this, before we reach our destination, make sure we charge to full capacity (100 per cent), and of course there should be charging locations available throughout our journey,” he added.
Additionally, Anthony cautioned that battery condition should not be allowed to drop too low. Generally, electric vehicle manufacturers recommend keeping battery capacity above 20 per cent.
“Electric vehicle manufacturers typically advise that battery capacity should not fall below 20 per cent to maintain battery quality,” said Anthony.
He added that electric vehicle systems are equipped with battery protection through Battery Management System (BMS) technology. This system functions to regulate the charging process to remain safe, whether using fast charging or standard charging.
Similarly, Vice Country Director of the Chery Business Unit at PT Chery Sales Indonesia, Budi Darmawan Jantania, stated that charging the battery to full capacity is the recommended approach when undertaking long-distance travel.
According to him, a fully charged battery can help maximise vehicle range whilst providing a safer energy reserve during the journey.
He added that a full battery capacity also provides drivers with greater flexibility in planning their route and determining the next charging location.
“With full battery capacity, drivers have greater flexibility in planning their route, determining the next charging point, and anticipating various unexpected conditions on the journey,” said Budi.