• Home
  • ECOFACTOR blog
  • What happens when an electric vehicle's battery is completely discharged
What happens when an electric vehicle's battery is completely discharged
Blog

What happens when an electric vehicle's battery is completely discharged

Date:01.08.2020

Does it go on or stop abruptly?

Content:

Situations where the battery charge of an electric vehicle reaches the red mark are not uncommon. You miscalculated the distance, drove too fast, actively used heating or air conditioning, got into a mountainous area, arrived at a charging station, and it was not working. There are many situations. We'll tell you what happens when the sad "Battery charge is low" appears on the display and what to do if you're still in the middle of the road.

How far can you travel on a low battery

When the electric vehicle's battery is running low, it notifies you on the display - an orange icon and the words "Low" start flashing, and the remaining number of kilometres is displayed. When the charge is critically low, the car starts to save energy: it limits the power supply to 200 kW and sets a speed limit of up to 50 km/h. These values will depend on the model of the electric vehicle.

After the battery reaches 0%, the car still won't stop. It can be driven for about 7-8 km, and only then does it report that it is switching off. But even after this message, the driver still has 30 seconds to pull over or park in a safe place. Then the car switches to parking mode and blocks the ability to switch to drive mode and others until the battery is charged to at least 20%.

Battery manufacturers always build in a certain amount of energy up to about 10%, which is enough for several kilometres of driving. That is why electric vehicles can drive even after the car has reported that the battery is low.

To extend the battery life, use recovery mode - On descents, it will help you travel 1-3 km and get to the nearest charging station on your own.

If the battery is completely discharged and you have not yet reached a charging station, you have the following options:

  • push the car yourself (in summer it is relatively easy, but in winter it is almost impossible);
  • ask someone to tow you to the nearest charging station;
  • call a tow truck.

How to properly charge an electric car so as not to damage the battery

Charging to 100% and discharging to 0% is very damaging to the battery and reduces the number of discharge and charge cycles. The more frequently this happens, the faster the battery capacity and service life decrease.

Optimally, you should charge the battery to 80% and discharge it to a maximum of 30% and put it back on charge immediately. You only need to charge it to the fullest if you are planning a long trip. By the way, the battery life specified by the manufacturer is relevant if you follow these rules.

About the author

EcoFactor Team