It’s convenient to leave your electric vehicle (EV) plugged in when you’re not using it, but should you? We bust the myths and tell you exactly when it’s a good idea to leave your vehicle on charge, and why. We’ll also help you hone your electric car charging habits along the way.
Many EV drivers, both new and experienced, wonder whether it’s OK to leave their electric car plugged in. Unless someone tells you, it’s hard to know what’s best for your EV.
It’s usually fine to leave your EV plugged in, but it depends on when, where and how you’re charging. EVs are designed to charge safely, so you never need to worry that leaving your plug in is dangerous. It’s perfectly safe.
Here’s a handy guide that tells you everything you need to know, so you can choose when to stay plugged in.
- Why leaving your EV plugged in can be a good thing
- Why some see it as inefficient
- Plugging in smart, not all the time, is best
- EV charging tips to take away
Why leaving your EV plugged in can be a good thing
There are several advantages to leaving your EV plugged in:
- EVs only draw power when they need it. This means your EV automatically stops taking any more electricity once it’s charged
- Smart charging means you can charge during off-peak times to save money. So, it makes sense to leave your EV plugged in overnight
- Get energy rewards for charging at certain times, depending on your tariff and supplier. You can use Octopus Energy’s tool to search for tariffs in your area. Or, if you’re looking to switch, Energy Saving Trust can help
- It lets vehicle-to-grid (V2G) work its magic. That means your EV can put stored energy back into the national grid, to help power your home
The bottom line is: if you stay plugged in overnight with a smart charger, your EV will top up at the lower nighttime rate, saving you money.
The downside of leaving your EV plugged in all the time is that it uses a tiny amount of standby power while it’s connected to your car.
Some energy providers call this inefficient, but the impact is minimal and hardly noticeable. It’s a myth that this causes any real impact on your EV or pocket.
Most experts, like EV manufacturer Vinfast, say it’s fine to stay plugged in some or all the time because they have faith in the way an EV’s system automatically protects the battery.
Plugging in smart, not all the time, is best
As with most things, a balance is best. Here’s what we recommend:
- Stay plugged in if: you’re using a smart charger at home, as you’ll get the most out of your energy
- Unplug if: you know you’re not going to drive for a few weeks. Please wait until your battery is between 50% and 80% before you unplug it
80% is important because of the 80/20 rule. This encourages EV drivers to stop charging at 80%, and to always keep their EV charged above 20%. To meet this rule, leave your EV plugged in until 80%, then take it out.
Did you know you can schedule when you charge? Get a smart app to manage your home charging. It helps your EV’s battery last longer.
It’s about balance, not perfection. Leave your EV plugged in when it suits you and makes the most sense.
If you rely on public charging and you want to keep your charging efficient, try our new app Go with the Motability Scheme. It helps you find and access over 65,000 public chargepoints, and lets you pay for charging.
EV charging tips to take away
- Keeping your EV plugged in is generally fine
- Never worry about damaging your battery when your EV is plugged in
- Your EV automatically protects its battery and stops charging when it’s full
- Staying plugged in can benefit you if you use smart charging and settings
- Unplug if you’re not driving for a few weeks, but keep 50% to 80% charge
Your EV is designed to take care of itself. With a few smart charging habits, you can take care of it too.
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