Study finds that using Superchargers frequently doesn't cause a significant difference on battery life
Recurrent
It has long been believed in the industry that frequent DC fast charging for your Tesla or any EV is terrible for battery longevity. However, a new report from Recurrent, which analyzed data from over 12,500 Tesla vehicles in the US, clearly shows little to no difference in battery degradation between frequent and rare fast charging.
Recurrent studied fast charging on thousands of Tesla vehicles in the US to learn if the software and safety mechanisms in the battery management system (BMS) prevent damage to the battery. With Labor Day travel coming up, this is the perfect time to share what is fact and fiction when it comes to fast charging.
The Recurrent Study: A Comprehensive Analysis
Your electric vehicle battery uses direct current (DC) power. However, the electricity from the grid (or from an outlet) is alternating current (AC). In-home charging, which is AC charging, the car’s onboard charger converts the AC electricity to DC and then sends it to the battery. The onboard charger has a built-in limit on how quickly it can do this. The maximum speed is usually around 11 kW, so AC charging can generally add 20-40 miles per hour, depending on the vehicle.
On the other hand, DC charging happens when the conversion to DC energy happens outside of the car. This is almost exclusively reserved for public charging stations and Tesla Superchargers. Since the electricity going into the car bypasses the onboard converter, it can refill the battery much faster. One of the biggest concerns with fast charging is that it can, theoretically, damage the battery by pushing too much energy into the battery too quickly. This would lead to irreparable, long-term range loss.
Key Findings: No Significant Impact on Battery Degradation
Will fast charging hurt my EV battery? The short answer is that occasional fast charging is fine. The study compared cars that fast charge at least 90% of the time to cars that fast charge less than 10% of the time. In other words, people who almost exclusively fast charge their car and people who rarely fast charge.
The results show no statistically significant difference in range degradation between Teslas that fast charge more than 90% of the time and those that fast charge less than 10% of the time.
Initial analysis by the team at Recurrent suggests that the study findings can be applied across Tesla models and other EV manufacturers. However, detailed research is being conducted on other popular vehicles Recurrent supports. In short, the robust thermal, voltage, and battery management systems that EV makers have invested in protect their batteries from damage with routine fast charger use.
Tesla specifically does an excellent job regulating power to and from the battery based on the temperature of the battery pack, its state of charge (charge percentage), and other environmental factors such as external temperature.
When Fast Charging Can Cause Damage
When is fast charging more likely to cause damage? There are several times when fast charging may impact your EV battery more. Avoid fast charging in extreme heat without preconditioning your battery. Preconditioning is when the car’s thermal management system pre-cools or heats the battery to accept a higher charge rate.
Typically, the battery will be preconditioned if you set your car’s navigation to a fast charge station. Similarly, precondition the battery before fast charging in extreme cold. Driving a bit before fast charging is often enough to warm up the battery or get to the fast charger using your car’s navigation. Avoid fast charging your EV at very low states or very high states of charge since battery resistance will be higher.
Overall, this study adds to the growing body of knowledge regarding EV battery longevity and charging practices. Nonetheless, being mindful of battery health during extreme temperatures is still encouraged.
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After a post on X, Tesla has confirmed that it recently exported its 1 millionth car from Giga Shanghai. That’s a massive number of vehicles from a factory that only opened in December 2019.
Since Q3 2021, Giga Shanghai has been responsible for producing over 50% of global EV production – with the single exception of Q2 2022 – where production fell to about 40% while the factory was retooling. That’s a jaw-dropping figure for a single factory.
1 Million Exports
Giga Shanghai produces Teslas for practically the entire world, including the European, Australian, Chinese, and other Southeast Asian markets. For now, it also produces cars for Canada; however, an upcoming tariff could change this.
Giga Shanghai also celebrated the shipping of 100,000 vehicles to Australia with the 1 million vehicles exported mark. While the majority of vehicles end up in Europe, Australia and Southeast Asia are still massive markets for Tesla.
Going forward, Giga Shanghai, with its continued expansions, will be at or above 1 million vehicles produced per year. A good chunk of these vehicles stay within China, while the rest are exported. Tesla sells on average 40 to 80,000 cars per month in China, depending on the season, with an average of 90,000 cars produced per month in 2024 so far.
Automated Production
This is all thanks to Giga Shanghai’s 95% automated production line. Giga Shanghai is likely one of the most automated and advanced factories in the world, a testament to Tesla’s manufacturing and engineering expertise. Giga Shanghai produces one vehicle every 40 seconds.
We’re looking forward to seeing how Tesla’s expansions and factory innovations continue in the coming months and years.
Giga Shanghai operates a 95% automated production line, enabling a cycle time of less than 40 seconds! From taking 2.5 years for the first million cars to be produced, the second million was done in just 12 months 🚘🪄 pic.twitter.com/IF1w27AFPr
Tesla’s last app update, version 4.37.1, introduces support for critical alerts on the iPhone. These alerts are designed for emergency situations and will override standard notification settings, including the mute switch, Focus modes, and Do Not Disturb. This ensures that owners are notified when immediate action is required, even if their phone is set to silent.
How to Enable Critical Alerts
Activate Dog Mode: Open the Tesla app and turn on Dog Mode.
Main App Screen: After activating Dog Mode, go back to the main section of the app.
Enable Critical Alerts: A new option called Critical Alerts will appear under Live Camera and the quick action icons (Tip: You can add up to 5 quick actions). It’ll state, “Grant permissions to receive critical notifications.” Tap it, and you’ll see a system dialog asking for permission to allow critical alerts for the Tesla app.
Confirm Permission: Choose to allow the Tesla app to send critical notifications, which will grant the app special privileges for sending urgent alerts.
This new feature is likely intended for situations where Dog Mode needs to be turned off unexpectedly. For example, if the vehicle’s battery drops below 20% or if the temperature inside the cabin rises or falls drastically outside of your set temperature, the Tesla app is expected to send a critical alert to the owner, ensuring they are informed right away.
What Are Critical Alerts?
Critical Alerts are a type of iOS notification available only to approved apps, which must meet specific criteria set by Apple. These alerts are designed to be used in emergencies and bypass all standard notification restrictions. This means that regardless of whether your phone is silenced or in Do Not Disturb mode, the alert will play a sound and appear prominently.
By adding support for Critical Alerts, Tesla is prioritizing the safety of pets who may be left inside the vehicle with the expectation that Dog Mode will keep conditions safe. This change makes the app more reliable for alerting owners when immediate attention is needed, ensuring they are always kept informed—even when their phone’s settings would typically prevent other notifications from coming through.
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