Fast Charging: Do Charging Stations Damage Your Vehicle?

A study by the consultancy firm Aviloo revealed today that fast charging stations can damage your electric vehicle.

Aviloo analyzed the condition of 160 electric vehicles’ batteries over three years. It found that the heat generated by fast charging stations damages battery components.

Indeed, Aviloo’s study distinguishes two categories in its assessment of battery health. Batteries from vehicles that have driven between 80,000 and 100,000 km degrade by 5% to 10% during a supercharge. Batteries from vehicles with between 180,000 and 200,000 km see an average decrease of 7.5%.

Be careful: if you perform more than 50% of your recharges at fast charging stations, the battery of your electric car (EV) will degrade by about 10% on average. Favor home recharges such as Wallbox to save money on charging and protect your battery!

Some tips for maintaining your electric vehicle’s battery

Electric charging stations are considered “fast” when they exceed 43 kW of power. Home charging stations typically have a power of 22 kW. To charge your vehicle quickly, you will need to turn to public charging stations.

The Aviloo study reveals that fast charging stations generate heat that damages the battery when active. Mobiwisy thus recommends limiting your use of these stations to slow down battery aging.

ENGIE also advises waiting a few minutes at the end of your charge for the battery to cool down.

The President of Mobileese, a consulting firm, explains that the battery “ages” because of the cells inside the battery pack. These cells gradually lose efficiency over time. Your electric vehicle’s performance diminishes over time both in terms of charging and usage.

We provide you with four tips for maintaining your electric vehicle: use your vehicle regularly, keep your battery between 20% and 80%, drive eco-friendly, and avoid charging your battery in extreme conditions (>27°C and >5°C).

Also read: Fastned sets up motorway areas exclusively for electric recharge