Your electric car’s battery keeps losing power even if it’s parked?

Leaving an electric car in the airport for a whole week can be expensive because it might drain its battery when you’re not there. Even though your car’s miles don’t change, the battery might get lower than normal.

Electric vehicles lose a little charge when they are parked, but how much depends on the car and what it was doing when you left.

When electric vehicles use up their batteries, they lose some power due to something called “self-discharge.” This happens when the battery’s liquid gets old or changes over time. But this isn’t as big of a problem for how much energy the car uses while driving.

The bigger problem happens when things keep working even after locking the doors. It’s not usually a big deal on weekends, but leaving an electric vehicle plugged in for two weeks could start adding up over time.

Electric vehicles need maintenance even when they are parked.

When a car with locked doors isn’t working properly, it’s because of things like how the battery stays charged or if there are small parts that need extra power. The main part of the car is usually still safe to drive, but some parts might not work as well without help from other batteries.

Tesla’s Model 3 does self-checks while parked. Rivian’s R1T uses a high-voltage battery for its own power, including 12 volts.

There are also convenient technology options. These include being able to see if your car is working properly, starting the air conditioning or heating before you get in, and preparing the inside of the car for when you drive it.

Tesla says apps asking for power, car temperature controls, and entertainment features use energy when your car is parked.

Third-party apps that keep your car awake too much can use up extra battery power. If you have the air conditioning on when it’s really hot outside, it costs more than just letting the heat out naturally.

Cold weather makes things harder. When it gets really cold outside, it can change how long your electric car lasts. Even if you didn’t use as much battery power, that doesn’t always affect how long it stays charged. The Energy app on Model 3 cars lets you see how much energy was used when you parked the car.

It provides more information than just guessing how long a car’s battery will last. The reason for this is that it tells you what actually happens when you drive the car, not just some random numbers.

Optional features can really make a big difference. Tesla uses cameras and sensors to watch for anything that might be suspicious, like someone trying to break into the car or if you park it in a dangerous place. Rivian has a camera called Gear Guard Motion Cam that can see what’s happening around a parked car.

It works well in a place where you don’t know how to park, but it needs electricity.

You can expect to lose about 1 percent of your battery charge each day with the settings and conditions as they are.

Repeated reports say Tesla cars can lose up to 0.1% or 0.3% of their battery each day when not in use. When using lots of power, they might drop by more than 5%. These numbers don’t always mean the same thing and aren’t a sure sign.

The size of the battery matters too. For instance, if you lose 0.5 kilowatt-hours, it’s about 1.2% of a 42-kilowatt-hour battery and 0.6% of an 80-kilowatt-hour battery. This means losing the same amount is more noticeable in smaller city EVs.

If you’re leaving your car for a while, don’t keep things like lights or air conditioning on when they aren’t needed. Turn off apps that keep the car awake too often. Also, make sure there’s enough battery left in case you need to go back soon.

Tesla suggests plugging in your Model 3 charger when you’re not using it, especially if you’ll be away for a while. Keep the battery at about 50% charge to maintain its condition over time.

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Vocabulary Notes

Drain: Verb
Definition: To deplete, exhaust, or cause a resource (such as energy, power, liquid, or money) to diminish or run out completely.
Example: “Leaving an electric car in the airport for a whole week can be expensive because it might drain its battery when you’re not there.”
Additional Examples:
Running multiple background applications will drain your laptop’s battery quickly.
The long commute began to drain her mental energy by the end of the week.
Similar Words: Deplete, exhaust, sap, consume, empty, reduce.

Self-Discharge: Noun
Definition: An internal reaction in a battery that reduces its stored charge over time without any connection to an external circuit or device.
Example: “When electric vehicles use up their batteries, they lose some power due to something called ‘self-discharge.’”
Additional Examples:
All rechargeable batteries experience some degree of self-discharge when left unused in storage.
Low temperatures generally slow down the rate of self-discharge in lithium-ion cells.
Similar Words: Power leakage, energy dissipation, internal discharge, charge loss, capacity decay.

Maintenance: Noun
Definition: The process of preserving, servicing, or maintaining someone or something in good condition or working order.
Example: “Electric vehicles need maintenance even when they are parked.”
Additional Examples:
Regular software updates and battery checks are essential parts of electric vehicle maintenance.
Proper routine maintenance helps prevent costly repairs in the future.
Similar Words: Upkeep, servicing, preservation, care, sustenance, management.

Convenient: Adjective
Definition: Fitting in well with a person’s needs, activities, or plans; easy to use, access, or operate without hassle.
Example: “There are also convenient technology options.”
Additional Examples:
Preheating your vehicle via a mobile app is a very convenient feature during cold winters.
The station is located in a highly convenient area near the town center.
Similar Words: User-friendly, accessible, practical, handy, advantageous, hassle-free.

Suspicious: Adjective
Definition: Causing or harboring a feeling that something is wrong, questionable, illegal, or dangerous.
Example: “Tesla uses cameras and sensors to watch for anything that might be suspicious, like someone trying to break into the car…”
Additional Examples:
The vehicle’s security system alerts the owner if it detects suspicious movement around the doors.
He noticed a suspicious vehicle parked outside his driveway for several hours.
Similar Words: Questionable, dubious, shady, distrustful, unnatural, alarming.

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