Electric vehicles are loved for their convenience and eco-friendliness, but many questions arise in daily use. Below, Xupai answers a few of them.

1. Should a new electric vehicle be charged only after its battery is fully used up, like a mobile phone?

No. Once the battery has been discharged, sulfation begins, usually within 12 hours, when obvious sulfate crystals start to form. Prompt charging can remove mild sulfate crystals; if you do not charge in time, these crystals gradually build up into coarse ones, reducing capacity and shortening the battery life.

2. Does a new electric vehicle need to be charged before first use?

No. Current electric vehicle batteries are made with the internal formation process, so it is best to use them first and then charge.

3. If an electric vehicle is left unused for a long time, what should be done to the battery?

It must be fully charged before storage, to prevent the battery from sitting in a discharged state for long, which causes plate sulfation, a drop in capacity, or even failure. In addition, the battery should be given a top-up charge every month, because it self-discharges while stored.

4. If the charge is low while riding, can you keep riding?

No. You should charge promptly the first time the low-voltage protection kicks in. Although the controller provides low-voltage protection, after the vehicle rests for a moment the battery voltage recovers and it can run briefly again; using it this way does the most harm, causing over-discharge and seriously affecting the battery life.

5. What harm does overcharging do to an electric vehicle battery?

Overcharging increases water loss and dries out the electrolyte prematurely, easily causing swelling and deformation, and ending the battery life early. Using a poor-quality or mismatched charger, or charging for too long in an unventilated environment, can very likely cause a spontaneous fire.