To most people, it’s pretty evident that electric cars are not like most other vehicles. They rely on electric-powered high voltage batteries that have to be regularly recharged. But what about when you have to take an unexpected trip out of town? Many electric car owners are concerned about leaving their electric cars unplugged. Whether it’s just for a few days or even weeks at a time, no one wants to return to find a dead battery or, worse, a broken car. So, exactly how long can you leave an electric car parked without charging the battery?
The great news is that for the vast majority of electric car models, only a small percentage of battery power is needed to keep the high voltage battery safe and ready to hit the road. While the exact length of time can vary from model to model, most cars can be safely left unplugged for up to six months.
How Long Can You Leave an Electric Car Unplugged?
How long you can leave your electric vehicle unplugged largely depends on whether or not you are using the car every day and what kind of car you have. Regardless of the model, you never want your electric high voltage battery power level to fall below 10%. Allowing this high voltage battery to become too depleted could ruin it. Fortunately, a high voltage battery above 10% can usually be parked outside for six months or more without needing to be recharged. What about when you are driving your EV every day? In that case, you will need to plug in your car before the power level drops below that 10% mark.
Do Electric Cars Lose Charge When Parked?
Both electric and hybrid vehicles do lose charge when they are parked for extended periods. However, you shouldn’t be too concerned with the high voltage battery. What you do have to worry about is the standard 12-volt battery your electric vehicle also uses. While this battery starts the car and helps maintain some of the systems inside the cabin of your vehicle. These systems are drawing power from this battery even when the car is not in use. As you may be aware, even traditional gasoline-powered vehicles also face this issue with the 12-volt battery.
Top 10 Electric Cars and How Long You Can Leave Them “Unplugged”
Still worried about leaving your electric car unplugged? Not sure how your electric vehicle might react to being left unplugged? We’ve scoured the internet and put together a handy list of how long you can leave these top ten electric vehicles “unplugged.”
| Car | Uplugged | Details |
| Chevrolet Bolt | 12 Months | According to the owner’s manual, the Bolt can be left unplugged for up to 12 months at a time. However, Chevy recommends that the 12-volt battery be disconnected from the vehicle and attached to a slow charging device (or trickle charger) before you park your vehicle. Also, you will want to make sure that your high voltage battery is not charged above 50%. Allowing the car to sit for extended periods with a battery level above 90% or below 10% could damage the high voltage battery. |
| BMW i3 | 2 – 3 Weeks | The BMW i3 is another car that isn’t exactly designed to be left idle. This vehicle can be parked and left unplugged for several weeks so long as the battery is fully charged to 100%. If the charge level is below 50%, you shouldn’t leave the car unplugged for more than two weeks. Also, BMW indicates that you should be able to store the vehicle for a maximum of three months. Still, they strongly recommend that you consider plugging it in anytime you don’t intend to drive it for extended periods. |
| Tesla Model 3 | 2-3 Weeks | The Tesla Model 3 is the single best-selling EV on the market, and most consumers love this car. It appears that Tesla anticipated that its customers would love this car so much they would never want to park it or leave it unplugged for too long. The vehicle’s manual indicates that this model loses a whopping 1% of charge from the high voltage battery each day the car is unplugged. Since allowing the charge level to fall to zero can permanently damage the battery, the most you would want to leave this car unplugged is 2-3 weeks, and should only do so if the battery is fully charged. |
| Tesla Model S | 2-3 Weeks | The Model S has the same high voltage battery care guidelines as the Model 3. So don’t leave this one unplugged for more than a couple of weeks. Ideally, you really shouldn’t leave any of Tesla’s models unplugged overnight at all. |
| Mini Cooper SE | 3 Months | With this car, the manufacturer does not recommend leaving the car unplugged for longer than three months. The owner’s manual says that you shouldn’t let the charge fall below 80% at any point while storing the vehicle. They recommend leaving the car plugged in anytime you are not using it. Finally, parking the car for more than 14 days with a low charge is highly likely to damage the car. You should be aware of that before parking your vehicle for extended lengths of time. |
| Volvo Polestar 2 | 3 Months | Volvo is attempting to compete with Tesla in the luxury market with their new addition of this new line of electric vehicles. The Polestar 2 is undoubtedly creating a buzz within the EV market. Unlike its top competitor at Tesla, this vehicle can be left unplugged safely for up to three months. Volvo recommends having the battery charged between 40% and 50% before you leave it, though, because allowing it to sit idle with a full battery could damage the battery. Finally, if you end up needing to leave it for longer than three months, you should consider finding a way to plug it in but don’t forget to set the maximum charge for 50%. |
| Ford Fusion Energi | 6 Months | Ford claims that the Fusion Energi can be unplugged for up to six months as long as the high voltage battery is charged to a minimum of 10%. However, they do recommend slow charging your 12-volt battery if you attempt to do this. |
| Toyota Prius Prime | NA | With a gasoline-powered four-cylinder engine in addition to two electric motors, this hybrid can switch driving modes. This means that even when the main electric battery is not charged, the car will still work. It also means that you can easily leave this electric hybrid unplugged for extended periods. However, if you plan on parking the vehicle, you will still want to ensure that the 12-Volt battery isn’t damaged by being idle for too long. Furthermore, the owner’s manual indicates that the car has a regenerative braking system that will restore some power to the electric battery. This system directs the energy released when you hit the brakes back into the high voltage battery. So technically you could drive this car regularly without ever plugging it in at all. Just keep in mind that you won’t be able to use any of the electric mode features, which kind of defeats the whole point of owning a hybrid. |
| Hyundai Ioniq Electric | NA | The owner’s manual for the Ioniq Electric doesn’t indicate how long the car can be left unplugged. However, owners of this vehicle report being able to leave their Ioniqs unplugged for months at a time. They also report that it doesn’t lose more than a percent or two in high voltage battery charge a month! |
| Nissan Leaf | NA | Nissan doesn’t recommend leaving the Leaf unplugged for an extended period. The owner’s manual indicates that this will quickly deplete the 12-volt battery. However, many customers have reported that even when they leave their parked Leaf plugged in, the car still eventually drains the 12-volt battery. So if you have to leave this car parked for extended periods, just plan on jumping the car when you return to it. |
Hacks for Keeping Your Parked Electric Car Battery Healthy
- Disconnect your 12-volt battery anytime you aren’t driving the vehicle for more than 30 days. This can easily be done by removing the negative battery terminal. Doing this prevents the vehicle from drawing any power from the battery, which keeps it from depleting. If you choose to disconnect your traditional battery, you will also need to ensure that you have an ample charge in your high voltage battery. Many of the cars on our list have an ideal range that the high voltage battery should be set at. However, none of them recommend letting the charge fall below 10%.
- Park your car in a garage or the shade. The high voltage battery can handle most temperature ranges. It can be safely stored in direct sunlight, but if you are parking your vehicle for extended periods (more than 30 days), you should still minimize how much heat and sunlight that battery gets exposed to.
- See what your owner’s manual has to say about parking your electric vehicle. The owner’s manual will be the best place to go for information specific to your electric vehicle. Each manufacturer uses slightly different batteries and has different systems. Your owner’s manual is certain to include detailed information about how to safely store your vehicle as well as the steps you need to take when you’re ready to remove it from storage.
Conclusion
Whether you are trying to save money on expensive fuel or be more environmentally friendly, An electric car is an excellent investment. There are many reasons why electric vehicles (EVs) should be plugged in each night, and not all of them even have to dow with the battery. However, eventually, you will have to leave the EV unplugged. So make sure that you are caring for your vehicle and its high voltage battery properly so you can protect your investment and avoid costly repairs.