Extended charging and leaving car while on vacation

[ghever]

hi all,

So my roundtrip commute is about 100 miles.

Normal charging to 80% gives me about 120 mile rangeand thats without using AC.

I am leasing and have unlimited miles and probably will do about 30,000 miles per year so ill be close to 100,000 at lease end.

I feel like id have way too much range anxiety heading home and running down to 10-20 miles left on charge.

If I plan to return the car and really dont care about battery as much, would it be ok to use extended charge regularly? Probably only need it 4 days per week. Id be discharging the battery down to below 80% immediately each day.

What do you all think? I have read the analysis being done by some of the forum members here with degradation of about 5-8% after 50k miles. Im in a hot clinate during summer months but remainder of year should be nice weather.

Second question. I am going on vacation Sept 2 and coming back on the 7th...leaving the car unplugged for that long is not good right? Im flying from ontario cali next to my work wnd my house is in temecula. Cant leave it at work with blink because those guys charge by minute when plugged. I suppose i could leave keys with a coworker and ask him to plug it in for me a couple of times, will be cheaper than paying for airport parking.

Other option is to rent a car one way since im returning to a different airport anyways.

I know I read about a product we can buy to keep the battery from dying when not being operated for long periods of time?

Thanks

 

[TonyWilliams]

I feel like id have way too much range anxiety heading home and running down to 10-20 miles left on charge.

I would expect 20% or more degradation by 100,000 miles (I'm at 12% in San Diego after 40,000 miles). You need to either charge at work or find a nearby charge location near work before lease end... or slow way down on the freeway on your commute.

If I plan to return the car and really dont care about battery as much, would it be ok to use extended charge regularly? Probably only need it 4 days per week. Id be discharging the battery down to below 80% immediately each day.

Just fine.

Second question. I am going on vacation Sept 2 and coming back on the 7th...leaving the car unplugged for that long is not good right?

Sure, one week unplugged is easy. Long term storage is unplugged on this car. If you want to protect the 12 volt lead-acid battery, put it on a trickle / tender charge.

Im flying from ontario cali next to my work wnd my house is in temecula. Cant leave it at work with blink because those guys charge by minute when plugged. I suppose i could leave keys with a coworker and ask him to plug it in for me a couple of times, will be cheaper than paying for airport parking.

Don't do this.

Other option is to rent a car one way since im returning to a different airport anyways.

No need to do this either.

I know I read about a product we can buy to keep the battery from dying when not being operated for long periods of time?

Probably the battery tender, which has absolutely nothing to do with the main "traction" battery. You could also use one of the simple and inexpensive solar powered chargers for the 12 volt lead-acid battery.

 

[ghever]

Ok so if one week unplugged works fine, then ill just drive and leave it there in long term parking.

I have a place to charge at work but its a blink station and though it says 30 amp level 2, it takes way too long to charge so i suspect its less that 30. Honestly i could trickle charge at hone and work and id b fine, just fine, but i cant find a secure place to charge, i work at a big hospital.... Dont triust leaving my cable unattended.

 

[miimura]

Leaving the RAV4 EV in long term parking like you would a regular car is no problem through two full weeks. Going into three or four weeks you start to run the risk of needing a jump start if you don't do the solar battery maintainer.

 

[smkettner]

I just returned from a three week trip. I left the my RAV4-EV at 50% charge and unplugged.
Upon return the vehicle started normal and I drove it to about empty. Charged fine the next morning.
No issues.

 

[ghever]

Thanks guys.