Hi all - I’m looking to buy my first ever EV soon (probably a Model Y, Polestar 2, or BMW i4) and have quick question. I’m often gone from home for a few weeks (sometimes months) at a time, and I currently keep a trickle charger on my 12V battery the whole time (it’s a “smart” CTEK charger that doesn’t overcharge the battery). That charger recently broke after many years of use, so I’m wondering whether there’s any need to replace it.
I know the answer may differ across EV models, but in general: if I leave the car in a garage for a few weeks it’s plugged into the main EV charger whole time, is there any need for a trickle charger?
Any quick thoughts would be greatly appreciated.
Certain models (e.g. the ID.4 let you switch on an option that maintains the 12v from the main battery. You might even be abke to keep the car plugged in and start and stop charging sessions with your app. But at 80% charge, without any connections from the app, I’m sure the ID.4 can supply the main battery for months.