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.

  • Kiwi_eng@alien.topBEnglish
    1·
    10 months ago

    You should not need to worry about this. But, note that some EVs are less happy when doors are left ajar for longer than it takes to get in or out of the car. The best thing to do for EVs with conventional 12V batteries (not 2021+ Teslas) is to add a BM2 battery monitor (voltage logger) so you can check the behaviour and not do stuff that aggravates it.