Charging tips

As the heart of the electric car, Audi’s high-voltage batteries are designed for premium quality, safety, and a long service life. Normal aging processes, however, reduce the battery’s capacity over this service life. Charging and usage behavior can have a significant impact on battery life. That’s why Audi provides tips on how to properly operate electric cars.

Long and short distances

Regularly charging to 100 percent puts more stress on the battery and can accelerate the aging process. This causes the available battery capacity to decrease at a comparatively faster rate. This is why the brand with the four rings recommends charging up to a maximum of 80 percent if the electric Audi is mainly used for short trips. When going on longer trips, on the other hand, the maximum battery capacity should be fully utilized to extend the car’s range – but only shortly before the start of the journey to prevent a gradual loss of power. Audi also recommends fast charging (high power charging with over 100 kW) primarily when traveling long distances. If the car frequently goes unused over the course of the day, the battery’s charge level should ideally be kept between 30 and 80 percent – not too full to accelerate the aging process, but not too low to have too little range or even be forced to stop unintentionally.

Features of an electric Audi that can be tailored to individual needs

An upper limit for the maximum battery charge can be configured in the myAudi app and in the vehicle. When used primarily for short trips, Audi recommends setting this to 80 percent. For longer distances, it should be set to 100 percent in order to achieve the greatest possible range.

Using the charging timer, users can set the exact time of departure – directly in the vehicle or via the myAudi app. This will ensure that the automatic charging process charges the battery to the preset level as close as possible to the departure time. In addition, preconditioning adjust the temperature of the vehicle interior to the desired level prior to departure. While the charging timer is primarily for convenience during short trips, Audi recommends setting the departure time during long trips to avoid idle times with a full battery.

The “efficiency” driving mode results in lower energy consumption and a longer range via a particularly efficient driving style and with the air conditioning and heating switched off. This reduces the electrical and thermal load on the battery, which increases the operating range for both short and long distances.

A sophisticated thermal management system serves as the foundation for fast charging. Liquid cooling, for example, ensures that the battery temperature remains within the ideal range of 25 to 35 degrees Celsius, even under high loads or at low temperatures. This technical design maximizes charging and driving performance while preventing excessive stress on the cells. Two buffers also protect the high-voltage battery against unintentional, harmful overcharging and deep discharges.

All high-voltage batteries for plug-in hybrids and all-electric models from Audi are designed for a long service life. The brand with the four rings provides a warranty that covers either the first eight years after the vehicle’s initial delivery or the first 160,000 kilometers – whichever comes first.

Comprehensive information on all of the aforementioned topics can be found here:
https://www.audi.co.uk/uk/web/en/electric/faqs.htm
lhttps://www.audi-mediacenter.com/en/technology-lexicon-7180/charging-technologies-10999https://www.audi.co.uk/uk/web/en/electric/range.html
https://www.audi-mediacenter.com/en/press-releases/benchmark-for-long-distance-journeys-the-charging-power-of-the-audi-e-tron-11632