If your EV has a lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) battery, charge it to 100% — the manufacturer wants you to. If it has a nickel-based battery (NMC or NCA), charging to 80% for daily use and 100% only for trips is the habit that protects it. The same advice is wrong for half the cars on the road, which is why "should I charge to 100%" has no single answer.
Why the chemistry flips the advice
A nickel-based cell held at full charge sits at a high voltage that stresses its structure. Time spent at 100% — particularly warm — is one of the biggest drivers of capacity loss. Keeping daily charging to 80% removes most of that stress at a modest cost in usable range.
An LFP cell at 100% sits at a lower, less stressful voltage, and its voltage curve is so flat across the middle of the pack that the battery management system struggles to know exactly where it is. A full charge lets the BMS re-anchor its state-of-charge estimate. That is why BYD and Tesla (on its LFP cars) explicitly recommend regular full charges, and the same logic applies to every LFP pack.
How to tell which you have
Check the manual or the car's charging settings — LFP cars often default the daily limit to 100% and nickel cars to 80–90%. Or by model:
| Typically LFP | Typically nickel (NMC / NCA) |
|---|---|
| BYD — all models | Tesla long-range and performance |
| Tesla rear-drive Model 3 and Model Y (most years) | Hyundai, Kia (except EV5), Polestar, Volvo |
| Kia EV5 (Australian cars) | BMW, Mercedes, Mini, Lexus |
| MG4 51 kWh, MG S5 EV | MG4 64 and 77 kWh |
| Some GWM Ora variants | Volkswagen, Cupra, Nissan |
Do not trust a listing's chemistry claim without checking the variant — the MG4 alone is sold in both.
What it means when buying used
A seller who says "I always charged to 100%" has told you something useful, and what it means depends on the pack. On an LFP car it is reassuring. On a nickel car it is a mark against, and worth a measured State of Health figure before you accept the asking price.
The same logic applies to the test itself. An LFP car that has not had a full charge in months may report a less confident figure than one charged full last week — so if you are selling an LFP car, charge it to 100% before the test.
Does fast charging damage the battery? · LFP vs NMC · Book a test — $249
Chemistry by model as published by each manufacturer; variants change, so confirm for the specific car. Verified 15 September 2026.