Hey everyone,
I’m thinking about buying a 2020 Kia Niro EV with around 43k miles on it for $16k.
If I stick to just Level 1 charging and don’t upgrade to Level 2, how often should I be charging it? I’m in Southern California and my daily commute is only about 10-12 miles.
Should I charge it every night or less frequently? Any tips are welcome!
It depends on the battery size. For Level 1 charging, you get around 1.4kWh per hour. If your commute uses up 4-15kWh, you could get away with Level 1, but charging from 20% to 80% will take about 42 hours. I’d recommend charging about 3 nights a week for 12 hours each time, which would give you 50.4kWh total. That should be enough to cover your daily commute, but you’ll want to make sure you have enough juice for weekend plans too!
@Benn
It’s a 64 kWh battery.
Florian said:
@Benn
It’s a 64 kWh battery.
Got it… So, 20% of 64kWh is about 12.8kWh, and 80% is around 51.2kWh. Charging overnight for 12 hours gives you back around 16.8kWh. So if your commute uses only 10kWh, you’re good to go! To go from 20% to 80%, you’ll need around 27 hours of charging at 1.4kWh/h. Unless you’re driving uphill every day with the AC blasting and a bunch of extra power drains, you should be more than fine. I say go for it!
@Benn
Thanks for breaking it down for me!
I had the same car.
Set your AC charge limit to 80%, and maybe once a month charge it to 100%. Plug it in every night, and make sure you’re charging during off-peak hours (like midnight to 3 pm). For your commute, Level 1 should be fine. If you’re going on a long trip, use DC charging. Level 2 can be handy if you’re running low, but you don’t need it for daily use.
Always keep it plugged in when you’re home. Modern battery management systems do more than just charge—they balance cells and regulate temperature. Most systems also allow you to schedule charging to save money. You don’t want to forget to plug it in and then be stuck. I live near Silicon Valley and do a similar commute on Level 1, about 100 miles a week. My advice: Set your charge limit to around 65% for most of the week, and bump it up a bit if you plan on taking a trip.
As someone who’s had EVs for a long time, I really advise against relying solely on Level 1 charging. Life is unpredictable, and you may need to drive unexpectedly or make quick adjustments. Sure, Level 1 is usually fine for daily commuting, but if you miss a day or need to travel, you’ll be stuck waiting hours to charge. I’ve seen a lot of folks give up on EVs because they didn’t invest in Level 2 charging. It can be a real frustration if you’re constantly playing catch-up with a slow charge.
@Arden
I have a Chevy Bolt with a Level 2 charger in my garage. The car is plugged in whenever it’s home. Chevy says to keep it at 100% charge, and that’s what I do.
Zev said:
@Arden
I have a Chevy Bolt with a Level 2 charger in my garage. The car is plugged in whenever it’s home. Chevy says to keep it at 100% charge, and that’s what I do.
Chevy might suggest that, but charging to 100% all the time isn’t great for battery life. The battery has some buffer built in, but charging it to 100% reduces the life of the battery. If you charge it to 80%, it can last four times longer! It’s okay to charge to 100% once in a while, like if you’re going on a trip, but daily charging to 80% is better for long-term use.
I love my Niro EV! One of the best things about it is how well the battery holds up over time. For Level 1 charging, just plug it in as soon as you get home and leave it charging until you head out. Level 1 is pretty slow, so you’ll want to charge every chance you get. That way, you’ll always have enough range for any last-minute plans, and the battery will stay in good condition.