Will charging a PHEV to 100% reduce the battery life?
EV cars recommend 80% charge to extend battery life. If I owned a Plug-In Hybrid which achieved say 40miles with battery, I would charge every night to max %. Would this excessive charge all the time reduce the vehicles battery life please?
Asked on 19 February 2026 by Eric Wardlaw
Answered by
David Ross
Generally speaking hybrid batteries also benefit from being charged to 80% rather than 100% the majority of the time, although individual manufacturers may have specific recommendations for their vehicles. However, because a hybrid battery is only a part of its drivetrain it does not operate 100% of the time it is being driven, so any impact on its lifespan is less significant than a pure electric vehicle. Charging it to 100% every night would reduce its lifespan compared to only doing so once or twice a week, but the drop off in battery health would impact the driving experience in a less significant way.
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