The Meaning Behind ABC: Always Be Charging

You’ve probably heard EV owners throw around the phrase “ABC:  Always Be Charging.”

But what does it really mean? It’s not just “plug in all the time.” It’s a simple rule of thumb for keeping your battery healthy.

1. Stay in the middle SOC range

For daily use, keep your battery in the middle SOC zone (around 40–60%, or up to 30–80%). Shallow, partial charges put far less stress on the cells than letting the pack drop very low and then charging all the way back to 100%.

2. Don’t sit at full

Charging to 100% for a road trip is fine. But leaving your car sitting at 90–100% for hours or days speeds up aging. High voltage storage is tough on the battery chemistry.

3. Avoid going too low

The same goes for the bottom end. Parking at 5–10% for long periods can stress the weakest cells. It’s okay once in a while, but don’t make it a habit.