Australian summers are legendary, but they can be a nightmare for lithium-ion batteries.
Park in the Shade
It sounds simple, but it's vital. Parking in direct sunlight on a 40°C day can raise cabin temps to 70°C and battery temps dangerously high. If you can't find shade, use a windscreen sunshade to reduce cabin heat load.
The "Plugged In" Advantage
Many modern EVs have active thermal management. If you leave your car plugged in (even to a standard powerpoint) on hot days, the car can use grid power to run the AC compressor and cool the battery pack without draining your range.
Don't Fast Charge Immediately
Driving generates heat. Fast charging generates heat. Doing both back-to-back on a scorcher is the hardest thing you can do to a battery. Give the car 15 minutes to cool down before plugging into a 350kW charger if possible.
