A battery pack charging system, comprising: a user interface, said user interface configured to accept a set of user determined travel information, wherein said set of user determined travel information is comprised of an intended departure time and an intended travel distance; a battery pack mounted within an electric vehicle and coupled to an electric drive train of said electric vehicle; a charging system coupled to said battery pack of said electric vehicle, said charging system configured to charge said battery pack to a specified charge level using a specified charging rate, wherein said specified charge level is selectable over a range of charge levels and a system controller coupled to said charging system and to said user interface, said system controller configured to determine an optimal charge level for said battery pack and set said specified charge level of said charging system to said optimal charge level, wherein said optimal charge level maximizes a battery lifetime characteristic of said battery pack while being sufficient to supply energy to said electric drive train for said vehicle to travel said intended travel distance, characterized in that said system controller is configured to determine an optimal charging rate for said battery pack and set a specified charging rate of said charging system, selectable over a range of charging rates, to said optimal charging rate, wherein said optimal charging rate maximizes said battery lifetime characteristic of said battery pack while being sufficient to complete charging of said battery pack to said optimal charge level prior to said intended departure time. a user interface, said user interface configured to accept a set of user determined travel information, wherein said set of user determined travel information is comprised of an intended departure time and an intended travel distance; a battery pack mounted within an electric vehicle and coupled to an electric drive train of said electric vehicle; a charging system coupled to said battery pack of said electric vehicle, said charging system configured to charge said battery pack to a specified charge level using a specified charging rate, wherein said specified charge level is selectable over a range of charge levels and a system controller coupled to said charging system and to said user interface, said system controller configured to determine an optimal charge level for said battery pack and set said specified charge level of said charging system to said optimal charge level, wherein said optimal charge level maximizes a battery lifetime characteristic of said battery pack while being sufficient to supply energy to said electric drive train for said vehicle to travel said intended travel distance, characterized in that said system controller is configured to determine an optimal charging rate for said battery pack and set a specified charging rate of said charging system, selectable over a range of charging rates, to said optimal charging rate, wherein said optimal charging rate maximizes said battery lifetime characteristic of said battery pack while being sufficient to complete charging of said battery pack to said optimal charge level prior to said intended departure time.