27 March, 2023: The question of the lifespan of an EV battery is on the minds of all electric vehicle purchasers, especially due to the associated cost. A recent analysis examined the longevity of EV batteries and found that EV owners may not need to be overly concerned about the durability of batteries, as long as proper care is taken to minimise degradation in performance and range. The study was conducted in the United States, by Recurrent Auto, involving a sample size of 15,000 electric cars, primarily from Tesla, Hyundai, Jaguar, Audi, and Nissan.

According to the study, the battery life of an electric car is heavily influenced by the brand. Cars with older lithium-ion batteries may not have as long a lifespan as those found in modern EVs, since battery technology has improved over time. The lifespan of EV batteries varies depending on the model, and older models such as the Nissan Leaf and Tesla Model S are more likely to require replacement than newer models such as the Hyundai Ioniq 5.

The study shows that replacing the battery of an electric vehicle can be quite expensive, potentially costing up to 70% of the car’s total price. However, the study found that this type of battery replacement is uncommon among the various models that were analysed. Only a small percentage, about one percent, of the models, such as the Chevrolet Bolt EV, actually needed to have their batteries changed.

Furthermore, the research revealed that the range values remained fairly stable, with a slight decline during the initial break-in period, but the rate of decrease didn’t continue at the same pace. Nevertheless, there was considerable variation among the vehicles and battery choices that were examined. For example, during a 100,000-mile period, the estimated range for the 85 kWh Tesla Model S remained largely unchanged, whereas the 100 kWh version experienced a substantial drop in range.

Overall, the study provides some reassurance to potential buyers of electric cars, suggesting that as long as they select a model with a modern lithium-ion battery and maintain it properly, they can expect a longer life of their EV battery.