Batteries should outlast the EV

How long a battery will last in an EV is a big concern for some, especially given the cost.

But most batteries will outlast the EV’s usable life and go on to provide energy storage for many more years.

That’s according to Geotab’s EV Battery Degradation Tool which uses data from 6300 EVs in its fleets.

The information shows that if present degradation rates continue, most batteries will outlast the usable life of the vehicle, Electrek reports.

The average decline in energy storage is 2.3% annually, so for a 240km EV that’s about 27km of range lost after five years.

EV batteries usually have an early drop but rates of decline slow in later years with liquid-cooled batteries declining slower than air-cooled packs, Geotab data shows.

Higher vehicle use does not necessarily equal higher battery degradation but EVs driven in hot temperatures reveal a faster battery health decline.

Using DC fast chargers may speed up degradation (especially in hot climates) but Electrek says there’s little difference in battery health based on frequent use of Level 1 versus Level 2 charging.