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CDA
June 02, 2023
Away with myths! An empirical study confirms the great durability of electric car batteries: only 1 in 100 have changed it,
Electric car batteries are one of the most important concerns of potential buyers of this type of vehicle. It is not a question of reliability, but rather of durability, since It is unknown how long this element can last at full capacity.
Given this, the Recurrent team, a company that tries to help buyers of electric cars in their purchase decision, has carried out a study on how long electric vehicle batteries last.
“Batteries hold up better than expected”
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Unfortunately, the answer to this common question among potential electric car buyers is difficult to answer. like everything else, lithium ion batteries have a limited lifespan, and modern electric vehicles have not been on the market long enough for comprehensive data to be available on how long an electric vehicle battery can be expected to remain usable.
Seattle-based Recurrent, which produces independent reports on electric vehicle battery and range, has just released new data that, while it doesn’t give an exact answer on how long batteries last, is illuminating. : taking data from a community of 15,000 electric vehicle owners only 1.5 percent have replaced their batteries.
According to Recurrent, replacing the batteries in the most popular electric models can cost between $5,000 and $20,000, depending on numerous factors. If a vehicle is within the standard US 8 year/100,000 mile warranty period, the battery can normally be replaced at no additional cost to the owner if minimum health or range thresholds are met.
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“Second-hand electric vehicle buyers worry that the car battery will degrade quicklylike a mobile phone, and not be able to hold a charge for a few years,” says Liz Najman, Principal Investigator at Recurrent.
“It’s not a good comparison, because electric vehicle packs are complex technology with battery management systems that carefully regulate things like charging and temperature. This study shows that Batteries hold up better than expected and that its replacement is not an automatic surprise expense for the owners at 101,000 kilometers.
“It is encouraging to see this latest study as another challenge to the idea that electric cars are a time bomb of maintenance costsexplains Scott Case, CEO of Recurrent. “Vehicle ownership is full of surprises. While no one can change that, I hope we start to make sure the batteries aren’t one of those surprises.”
