How long do electric car batteries last? The bad news is, there’s no simple answer. Actually, the answer depends on several questions.
For instance, how do electric car batteries work and how do they compare to traditional car batteries? What causes them to degrade? Are there any maintenance steps you can take that will extend the lifespan?
Now, here’s the good news. We’re about to answer all of your questions in this electric car battery guide.
In addition, you’ll learn about the substantial warranty that covers electric car batteries. Read all about it below.
Contents
EV Car Batteries Vs ICE Car Batteries
In a gas-powered car, the battery is primarily used to start the internal combustion engine (ICE). It can also power the car’s electric components when the engine is turned off.
These lead-acid batteries are designed to provide a short-yet-powerful burst of energy. Some are enhanced to perform better and last longer, like this product.
However, lead-acid batteries are not ideal for electric vehicles (EVs). EVs need consistent power over a long period of time.
For this, they use lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries. These are also the same type of batteries used in most smartphones.
Why Do Electric Car Batteries Degrade?
And, like the battery in your smartphone, electric car batteries degrade over time. There are several reasons for this.
First, warmer temperatures significantly accelerate the battery’s degradation. Naturally, then, electric car batteries last longer in cold-weather locations.
Secondly, each time you use up and then recharge your battery, its energy storage capacity goes down. The more it’s used, the shorter each charge cycle gets. One day, it will no longer charge at all.
Next, even if you keep a Li-ion battery on a cool shelf and never use it, it still degrades. Although the degradation in this example happens very slowly, the battery will eventually expire.
How Long Do Electric Car Batteries Last?
Obviously, the lifespan of your electric car battery depends on the factors we just described. This makes the “average” lifespan difficult to calculate, not to mention irrelevant. Still, experts suggest that electric car batteries can last up to 20 years and 200,000 miles.
More importantly, though, electric car batteries are covered by a federally mandated warranty. The warranty must cover the battery for 100,000 miles or 8 years, minimum.
Also, you can extend your battery’s lifespan through electric car battery maintenance. Furthermore, the battery rarely needs to be replaced in full.
Each battery consists of many cells. Some of these cells will fail more quickly than others. So, you can replace the cells as needed without replacing the whole battery.
Do you know anyone else who may be wondering, “How long do electric car batteries last?” If so, please share this electric car battery guide with them.
Next, discover the cheapest ways to ship your car and learn how to take care of a valuable classic car. Find all this advice and more on our blog.