In the rapidly evolving landscape of electric vehicles (EVs), one question always comes to mind: how long do EV batteries last?
Batteries are a critical component of an electric vehicle as they directly influence the vehicle's overall lifespan, cost-effectiveness, and environmental impact. This guide delves into the factors that impact the lifespan of EV batteries, examining advances in technology and providing top tips for EV battery maintenance.
If you’re considering making the switch to an electric fleet, understanding the durability and performance of EV batteries is crucial. This will allow you to maximise the longevity of your vehicles, saving your business in the long run.
Average lifespan of EV batteries
As with any electrical device, the capabilities of EV batteries do deteriorate over time. However, there are ways to limit this degradation, so it shouldn’t deter your business from choosing electric vehicles.
The average lifespan of electric vehicle batteries ranges between 8 and 15 years, depending on the care and maintenance it receives. Typically, EV batteries are designed to retain at least 70% of their capacity even after 8 years or 200,000 miles. This is similar to the average lifespan of a conventional internal combustion engine (ICE) which is around 10 years.
Advances in both EV and ICE technologies are constantly improving their durability and longevity, but EVs offer the added benefit of fewer moving parts, reducing their maintenance needs.
Factors influencing battery longevity
Although the capacity of EV batteries will inevitably decline over time, there are several external factors which can influence battery longevity.
Usage patterns
Usage patterns and charging habits are the key contributors to battery degradation. Aggressive driving with frequent rapid acceleration and harsh braking can lead to higher battery stress, limiting its longevity. By adapting your driving style and ensuring your vehicle is not overloaded, you can ensure that your EV batteries last longer.
Your EV charging habits will also have a significant impact on the lifespan of your battery. Although fast chargers are extremely convenient, they put additional strain on EV batteries as they generate a high amount of power in a short amount of time. As this accelerates battery wear, you should aim to use slow, home chargers whenever possible.
Regularly charging your EV to 100% and discharging the battery to very low levels can reduce its lifespan. Instead, you should keep your EV within the optimal State of Charge (SoC) which is between 20% and 80% as this will help to extend battery life.
Learn more about best practices for EV charging.
Environmental conditions
Extreme temperatures can not only affect the driving range of an EV, but also the longevity of the battery. Both hot and cold climates can negatively affect battery health and performance. To mitigate the impact, it’s recommended that you:
- Park in shaded areas
- Precondition your EV
- Charge during off-peak hours when temperatures are cooler.
In addition, high humidity levels can reduce charging efficiency and lead to increased maintenance costs. The excess moisture can corrode battery terminals and connectors, causing electrical faults and safety hazards. Effective sealing and robust thermal management systems are crucial to protect your EV from high humidity, ensuring longer battery life.
Battery technology
There are several different types of batteries used in modern electric vehicles and they each have varying lifespans.
- Lithium-ion batteries: these are the most common type of battery used in EVs due to their lower costs. They are better equipped for high-performance driving and quick charging.
- Nickel-metal hydride batteries: often used in hybrid vehicles, these batteries have long life cycles. However, they are more expensive and can discharge themselves at high temperatures.
Signs of battery degradation
Detecting signs of EV battery degradation is crucial for maintaining vehicle performance and ensuring long-term reliability. EV drivers should look out for these signs:
- Reduced driving range – as the battery degrades, the driving range of your EV may decrease.
- Longer charging times – if your EV takes significantly longer to recharge than when the vehicle was new, it may be a sign of degradation.
- Reduced performance – slower acceleration and reduced power output, particularly when travelling with heavy loads, suggests the battery is not delivering power efficiently.
- Error messages or alerts – most electric vehicles have advanced technological features which provide an insight into battery health. Dashboard warnings or error messages can be a direct indicator of battery degradation, so should never be ignored.
EV battery maintenance
Most manufacturers offer a warranty of around 8 years, or 100,000 miles for an EV battery, giving you peace of mind when purchasing an electric vehicle.
Regular maintenance is the best way to ensure the longevity of your EV battery. It’s also important to understand how to charge your electric vehicle efficiently as your habits will have a direct impact on battery health.
Costs for replacement EV batteries
If you do need to replace your EV battery, then you should be prepared for an expensive bill. Due to high material prices, the current cost for a replacement EV battery is around £118 per kilowatt-hour. This works out at over £9000 for a vehicle such as the Kia EV6!
However, this shouldn’t put you off switching to electric, as the likelihood of you needing a replacement battery is low, if you properly care for your vehicle.
Electric vehicle battery recycling
Another environmental benefit of electric vehicles is that their batteries can be recycled. Once they lose their capacity within an electric vehicle, they can be repurposed as electric storage devices.
Currently less than 5% of lithium-batteries are recycled globally. This is partly due to EVs being a relatively new concept, so drivers have not needed to replace their batteries yet. As we see more electric vehicles on the road, the number of EV batteries that are recycled will likely grow.
Future trends and innovations
EV technology is constantly advancing and is widely considered as the fuel of the future. The emergence of solid-state batteries will innovate the industry, offering faster charging times, increased driving ranges and improved safety in comparison to lithium-ion batteries.
Additionally, recycling of EV batteries is becoming increasingly important, aiming to reduce environmental impact and resource dependency. Improvements in battery management systems (BMS) and integration with renewable energy sources, such as wind and solar, are also key areas of innovation. This will enhance efficiency and grid stability.
EV batteries have been proven to match the lifespan of ICE vehicles, so battery deterioration should only be a concern if you plan on using the same vehicle for many years. As EV technology continues to evolve, we’ll see continuous improvements in battery life. Plus, with the upcoming ban on new petrol and diesel vehicles, it’s the ideal time for businesses to start considering greener alternatives for their fleets.
To help ease the transition, we offer two EV charge cards to businesses. These are designed to save you money and time, plus all transactions are conveniently displayed on one invoice. If you’re not ready to switch to electric, then you can compare our range of fuel cards.
 | Matt DoddsWith over 14 years of experience across two of the leading fuel card companies in the UK, Matt Dodds joined RFC Edenred to help lead the development of products to support our customer's move to EV and other alternative fuels, a transition he feels passionately about. |
