Near the top of EV shoppers' questions is how long will the battery last? Short answer: Longer than most electric car buyers will own their vehicles.
If you've kept a cellphone or laptop long enough, we all have experienced a weak or limited battery charge. Over time, battery cells lose the ability to hold as much charge as when they were brand-new. But how long do electric car batteries last, and what steps can you take to slow the degradation?
Much like those in a phone or laptop, electric car batteries are lithium-ion and made of a variety of rare earth minerals like cobalt, nickel, cadmium, and manganese plus other materials. Every battery, regardless of what vehicle it's in, will experience degradation over time.
Even your location's weather can affect the longevity of a battery. Extremely hot and extremely cold environments, as well as those with excess humidity, can negatively impact the life of a battery.
Lithium-ion batteries have a high energy density compared to lead-acid batteries or nickel-metal hydride batteries found in hybrids. They also charge up quickly and are able to retain their energy density over hundreds of charging cycles. That's why they're the ideal choice for electric vehicles right now. The introduction of solid-state batteries may change that soon, but for now lithium-ion is the best option for EVs.
So how long do EV batteries last? Every charge and discharge cycle fractionally reduces a battery's overall capacity. Over the course of hundreds or even thousands of charging cycles, a vehicle's range eventually takes a hit.
A 2019 analysis sampled data from 6,300 electric cars and found the average rate of range decline for a battery is about 2.3% per year. In real-world terms, that means that if you have an EV with 300 miles of range, as so many do now, in five years you can expect to have a maximum range of 267 miles due to battery degradation. Of course, it takes forever to get a 100% charge, most people charge to 80% to get back on the road.
Every manufacturer has different projections for how long its batteries will last, but the U.S. Department of Energy has made its own predictions. According to the DoE, "predictive modeling by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory indicates that today’s batteries may last 12 to 15 years in moderate climates," while those who live in "extreme climates" can expect those numbers to be in the eight- to 12-year range. This is predictive as we don’t have that much real world history yet. The average vehicle on American roads right now is more than 12 years old.
What about your cars EV battery warranty? We live in different climates around the world so each battery will offer a different life cycle. Those that live in a moderate climate and will experience the relatively modest range loss, others will have a different experience.
The federal government mandates that EV manufacturers offer at least an eight-year/100,000 mile warranty on all EV batteries. California ups that further to mandating a 10-year/150,000-mile warranty for electric car batteries.
That means manufacturers will have to cover those batteries. The specifics of the warranty coverage you get depend on the manufacturer. Assuming the warranty is transferable, this could be a future concern for the 4th or 5th owner with 100,000 miles on a used vehicle.
Some are claiming that EV batteries last longer than the stats I mentioned earlier, though there isn’t enough real history, only speculation at this point. Though some degradation is inevitable, there are a number of ways you can help preserve the life of your EV's battery and slow down the degradation.
The first way is to change the way you drive. Avoiding heavy acceleration and overly heavy braking can help save the battery life. Asking it to discharge energy rapidly over and over again essentially overworks the battery and causes it to degrade faster — it's a lot like constantly leaving your phone screen on.
Another way to protect the life of your EV's battery is simply how you charge it. Charging up a battery after every drive and asking the car to constantly thermally cycle the battery is bad for the battery's internal chemistry. That in turn will negatively impact its lifespan.
A better way to do this is to charge your battery when it's at or around 20% and charge it to 80%. Most cars allow you to set the specific parameters and can cut off charging at a certain value. This approach puts far less strain on the battery when compared to charging it up to full on a daily basis and will help lengthen its life cycle.
As consumers are making their own decisions, some will opt for electric cars, others for hybrids and some will stick with their gas power vehicles. All use batteries and need maintenance. Replacement batteries will be expensive and many are not recyclable.
Video Link: https://youtu.be/ZU9bxALCyMk
You can support me by buying me a cup of coffee. Thanks for subscribing and your support! https://www.buymeacoffee.com/laurenfix
Looking for more automotive news? https://www.CarCoachReports.com
Total Car Score Podcast ► https://www.revolverpodcasts.com/shows/total-car-score/
______________
Lauren Fix, The Car Coach is a nationally recognized automotive expert, media guest, journalist, author, keynote speaker and television host. A trusted car expert, Lauren provides an insider’s perspective on a wide range of automotive topics and safety issues for both the auto industry and consumers. Her analysis is honest and straightforward.
© 2025 Newsmax Finance. All rights reserved.