Electric vehicles are all the rage, zipping past gas stations and leaving a trail of environmental goodwill.
They use rechargeable lithium-ion batteries, which are more energy-dense than lead-acid or nickel-cadmium batteries found in combustion engines or hybrid electric vehicles.
But there’s one question every EV owner has: “How long do these batteries actually last?”
Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered!
Read on to explore the lifespan of electric car batteries and how to extend their life. We’ll also discover the replacement cost of EV batteries and whether your warranty covers it.
This Article Contains:
- How Long Do Electric Batteries Last?
- What Are the Factors Affecting the Electric Car Battery Life?
- How to Prolong the Life of Your Electric Car Battery
- What Happens to Used Electric Car Batteries?
- Are Electric Car Batteries Safe?
- Is the Electric Car Battery Covered Under Warranty?
- How Much Does Electric Car Battery Replacement Cost?
How Long Do Electric Batteries Last?
Electric vehicle (EV) batteries are estimated to last at least 10 to 20 years. The exact battery lifespan depends on the make and model of your electric vehicle.
Given the advancements in battery technology, automakers are confident that their lithium batteries can outlive the usable life of an electric car. But this doesn’t mean that your electric car battery will provide the same range and charging efficiency in the seventh year as it did when you bought your new EV car.
Why not?
Over time, the capacity of your electric vehicle battery pack will decline, similar to how a smartphone’s battery performance deteriorates.
Let’s uncover the sneaky culprits that could reduce your EV battery’s longevity.
What Are the Factors Affecting the Electric Car Battery Life?
There are a few battery life villains that might drain your lithium batteries.
1. Battery Chemistry
Here’s how battery chemistry affects two common types of EV batteries:
- Lithium-ion battery: Most electric cars use a lithium-ion battery. These batteries degrade over time due to chemical reactions during charging cycles. This reduces their ability to hold a charge and deliver power efficiently, leading to shorter driving ranges and decreased EV charging capacity.
- Nickel-metal hydride (NiMH) battery: These batteries are usually used in a hybrid electric vehicle. Their chemical reactions are sensitive to temperature changes. For instance, extreme heat can overheat the batteries and accelerate EV battery degradation.
2. Fast Charging
As long as you follow good battery maintenance habits, fast charging up to 22kW may not affect your electric battery. But frequent fast or rapid charging, especially using Direct Current (DC) often, can accelerate electric battery degradation.
That’s because DC fast charging at high speed generates more heat and stress. This can cause faster degradation and affect your EV battery lifespan compared to slower Alternating Current (AC) charging.
3. Extreme Climates
When it’s too hot outside, your car battery may deplete faster. On the other hand, in bitterly cold climates, your electric battery’s ability to receive charge decreases.
Yes, you can’t avoid such extreme temperatures all the time. However, exposing the EV to such climatic conditions for too long can reduce battery performance and affect the electric car’s battery life.
4. Driving Habits
Aggressive driving puts extra strain on your EV’s battery, consuming more energy and reducing your driving range in the short term. Over time, this lead-footed driving style can also shorten the EV battery life.
Carrying excessive weight in your electric car also adds to the strain by demanding more energy from the EV battery.
5. Tire Pressure
Underinflated tires increase rolling resistance, making your EV consume more power and drain the battery faster.
Meanwhile, lower rolling resistance functionality means your electric car needs less energy to move, extending the battery range. That’s why many EVs come equipped with low-rolling-resistance tires specifically designed to maximize efficiency and boost range.
Wondering how to keep these pesky issues at bay for as long as possible?
How to Prolong the Life of Your Electric Car Battery
While it’s not possible to prevent battery degradation entirely, you can offset it by following these tips:
- Avoid leaving your electric car at full charge or low battery levels for extended periods.
- Keep your battery charged between 20% and 80% for optimal health. But some cars, like the base-trim Tesla Model 3, recommend a 100% charge. Consult your owner’s manual for optimal charging ranges.
- Park your car in a garage to protect your car’s battery from extreme temperatures that can shorten EV battery life.
- Ensure your battery has an excellent thermal management system to maintain battery health by regulating its temperature.
Now, electric batteries are only truly eco-friendly if they are also sustainable.
Keep scrolling to find out what happens to old EV batteries.
What Happens to Used Electric Car Batteries?
Many automakers have come up with innovative battery recycling solutions to give retired EV batteries a second life in environmentally friendly ways.
The automakers help:
- Repurpose retired EV batteries for factory and home use as energy storage systems.
- Reuse electric battery packs to store the power generated by solar panels.
- Recycle electric car batteries to extract their raw materials to reduce the use of virgin materials in manufacturing new battery packs.
Next, let’s find out if it’s safe to drive around with electric car batteries.
Are Electric Car Batteries Safe?
Each EV manufacturer does its best to ensure its EV battery is safe.
These batteries often come with smart management systems that prevent overheating and other problems. And though there have been cases of electric vehicles catching fire, these incidents are often due to accidents.
For example, in 2022, a Rivian R1T electric truck caught fire in a charging station in Massachusetts. The fire didn’t reach its battery pack, and Rivian emphasized that their EV batteries are designed with multiple safety features to prevent and manage such events.
So, cars with an EV battery are just as safe as any fuel vehicle, if not more.
That said, what if something happens to your electric car battery?
Will your car warranty cover it?
Is the Electric Car Battery Covered Under Warranty?
Dead battery replacements are included in most electric car battery warranties.
Essentially, your new EV car may come with an extended battery warranty, spanning 8 to 10 years or at least 100,000 miles. Additionally, in the United States, federal regulation states that an electric car must offer a minimum EV battery warranty of 8 years.
Some US states, like California, even extend the electric car battery warranty for cars classified as a Partial Zero-Emission Vehicle (PZEV) to 10 years or 150,000 miles.
However, the terms and conditions of electric car battery warranties vary with each EV manufacturer.
For instance, some automakers may replace your electric car battery only if it’s a dead battery during the battery warranty period. Other automakers may offer you a new battery when the old one’s battery capacity falls below a certain threshold. So, be sure to read your owner’s manual carefully.
Note: Most EV battery warranties don’t fully cover battery degradation due to aging. Moreover, an EV manufacturer may only cover a diminished battery that has lost over 30% of its capacity within the electric car battery warranty period. Anything below may be considered normal wear and tear.
In case you don’t have a warranty or your battery issues don’t fall under the warranty, let’s explore how much an EV car battery can cost you.
How Much Does Electric Car Battery Replacement Cost?
Although EV battery pack replacements are rare, they can cost you around $6,500 to $20,000.
These costs depend on your battery type, vehicle make and model, as well as labor charges.
To better understand the price ranges of electric car batteries, consider these figures:
- A Nissan Leaf 40 kWh lithium-ion battery can cost more than $6,500
- A Tesla Model S 100 kWh lithium-ion battery can cost well over $14,000
In addition to the battery cost, replacing the EV battery can also incur high labor costs, ranging from $500 to $2000 and beyond.
Extend Your EV Battery’s Life and Boost Performance
Your EV battery can potentially outlive your electric car. However, a decline in battery capacity and performance is inevitable.
Adopting good charging habits like using rapid charging less often can help improve EV charging efficiency and prolong battery longevity. But, if you notice any significant drops in your EV’s range, contact manufacturer-certified dealerships.
And if you need help with any gasoline or diesel-powered car, call AutoNation Mobile Service. We’re a mobile auto repair and maintenance solution available seven days a week.
Contact us today to have all your car troubles resolved right from your driveway!