How Long Do Electric Vehicle Batteries Last?
Most electric vehicle batteries are designed to last between 15 to 20 years, or 100,000 to 200,000 miles. In most cases, EV batteries have a longer lifespan than electric vehicles themselves.
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FAQs About Electric Vehicle Batteries
For most drivers, electric vehicle batteries are the biggest hurdle to deal with when transitioning to electric vehicles. Understanding the health and maintenance requirements of an EV battery is much different than taking care of a combustion engine.
Drivers, understandably, often have a lot of questions when it comes to EV batteries. What kind of batteries are used? What kind of maintenance do they require? And how long do electric vehicle batteries last? We can answer all of these questions right here.
What Kind of Batteries Are Used in Electric Vehicles?
Most electric vehicles these days use powerful lithium-ion batteries to power their motors and other components. Lithium-ion batteries are also used to power our laptops and smartphones, so you may have some familiarity with them already. Of course, the lithium-ion batteries in EVs are much larger and are used for a much different purpose.
How Can I Take Care of an Electric Vehicle Battery?
For the most part, EV battery maintenance is simpler than engine maintenance in a traditional car. There are no interconnected parts that need to be changed or lubricated to maintain performance. However, your battery does still require proper care in order to perform at its best in the long term.
Overexposure to extreme temperatures can damage lithium-ion batteries and cause their performance to degrade over time. It is recommended that you keep your EV parked in the shade during excessively hot days. Likewise, you should try to park in warm, indoor areas on cold winter days. Using DC charging to recharge your battery while your EV is cold can also cause battery damage.
Planning where and when you charge your EV battery can be critically important to its overall performance. Consistently charging above 80% capacity with a DC charger can deteriorate your battery over time. Similarly, charging your battery when it already has a high charge can be bad for its overall health. Most manufacturers recommend charging your EV when its battery capacity dips below 20%.
How Long do Electric Vehicle Batteries Last?
Knowing all of that, it’s time to answer the original question. How long do EV batteries typically last?
As you might have guessed, the exact lifespan of an EV battery will vary. However, on average, most electric vehicle batteries will last somewhere between 15 to 20 years. In terms of mileage, that’s usually somewhere in the range of 100,000 to 200,000 miles. What this means is that, in most cases, the electric vehicle battery will outlast the car itself.
This is great news for many reasons. For EV owners, it means there is seldom a need to worry about EV battery replacement. If that ever is needed, most battery replacements are covered by the manufacturer’s warranty. It also means that manufacturers are spending fewer resources producing extra lithium-ion batteries. This means more sustainable overall manufacturing processes for EVs.
Can Electric Vehicle Batteries be Recycled?
What happens to an EV battery once it’s no longer powering a car? Most EV manufacturers will find innovative ways to reuse and recycle old electric vehicle batteries. Some old EV batteries are used for backup power storage, while others can be recycled and reused in future vehicles.
Final Thoughts on EV Batteries
In most cases, there is little need to worry about the lifespan of your electric vehicle battery. As long as you take proper care of the battery, it should outlast the car itself. And once the battery stops powering your vehicle, it should be able to find a second life generating sustainable energy elsewhere.
Ray Catena is proud to bring New York and New Jersey LEV drivers the service and information they need – find a dealership location near you or learn more about how to preserve your LEV’s battery life. Contact us today to learn more!
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