New research shows that the lifespan of electric car batteries is much longer than many previously feared.
A study by the Canadian company Geotab shows that modern electric car batteries degrade 22 percent more slowly than older battery technologies.
This is good news for electric car owners and those looking to invest in an electric car.
Low Annual Degradation
According to Geotab, the average annual capacity loss of electric car batteries is only 1.8 percent.
For some models, such as the Tesla Model Y, the annual degradation is only 1 percent. This means that even after 20 years, an electric car will retain up to 64 percent of its original battery capacity.
For a Tesla Model Y with an original range of 600 km, this would mean a remaining range of about 425 km - enough to cover the daily needs of most people, according to Mobilsiden.
Temperature and cooling systems play an important role in battery health.
Tesla models with liquid cooling systems perform better than vehicles like the Nissan Leaf, which uses air-cooled batteries.
Vehicles with active cooling degrade more slowly, so it's important for electric car owners to take precautions, such as parking in the shade and keeping the charge level between 20 and 80 percent.
This study shows that concerns about battery life in electric cars are exaggerated.
Most modern electric cars come with warranties of 8 years or 160,000 km. But even after this period, the vehicles can still perform well.
If you are considering an electric car, you can be sure that the battery will last a long time – and otherwise leasing is a good alternative.
