According to current industry expectations, EV batteries are projected to last between 100,000 and 200,000 miles, or about 15 to 20 years. However, even when EV batteries do age, their large initial capacity combined with minor losses in battery capacity means the ageing is nearly imperceptible to drivers.
Generally, electric vehicle batteries last 10-20 years, but some factors may reduce their lifespan. For instance, batteries may degrade faster in hotter climates as heat does not pair well with EVs.
Under current estimates, most electric car batteries will last somewhere between 15-20 years before they need to be replaced. With today's average lifespan of a car being roughly 12 years, your EV battery will probably outlive your car.
Electric car battery life expectancy
Similar to other battery-powered items, the cells degrade over time. However, with extensive and powerful lithium-ion units powering EV technology, you can expect your vehicle to last just as long as a petrol or diesel model.
On average, electric cars can last around 200,000 miles or 12 years, which is longer than the lifespan of an average gas car (150,000 miles or 8 years).
Charging Speed and Time
The most common problem that electric vehicle owners complain about is the time it takes to charge the vehicle.
Electric vehicles generally require less maintenance than their internal-combustion counterparts, but they are still complex machines that require service and maintenance. Electric motors have far fewer moving parts than internal combustion engines.
On average, you can expect the replacement cost of an electric car's battery to run from $5,000 to upward of $15,000, according to an article from Consumer Reports. As a general rule, the larger the battery is, the more expensive it is to replace.
Average Battery Replacement Costs
If an EV is no longer under warranty or if its battery is damaged in an accident and isn't covered by insurance, Recurrent estimates the out-of-pocket cost for a replacement ranges from $5,000 to $20,000. The total cost largely depends on the pack, size and manufacturer of the battery.
Tesla battery replacement cost varies depending on the labor and parts needed. Typically, depending on the car, the most basic battery replacement in Tesla costs between $5,000 and $20,000. For the Model S premium sedan, replacing a Tesla battery costs around $13,000-$20,000.
Electric vehicles will likely continue to become more prevalent in the coming years. It is projected that EVs could make up a total of 45% of global car sales by 2035. In contrast, sales of internal combustion engine (ICE) cars are expected to see a gradual decline as the market shifts towards EVs.
Even when your electric car is parked, it is often still powering several electric systems in your vehicle. Due to these systems, electric vehicles will lose very small quantities of charge when parked.
Manufacturers are so confident of the battery's road use that most electric cars come with an extended warranty of eight years, or 100,000 miles. Today, most EV batteries have a life expectancy of 15 to 20 years within the car – and a second life beyond.
While many do leave their electric car to charge every night, this can have negative effects on the battery's range and lifespan and it's only recommended that you charge when needing to do so, to ensure there's sufficient range in the vehicle for your next journey.
Electric cars have cooling systems in place to prevent fire or explosion. However, high temperatures, crashes, or overcharging can cause electric car batteries to ignite. The batteries, if damaged, can get wet and explode or catch fire, and if they do, the vapours can be extremely hazardous.
The Long Range and Performance trims have a mileage limit of 120,000 miles. These warranties guarantee that batteries will retain a minimum of 70% capacity retention within this period. If your battery falls below this level of capacity, Tesla may replace the battery under warranty at no additional cost.
Replacing The Battery
The hybrid replacement battery pack for a Toyota RAV4 costs anywhere from $2,000 to $6,000. However, the final sum depends on whether you get a new, used, or recycled battery, and it's possible to replace it for $1,500-$3,500.
Electric car battery technology
This decreases the range and time needed between each journey to charge. Most manufacturers have a five to eight-year warranty on their battery. However, the current prediction is that an electric car battery will last from 10 – 20 years before they need to be replaced.
The battery pack is by far the most expensive component, so price increases of other components are only critical for vendors of those components, not for vendors of entire powertrains or vehicles. The pie-chart below illustrates how the value of a battery pack dominates over other components.
Electric-Car Battery Recycling
The packs are shipped to a facility specializing in battery disassembly and recycling their components. Certain parts are easy: steel, copper, and aluminum scrap metal usually go into the nationwide metals-recycling stream.
Nissan Leaf owners should expect it to last around ten years. Depending on which model of the EV you own, you should be able to get between 84 - 145 miles from each charge. Lithium-ion batteries in EVs slowly degrade over time, and with each charging cycle, they get a little worse.
These disadvantages include finding charging stations, charging times, higher initial costs, limited driving range, and battery packs can be expensive to replace.
However, they run through tires faster than conventional vehicles. Regular tires wear out roughly 20% faster on an EV than on an internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicle. Many EVs today come with specialized tires, but even these typically need more frequent changes than traditional versions.
EV-specific tires could set you back between $150 to $300 per tire. Prices go up from there for some high-performance versions.