How Long does an Electric Car Battery Last?

(Last Updated On: April 16, 2021)

A long-lasting battery is a much concern for the investors as well as the user. How long does an electric car battery last? This article is all about how long does an electric car battery last?

How long does an electric car battery last?

First, it is important to understand that there is not just one type of battery. There are several types of batteries in the world nowadays. Nowadays, most vehicles use lithium-ion models that power laptops and smartphones. For plenty of reasons, we need batteries with different power, features, and properties.

The average battery life is comparatively high. The manufacturer always pays a concentration on the durability of the battery for better user experiences.

However, the battery capacity of the electric car is very high and an answer to how long does an electric car battery last!

It is described in lifetime cycles, that is, the number of charge/discharge cycles the battery can withstand. This feature is set during manufacturing as well as the right uses.

Depending on the type of lithium-ion battery, the number of cycles it can take is between 1,000 and 1,500. The optimum rotation number is fixed for the best performance of the battery.

So, if you drive a Renault ZOE with an average trip length of 30 km and charge the weekly battery, it will last for more than 20 years which is an answer to how long does an electric car battery lasts.

Some may question the theory that electric cars are not capable of making such a national claim, but tests with rechargeable battery technology have already shown that batteries can lose very little power over time.

The battery is very important for the appliances. The lifetime of the electric vehicle battery does not mean that it stops spinning once.

In turn, this means a reduction in power, which gradually decreases throughout battery use.

Below a certain percentage – 75% for Renault, for example – the initial reduction is considered to be very great compared to its initial capacity.

Nowadays, it is estimated that a battery reaches this point after 8 to 10 years, which is why the battery warranty term is almost the same length.

Science is running at a greater pace. But the technology is improving all the time, so the term will be significantly longer which is and an answer to how long does an electric car battery last.

Second Life of Battery

Some batteries can be recycled. This does not mean, however, that the spent batteries should be drained or forgotten. First, their materials can be recycled.

The longevity of the battery is quite expected. But they can also get new leases in life: after working as an automotive component, there is life as a power pack which is an answer to how long does an electric car battery last.

A battery charging and draining cycle

The rules for charging an electric car battery are the same as a smartphone battery. Charging the battery from 0 to 100% reduces its total capacity and consequently shortens its lifetime.

So it is important to not charge below 10% or exceed 90%, the general advice is to charge only 30 to 80% as much as possible.

The type of charge also affects the battery. Fast charging provides a great deal of power in the short run but has long-term detrimental effects and an answer to how long does an electric car battery last.

Thus, for the better of the electric vehicle, it is better to prefer slow low-voltage charging at home than ultra-fast charging stations.

What factors can cause battery life to change?

There are several factors that can change cause battery life to change. Fast top-ups are the best, which is lucky as electric cars increasingly use regenerative power systems.

Saving energy is good for the vehicle. When slowing or braking, the car usually saves a few percent of its energy to charge the battery, but it can reach 10% in certain situations (in hilly areas). This is enough to reduce the long charge to a lifetime.

Keep in mind that temperature has a big effect on the battery. Too hot and the battery capacity is permanently submerged.

There are some good things in battery manufacturing. Fortunately, there is a cooling system around the battery packs to counter the effects of extreme heat. In cold weather, the range is shortened, but it does not affect lifespan.

It is also important to know that the battery capacity described does not necessarily apply in practical terms.

Manufacturers keep a certain percentage of battery capacity fixed to prevent extreme charging and to extend the life and an answer to how long does an electric car battery last.

So, there is a difference of a few percent between usable and theoretical charges and this varies between brands. For example, Renault has the ability to use 50 kilowatts just like the new ZOE.

The capacity of all batteries is not the same. The capacity of the installed battery pack is a very important variable that affects a lifetime.

To cover the same distance, a 20 kWh battery needs to be charged almost twice as much as a 40 kWh battery. So with shorter cycles, the life span is longer.

What is the future of electric vehicle batteries?

Will the future be all about “solid-state batteries”? They separate lithium-ion batteries by solid and – not liquid – electrolytes, which provide the ability to store a large amount of energy, but without any drawbacks.

Further improvements can be made to the batteries, especially to resolve potential overheating issues and to reduce the risk of accidents.

Higher capacity reduces the number of charge/drain cycles and thereby increases battery life and an answer to how long does an electric car battery lasts.

Some batteries are exclusive to others. An electric vehicle battery is very resistant, with more than two decades of life. The lifetime can be longer if you only pay for partial and low voltage charges.

As such, the battery boasts of a very low carbon footprint for increasingly consistent use in the vehicle.

If a second life is added to the outside of the vehicle to save green electricity from uninterrupted renewable sources, the battery demonstrates its full potential and an answer to how long does an electric car battery lasts. This is a great invention from the manufacturer as well as the user’s point of view.