In addition to concerns about the short range compared to ICE vehicles, EV owners are also often plagued by the issue of their vehicle batteries not lasting long. Therefore, it has become a trend to replace EVs earlier than ICE vehicles before the high cost of battery replacement has to be borne by the owner. According to a recent study by Geotab, EV owners may not need to worry because the average lifespan of a vehicle battery is now around 13 years.
Geotab collected data on more than 22,700 EVs covering 21 manufacturers and models since 2020. On average, they found that battery capacity decreases by 2.3% each year. After 12 years, the battery still has around 75% of its original capacity. This is a fairly good lifespan because on average, owners will buy a new vehicle every 8 years. The battery is still in good condition when the new car is purchased.
At the same time, the study also found that battery health will decrease faster if the owner uses a DC fast charger compared to the slower AC level 2 charger. Like smartphones, the key to better EV battery life is charging slowly.
