New Research Suggests Concerns About EV Battery Life May Be Overblown

People don’t seem to be fretting about EV range anymore, as many new models are able to achieve similar numbers to their gas-only counterparts. One of the most common remaining concerns is about EV battery longevity and the replacement costs, but a recent study from the SLAC-Stanford Battery Center suggests that real-world driving has less of an impact on battery life than lab testing, which could mean that most will last longer than people think.

Researchers examined two different scenarios, with one focused on controlled lab conditions and the other looking at real-world driving. Lab tests involve charging and discharging with a constant current, while the real-world tests are closer to what an EV owner would experience, with variable charging and discharging rates.

The results were surprising: Batteries tested in real-world conditions scored better on the test’s battery health metrics than those that lived in a controlled environment. That could suggest that everyday driving taxes batteries less than previously thought, which would mean a longer battery life.

If an EV battery does eventually need replacing, the costs can be severe. Owners have reported paying up to $16,000 for a replacement battery, which would easily eclipse the value of many used EVs on the road today. The good news is that most batteries are expected to last up to 12 years or more, and all new EVs come with at least an eight-year/100,000-mile battery warranty.

[Images: Chevrolet, Subaru, Kia]

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