EV Batteries Last Far Longer Than Expected, Data Shows

Electric vehicle batteries are proving far more durable than skeptics predicted, and the numbers are turning heads across the auto industry.

London-based company Generational analyzed more than 8,000 battery tests across 36 automakers and discovered something remarkable. The average EV battery still holds 95.15% of its original capacity, even after years of use.

The study examined vehicles ranging from brand new to 12 years old, with mileage spanning from zero to over 160,000 miles. What researchers found challenges everything we thought we knew about battery longevity.

Cars between four and five years old showed a median battery health of 93.53%. Even vehicles aged eight to nine years maintained 85% of their original capacity.

Perhaps most surprisingly, high-mileage EVs with over 100,000 miles frequently showed battery health between 88% and 95%. These numbers far exceed the typical manufacturer warranty threshold of 70% capacity after eight years or 100,000 miles.

The study revealed something traditional car buyers might find counterintuitive. Mileage alone doesn't predict battery health anymore.

A three-year-old fleet vehicle with 90,000 miles could have a healthier battery than a six-year-old car with only 30,000 miles. How the vehicle was charged and maintained matters more than how far it traveled.

The findings suggest that battery condition depends heavily on usage patterns and charging behavior, not just age or distance driven. This changes everything about how we should evaluate used EVs.

The Bright Side

This breakthrough matters for everyone considering an electric vehicle, not just early adopters. For buyers worried about expensive battery replacements, the data offers genuine reassurance.

The biggest barrier to used EV sales isn't actual battery problems. It's uncertainty about battery condition.

Philip Nothard, chair of the Vehicle Remarketing Association, noted that transparency will prove crucial in building consumer confidence. Verified battery testing could soon become as standard as mileage checks when buying a used car.

For insurers and warranty providers, this means they can base pricing on actual performance rather than conservative guesswork. Fleet operators can refine their vehicle strategies knowing their EVs will last longer than expected.

The research does show one important trend. The gap between well-maintained and poorly maintained batteries widens as vehicles age, but even the lower-performing batteries in the study remained well above warranty thresholds.

If battery health reporting becomes standard practice, it could remove much of the uncertainty that still clouds the secondhand EV market today.