How Long Do Electric Vehicle Batteries Last?
2 Answers
Electric vehicle batteries typically last about 3 to 5 years, while higher-quality ones can last 5 to 6 years. Classification of Electric Vehicle Batteries: They are divided into two main categories: storage batteries and fuel cells. Storage batteries are suitable for pure electric vehicles and include lead-acid batteries, nickel-metal hydride batteries, sodium-sulfur batteries, secondary lithium batteries, air batteries, and ternary lithium batteries. Applications of Fuel Cells: Fuel cells are specifically used for fuel cell electric vehicles and include alkaline fuel cells (AFC), phosphoric acid fuel cells (PAFC), molten carbonate fuel cells (MCFC), solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC), proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFC), and direct methanol fuel cells (DMFC).
My neighbor has been driving an electric car for four years, and he says battery degradation isn't as scary as imagined. When new, the car showed a range of 420 km, and now at 100% charge it displays around 390 km. The repair shop technician told me the key factors are cycle count and calendar life. Most cars can handle 1,500-2,000 full charge-discharge cycles. Charging once a week means it should last ten years. Calendar life is generally eight to ten years, and faster discharge in winter doesn't count as real degradation. Recently, a Tesla owner in a group chat shared their experience with 500,000 km on the odometer, with battery health still above 85%. The key is to avoid regularly draining the battery completely before recharging.
