How long do electric car batteries last? How do they work? These are questions that many drivers are asking as electric vehicles become increasingly popular, affordable, and powerful.
Our team at Freedom National has put together the ultimate guide to answer all of your most important questions about electric car batteries, including:
- How long do electric car batteries last?
- How do electric car batteries work?
- How do you know your electric car battery needs to be replaced?
- What type of batteries are used in electric cars
- How do you charge an electric battery?
- How far can you go on a single charge?
- How to make your electric car battery last longer
- How to replace a battery in an electric car
- How do dispose of an electric car battery
We hope this guide helps new electric vehicle owners get a handle on the convenience and power that comes from going electric. After all, EVs are designed to be simpler and more reliable than gas-powered vehicles. You don’t want to make it more complicated by failing to understand the basics of how they work. Let’s get started!
How Electric Car Batteries Work
In the same way that an internal combustion engine uses gasoline and tiny, repeated explosions to make the vehicle go, electric car batteries use battery power to get the same result. The charged battery turns a crank, which in turn is connected to the axles which move the wheels.
Like any battery, electric car batteries have a limited amount of charge they can hold before it’s depleted and the battery must be recharged. They’re recharged by being plugged directly into a household wall outlet (standard charging) or into a special Level 2 or Level 3 charging station (fast charging.)
Many electric vehicle batteries have what’s known as a battery management system, or BMS, designed to keep the battery from ever fully draining or being fully charged. Allowing a battery to get completely empty or completely full to capacity leads it to degrade more quickly, which can mean a shorter total lifespan of that battery.
Because of the simple design of electric car batteries, they tend to last significantly longer than internal combustion engines and their associated parts. But just how long do electric car batteries last?
How Long Do Electric Car Batteries Last?
Right now, electric car batteries tend to last as long as 200,000 miles or more before they need to be replaced. Meanwhile, many electric car batteries now feature individual modules that can be replaced without having to take out the entire battery and put in a new one. This is much more cost-effective than a full replacement, and many batteries have one or two modules fail before the entire battery becomes useless.
That said, identifying exactly how long your electric car battery will last is a tricky problem, because no two vehicles or drivers are the same. Factors such as driving habits, total mileage, type of vehicle, and driving environment can all have a major impact on whether you have a battery that goes the distance or one that leaves you wishing for more.
How Do You Know Your Electric Car Battery Needs to Be Replaced?
So, how do you know that your electric car battery needs to be replaced? Many of the newer electric vehicle models will tell you, providing an alert on the car’s heads-up display informing you that the life of your battery is fading.
Otherwise, electric car batteries are like many other batteries— you can tell their time is short when they stop holding a charge. If you begin to notice that you’re having to charge your battery more and more to go the same distance, it could be a sign that your vehicle is nearing the end of its battery life. That said, don’t try to diagnose a battery issue yourself. Bring your vehicle in for service with professionals who are experienced with your make and model.
Charging an Electric Car Battery
Wondering how to charge an electric car battery?
The simplest way is by plugging it directly into a wall outlet in your home. This is possible with nearly all electric vehicles, but there is a catch. Charging this way takes a significantly long time, providing just 3-5 miles of driving distance per hour of charge.
Meanwhile, Level 2 charging requires a special charging station but can more than triple the charging speed. Level 2 chargers are the standard in public places and when people purchase charging stations for their homes.
You may also find Level 3 charging stations, though these are less common. These are capable of charging electric car batteries at blazing speeds— providing up to 150 miles of driving distance in just 30 minutes.
How Far Can You Go on a Single Charge in an Electric Car?
Since the very first electric vehicle hit the road, manufacturers have been searching for ways to allow them to go further on a single charge. Early electric car models could only manage mileage that barely cracked double digits. Now, their range is much higher.
Low-end model electric vehicles will still be able to get you around town and can manage the average standard commute to and from work in a day without needing to be charged. Meanwhile, manufacturers such as Tesla are pushing the boundaries of electric car battery range with single-charge distances of nearly 500 miles.
What Affects the Lifetime of an Electric Car Battery?
A range of factors can affect the lifetime of an electric car battery. Of course there’s the matter of how much the battery is used— the more it’s used, the faster its lifespan will be depleted. But there are other driving and charging habits that can impact your electric car battery’s lifetime.
For example, it’s widely known that repeated use of Level 3 fast charging for your vehicle can degrade it more quickly than standard charging. That’s because the energy produced by these fast chargers results in heat that speeds up the process of battery aging. While occasional Level 3 charging for road trips won’t make a huge difference in your battery’s lifespan, you should avoid fast charging unless it’s really necessary.
The quality of the battery itself also affects its lifespan. Car manufacturers are constantly looking for ways to make more durable, dependable, and long-lasting batteries. In fact, both Tesla and GM have stated that they’re well on their way to producing a 1 million mile battery. While this might seem futuristic given that current batteries are only expected to last less than a third of that, researchers say the science is already there.
But until the 1 million mile battery makes its appearance, it’s worth considering whether there are any changes you can make to your driving and charging habits to make your own electric car battery last even longer.
How to Make Your Electric Car Battery Last Longer
How long do electric car batteries last? That depends a lot on you. The choices you make and the way you maintain your electric vehicle can either extend your battery’s lifespan or decrease it dramatically.
For example, we already mentioned how excessive fast charging can lead to faster battery degradation. It’s also been shown that allowing a battery to go all the way flat and then charging it fully to 100% again and again can also degrade your battery more quickly.
Fortunately, EVs have a battery management system designed to keep you from ever completely draining or completely charging your battery, except in emergency situations. This helps keep your battery lasting as long as possible so you can enjoy your electric vehicle for years to come and across hundreds of thousands of miles.
Some other tips for extending the life of an electric car battery you may recognize from your days driving a gas-powered vehicle with a traditional engine. Accelerating too quickly doesn’t just burn up your battery’s current cycle more quickly, it can also degrade your battery’s long-term lifespan. So while you might be tempted to test Tesla’s claim of 0 to 60 in 2.4 seconds, doing so too often won’t be good for your battery.
Can You Put a 3rd Party Battery in an Electric Car?
You cannot currently purchase an aftermarket or 3rd party battery to replace the manufacturer’s original one in your vehicle. Car enthusiasts are used to being able to save money by getting a 3rd party part to replace a more expensive one in their vehicle that may have failed or been worn out, but that’s not the case with electric car batteries. If your electric car battery should fail, have a look at your warranty— most manufacturers have robust battery warranties and will replace or repair your battery at no cost.
Disposing of an Electric Car Battery
If you somehow find yourself with an unused electric car battery or battery component, don’t just throw it away! Battery components can be recycled to be used in other products, and simply throwing them away can be harmful to the environment— the exact opposite of the purpose of electric powered vehicles in the first place!
When in doubt, your best bet is to call the dealership where you purchased your vehicle or look online at the manufacturer’s website for information about recycling. Many EV manufacturers are creating recycling programs for spend batteries and battery components.
Are Electric Cars More Reliable than Traditional Vehicles?
Thanks to their use of a simple battery versus a complex internal combustion engine with hundreds of moving parts, electric vehicles tend to be much more reliable than traditional vehicles. They require less maintenance, have less parts that can malfunction, and are more straightforward when it comes to assessing the root causes of issues.
That said, electric cars do require maintenance. Components such as wheels, tires, and electrical components can and do fail or get worn down and need replacement. Keep this in mind when budgeting for an electric vehicle— your maintenance costs will be reduced, but they won’t be zero.
Conclusion
We hope we’ve been able to help demystify some of the aspects of owning and driving an electric vehicle. At Freedom National, we’re huge supporters of finding ways to reduce environmental impact— and thanks to the massive influx of stylish, powerful, and safe electric vehicles, you don’t have to pick between responsible choices and enjoyable driving. You can have both! These are just some of the advantages we have seen with electric vehicles.
At Freedom National, we’re here to help get you insured regardless of what kind of vehicle you drive. Visit our quote page to get a fast online quote and find the perfect insurance offer based on your unique needs. It’s all here at Freedom National, the best place to get cheap car insurance online.
