The number of electric vehicle owners is growing annually, and the vast majority of motorists are fully on board with the concept and the need to adopt this future-proof and environmentally friendly technology.
Having said that, there are bound to be some questions you will have before fully committing to buying an EV. One of those questions would be about the typical lifespan of an electric vehicle.
When you are visiting a site like a used Volkswagen dealership Austin TX, that may be one of the questions you have after you find a model that catches your eye.
So that you have some prior knowledge in this area, let’s take a look at the typical lifespan of an electric vehicle and what factors come into consideration to arrive at the answer.
Different set of rules
Ultimately, electric cars are no different from their fossil-fueled predecessors in that they still have a finite lifespan. No car lasts forever, of course, but an EV takes a different journey as it uses a lot of different components, particularly a battery that powers the vehicle rather than a combustion engine.
A key point to keep in mind with regard to battery life is that EV batteries will only last a certain amount of time before a process of chemical and physical changes has an impact on their ability to power your vehicle.
It’s important to note that not all electric car batteries are created equal. Although every battery’s performance will diminish slowly over a period of time, some enjoy greater longevity than others.
The durability and quality of the components used to make the battery are key factors in determining its lifespan. It is also highly relevant to ask what happens to your battery and what your replacement options are when it reaches the end of its useful life.
Typical lifespan
Given the considerations outlined above, it’s not a precise science to say with any certainty how long your EV battery, or vehicle, will last. If you want a typical estimate to use as a rough guide, it’s fair to say that most modern electric vehicles are intended to last for somewhere between 15 and 20 years.
That compares favourably to the typical lifespan of an internal combustion engine vehicle. As you would expect, the primary factor in determining how long your EV will last is battery life. EV batteries are deemed to be approaching the end of their useful life when they fall below somewhere between 70% and 80% of their original capacity.
A good reassurance to keep in mind is that advancements in battery technology are pushing the longevity average up higher each year. It is also worth noting that the majority of EV car manufacturers tend to offer warranties that typically cover either eight years of motoring or covering a distance of 160,000 km.
It is often the case that an electric vehicle will easily outlive this timespan. Recent research tends to suggest that a typical EV battery degrades by less than 2% each year. That means you can reasonably expect your electric vehicle to maintain its performance for a period beyond its estimated 20 year lifespan.
That compares favourably to the time and money spent trying to keep a fossil fuel-propelled car on the road.
