Do I need to replace an electric car battery

One of the biggest concerns for drivers interested in making the switch from petrol/diesel cars to an electric vehicle is the battery life.

Will they need to replace the battery every 2 years? 5 years? There is a lot of misinformation out there so it’s important to know the facts before you make your purchase.

The difference between ICE and EV engines

Aside from the obvious – the type of fuel they use – EV engines are distinctive from the traditional way in the fact that they include far fewer parts.

Combustion engines are prone to wear and tear simply because of the high number of moving parts used to make them. EV batteries are far simpler and more streamlined, meaning there’s less chance of breakdown.

Electric car battery technology

With an EV battery, like most electric batteries, every time it is depleted and you recharge your battery, it is undergoing a cycle that impacts its longevity.

This is known as a cycle of discharge and it’s the same as when you charge your phone battery. The more you charge an electric battery, the less overall life it has.

Battery degradation

A lot of work has been put into making sure your EV battery has a long lifespan. One of the most important changes is ensuring that the EV battery never ‘runs dry’.

For EVs, batteries are made so that drivers don’t use the full amount of power stored in the battery, reducing the number of cycles the battery goes through.

EV batteries are known to degrade faster if the following circumstances are regularly met;

The battery is repeatedly used down to zero and then is charged back to full
The battery is frequently charged using a Fast Charge mode

It is recommended that you keep your EV charge between 20% to 80% to make the battery last longer.
Additionally, EV manufacturers are aware that their batteries need to have a substantial lifespan and so are designing their batteries to last as long as possible, while still adhering to eco-friendly standards.

On average you’ll find your EV battery has a warranty of 5 to 8 years. Nissan states that that its electric car batteries will last eight years or 100,000 miles, for example and Tesla offers a similar warranty.

However, the current prediction is that these batteries will have a lifespan of at least 10 to 20 years.

Recycling your EV battery

EV batteries are green in more ways than one. As well as providing green energy for driving, once the battery is no longer usable for your vehicle, it can still be used in your home.

EV batteries can work as storage for your home PV systems, storing the energy you generate from your solar panels or from wind energy.

The smart choice

Making the decision to switch to an electric vehicle is not only a great choice for the environment, but it could also save you money in the long run.

By charging your EV battery in the smartest ways, and reusing your batteries in your home energy systems, EVs can last longer and give you more life than any standard combustion car.