EV battery lifespan has gotten complicated with all the warranty claims and degradation studies flying around. As an electrician who’s been installing EV chargers for years and talks with owners about their real-world experiences, I learned everything there is to know about how long these batteries actually last. Today, I’ll share it all with you.
The Honest Answer
Probably should have led with this section, honestly — most modern EV batteries last 8-15 years or 100,000-200,000 miles before degradation becomes significant. That’s not failure — it’s gradual capacity reduction that affects range over time.
Batteries don’t die suddenly. They slowly hold less charge. A battery at 80% of original capacity still works fine — you just have 20% less range than when new.
What Affects Lifespan
Temperature Extremes
Heat degrades lithium-ion batteries faster than almost anything else. That’s what makes the Pacific Northwest relatively friendly to EV batteries — our moderate climate avoids the extremes that stress batteries in Arizona or Minnesota.
Charging Habits
Frequent fast charging and routinely charging to 100% accelerate wear. Daily charging to 80% on a home Level 2 charger is gentler on batteries than constant DC fast charging.
Deep Discharge Cycles
Running batteries very low regularly causes more wear than keeping them in the 20-80% range. Occasional deep discharge isn’t catastrophic, but making it a habit isn’t ideal.
Real-World Data
Studies of high-mileage EVs show most retain 80%+ of original capacity past 100,000 miles. Tesla data suggests average degradation around 10% in the first 160,000 miles. Individual results vary based on climate and usage patterns.
Warranty Protection
Most manufacturers warrant batteries for 8 years or 100,000 miles, guaranteeing at least 70% capacity. That’s a reasonable baseline expectation — most batteries exceed it.
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