How Long Do EV Batteries Really Last Compared To Gasoline Cars?

It's widely known that the battery pack in an electric vehicle is one of the most expensive components in the car, if not the  single most expensive part. So, many potential buyers are wary of the cost should they ever need to replace one. And this fear has helped, at least in part, to slow the adoption of electric cars and trucks.

But how realistic is is that the battery would need to be replaced? How long do EV batteries really last?

Spoiler: A lot longer than you might think!

Thankfully, a study released by Geotab, a United Kingdom–based vehicle telematics company, found that most electric vehicle batteries last between 15 and 20 years, with an average degradation rate of about 1.8% per year under moderate conditions. That's longer than the average age of all light vehicles on the road in the United States, which according to data from the U.S. Department of Transportation's Bureau of Transportation Statistics is about 12.6-years-old.

So what this means is that after 20 years that battery would still have 64% of its maximum capacity. Let's use the popular 2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 as an example. It has an EPA-estimated maximum range of 318 miles. If its battery degrades at 1.8% per year, that same Ioniq 5 will still be able to travel over 200 miles on a charge after 20 years of use. While that 203-mile range is less than the original range when the car was new, it's still plenty useable.

And of course, automakers and their suppliers are working on ways to get greater range out of the vehicles, and new battery chemistries that will last longer, be more sustainable, and offer even more energy density. And Intertek is helping with the research and development by testing these new batteries for durability, safety, and function. With EV battery testing in North America, Europe and Asia, Intertek is helping to assure that the electric vehicle you purchase today will keep you driving long into the future! 

All this sounds good, but things fail, right? Just how likely is it that a battery pack would need to be replaced?

Well, there is good news there as well! And the answer is… Not very likely!

According to InsideEVs, one study shows that EVs made in the last decade have had a battery failure rate of less than 0.5%, so there are occasions when high-voltage EV batteries do fail, but in statistically insignificant numbers.

Hopefully as the news of these new studies reaches potential EV consumers, it will give them a bit more peace of mind that the battery powering the car will last for years and years, and miles and miles!