These Electric Car Batteries Lasting The Longest

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One of the most common concerns about electric cars from people who haven’t bought one yet (and maybe even from EV owners) is how long the battery will last. Funny enough, a new study from Swedish used car platform Kvdbil finds that EV batteries actually hold up longer than gas engines.

Unfortunately, I’m not finding many details on this study, and the news stems from Sweden. I will try to get in touch with them for a more extensive discussion of this matter, but one key highlight from investigating the battery health of 723 fully electric cars and 643 plug-in hybrids is that about 80% of them had 90% or more of their initial battery capacity rating remaining after several years. (The exact number of years doesn’t seem to be reported anywhere — a key factor I’d like to get more info on).

“We have seen indications of this before,” said Martin Reinholdsson, test manager at Kvdbil. “We were a bit surprised that there were so many that were this good.”

Another big highlight is just which models have seen their battery capacity holding up the most. The top 10 list is as follows:

1. Kia EV6
2. Kia e-Niro
3. Tesla Model Y
4. Opel Mokka-e
5. Mazda MX-30
6. Audi Q4 e-tron
7. Fiat 500e
8. Volvo XC40 Recharge
9. Citroën e-C4
10. Volkswagen ID.4

Admittedly, I am not the most concerned about battery range. I think there’s an obsession with battery range that is often disconnected from what matters in the real world. Most people plug their cars in once every 2–3 days. Range is not a real issue. If you have a few more miles here or a few more miles there doesn’t really matter. Nevertheless, we all want our batteries to last as long as possible. So, I am happy to see that the model we are most likely to buy used one day, the Kia EV6, tops the chart!

The millions upon millions of Tesla Model 3 owners out there should also be happy to see it in third place. This was the best selling model — of any type of powertrain — in the world for a couple of years. It’s good to see that those initial owners and people who buy these vehicles used can enjoy long-lasting batteries. I’m confused (and perhaps slightly concerned), though, that my Tesla Model 3 is not on the top 10 list. Hmm … what is up with that?

It’s quite a varied list, though, and I think that just emphasizes again that EV batteries across the industry hold up well and one should not worry too much about battery degradation.

Of course, we should also probably mention that Sweden is a cold country, and batteries hold up better when they are not exposed to extreme heat — as they are here in Florida where I live. That doesn’t mean they don’t old up extremely well in hot climates as well. The come wrapped in battery packs and controlled by thermal battery management systems to make sure they stay healthy for as long as possible. Though, I presume someone with an electric car up north is going to see a bit less battery degradation than someone with an electric car in Florida.