How do electric car batteries cope at higher mileage? | in depth battery test analysis on 600 + cars

Comments · 277

• CH

  @ChrisHellas-x9e · 2 months ago

  I was sat on the fence for years about EV's. I had it in my mind that they were not the solution and the infrastructure was lacking, etc. etc. We hired an EV on holiday earlier this year for a day and it really changed my perspective in terms of features, performance and ability. We made the jump a few months ago to a BMW iX - love it!!. The tech. and the running costs etc make it a no brainer - happy to admit how wrong I was.

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• DO

  @dougowt · 2 months ago

  I have a 2016 Model S 85D. In 2023 it went into Tesla Bristol for the HV battery fuse to be replaced. While there, they pressure tested the HV battery to check the seal and it failed the test. The battery was working fine but they changed it for a refurbished battery under warranty. The mileage was about 250,000 at the time. Then January this year I hit a flood at night (didn’t see it) and I got a message on the dash when I got home saying the car may not restart. And it didn’t. Arvydas at EV Sales and Repairs offered to repair the battery or swap it for a 90 pack. I decided getting the 90 pack was a good move. It had covered 62,000 miles and the 90 pack has a better cooling system and weighs a bit less than the 85. The car had covered 299,800 miles at the time. Ironically, when we removed the refurbished pack, it hadn’t been sealed very well, but the modules were okay to reuse. The car has now covered 308,000 miles, charges faster, has a range of just over 300 miles and drives better than it ever has. Oh and it still has free Tesla charging.

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• FE

  @feetup-jf7kq · 2 months ago

  I have a 2021 model 3 sr with LFP bought new. I est it is around 95% capacity at 55,000 km, mostly AC charging at home (Australia). <br>Really enjoy your to the point, no BS content. &nbsp;It still gets me after years of EV driving how many people that have never even been in an EV have very polarised views.

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• RO

  @rogerfinch7651 · 2 months ago

  Be useful to see the graph with NMC vs LFP, and also the different brands in different graph views. Nice summary though. 😊

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• JA

  @jamesg5700 · 2 months ago (edited)

  Thank you for this helpful information, Richard. &nbsp;I&apos;m an EV convert and never looking back. Cheap charging at home, incredible performance, lower maintenance, no emissions from the car, and widening charging &nbsp;infrastructure = very rewarding ownership experience.

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• KI

  @kiae-nirodiariesencore4270 · 2 months ago

  I know of two Kia e-Niro taxis here in France that have reached 500,000 km on original batteries and motors. My 2019 model, owned from new is now on 145,000 km, all I had to replace so far is the 12v battery and tyres of course.

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• KA

  @kardy12 · 7 days ago (edited)

  Thanks for the video, confirms what I’ve seen via other sources as well.<br><br>One thing that might be useful to note is that while you focus primarily on mileage, which is about cycle aging, there is also a calendar aging element that can be significant.<br><br>I would have to dig out the sources, but as I recall statistics from older Model S and Y cars (since those are among the few where we have 10 years of history) suggest that 10 year old Model S and Y cars that have done 100k miles typically have around 90-95% of their original capacity, while 10 year old models that have done 200k miles have around 85-90% of the original capacity. When you factor in that after the first two years you typically loose around 2-3% (which is more about the chemistry adapting though early discharge cycles) those years from year 2 to year 10 contribute a broadly similar amount, or perhaps a bit more, of degradation on average as the increase in mileage from 100k to 200k.<br><br>So with lower mileage cars, much of the contribution to degradation really comes from calendar aging than cycle aging.

• MA

  @malccraven5276 · 2 months ago

  I liked what you did in the previous version of this a couple of years ago, separating the graphs into the different cars/brands. Whilst it&apos;s not the perfect comparison because of different reporting methods, it&apos;s helpful to know what to expect and that video was one of the ones that led to me purchasing an EV and influenced my choice slightly.

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• DA

  @dalroth10 · 2 months ago

  Thanks for taking the time and trouble to produce and post this video. &nbsp;I find it almost incredible that manufacturers are still making the wild and inaccurate claims about EV traction battery reliability. &nbsp;Lexus are now providing a 1 million mile warranty on the traction batteries of their BEV&apos;s. &nbsp;I&apos;m pretty sure they have noted the actual degradation of the latest battery technologies and realised the battery will probably outlast the rest of the car! &nbsp;And let&apos;s not forget those old, used, 1 million mile traction batteries can still be used for storing energy generated from other sources such as solar panels.

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• TI

  @timoliver8940 · 2 months ago (edited)

  I would never consider a high miles used ICE car, I’ve owned them with low miles but they still had warranty or an extended warranty was available- the best one I bought was a 1996 Defender 90 300TDI I bought in 2001 with 50k miles on it and ran it to 95000 miles mostly off-road before selling it to my next door neighbour in 2023 - he has since taken it well past 100,000 miles. In my ownership it needed a new chassis (common issue with 1996 Defenders) in 2010 and I managed to land the transfer case on a sharp rock hiding in a drainage ditch and long grass that meant a new transfer box in about 2015. It was the best £10k car I ever bought, sailed through every MOT and it got a full service annually even though some years it never managed to clear 1500 miles due to my work taking me overseas. I’m now on my 2nd EV and when it’s lease ends I will have no hesitation in looking at even high mileage EVs to replace it - my real concern would be the state of the computer system in the car and how much updating it needed and how it had stood up to body work corrosion. I’m aware of suspension issues with certain EVs and ICCU’s with others only the availability of spare parts for many of the Chinese brands would really put me off a used Chinese car but even they are improving that now. I would not ever consider buying a used PHEV or Hybrid, too complex and the HV batteries get an absolute hammering with the number if charging cycles that they get if used properly.

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• PE

  @peeble99 · 2 months ago

  My MY RWD LFP car is smack on that curve. 123 000 km (77 000 mi) and 93.1% SoH

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• AN

  @AnEngineer-k4i · 2 months ago

  Excellent video, once again.<br>Unfortunately people with set views aren&apos;t capable of understanding what you and others say. &nbsp;Let alone you showing them the data <br><br>As you see it the comments section.<br><br>My view is that if they want to continue spending thousands on fuel and maintenance, let &apos;em. &nbsp;They&apos;re only kidding themselves.<br><br>I had a Model Y for my last car, about to get another one, and we&apos;re going shopping this weekend for a used Model Y to replace our 105k Mazda CX-5 that&apos;s in perfect condition.

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