Rahul Somvanshi
Your electric car’s battery might last much longer than expected. A new study from Stanford researchers found EV batteries could last up to a third longer than previously believed. This means you could drive your electric car longer before needing expensive battery replacements.
“We’ve not been testing EV batteries the right way,” explains Simona Onori, who led the study. Instead of lab tests, researchers looked at how batteries perform during normal driving – like stopping at traffic lights, parking at grocery stores, and driving through neighborhoods.
Think of it like testing a phone battery. Testing it by continuously using it until it dies doesn’t reflect how we actually use phones throughout the day. The same goes for car batteries.
Current estimates show EV batteries can last 12 to 15 years or up to 200,000 miles in normal weather conditions, according to the Department of Energy. The new findings suggest these numbers might be too conservative.
Battery replacement costs are a major concern when buying an electric car. That’s why Autotrader now includes a battery health score when selling used EVs. “Used EVs are the best kept secret in car buying,” says Brian Moody from Autotrader, noting their cost savings and efficiency.
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Just like your phone battery needs proper care, EV batteries require good management. Recent cases show how important this is. One driver’s car battery suddenly dropped from 10% to 3% charge after driving 10,000 kilometers. In another instance, after a routine software update, the battery level dropped from 21% to 3%.
Car companies are working on better batteries. For example, the upcoming IM Motors L6 will use new technology that could let you drive up to 622 miles on a single charge.
The EV industry is growing fast and could be worth $800 billion by 2027. While making batteries still impacts the environment through mining materials like nickel and cobalt, researchers are developing cleaner methods and better recycling systems.
This research changes how we test and develop EV batteries. For buyers, it means more confidence that their electric car’s battery will last longer, making the switch to electric more practical and affordable.
