When most people talk about why electric vehicles are good, they often mention range, efficiency, charging infrastructure, and environmental benefits. However, one important aspect that most people overlook is how much it will cost to replace the EV battery and how long it will last until it needs to be changed.
In fact, an EV's battery is its single most expensive component. Let’s dig deeper to analyze the cost.
How Long Does an EV Battery Last?
On average, your EV battery should last at least 200,000 miles before you should think about replacing it, or a lot more if you're willing to put up with some capacity and range loss. Most manufacturers have a warranty that covers the battery pack for up to 100,000 miles.
If you’re driving a Tesla, you can expect the battery to last anywhere between 300,000 and 500,000 miles before it must be replaced. The vast majority of EV manufacturers use lithium-ion batteries to power their EVs, just like Tesla, so you can expect their batteries to have a similar lifespan unless your EV uses a different type of battery.
How you take care of your EV's battery plays a big part in how long it lasts, as do environmental conditions and how many miles you drive every year. Constantly fast-charging your EV could also shorten the lifespan of its battery, just like allowing the state of charge to fall below 20% or exceed 80%.
Freezing or hot environments that are beyond your control could shorten the lifespan of your EV battery, but there are ways you could take care of your EV in freezing conditions to prevent it.
Regardless, with proper care, your original EV battery should keep you on the road for at least 15 to 20 years before you need a replacement. It could last longer than that if you don’t drive too often or if you exclusively charge at home and keep the vehicle in a garage that has temperature control.
The Cost to Replace an EV Battery
Replacing an EV battery pack could set you back anywhere from $5,000 to $20,000, depending on the size, pack, and manufacturer. For example, it should cost you around $5,000 to replace a 24 kWh battery pack on a Nissan Leaf, but the cost will increase up to $12,000 if it comes with a bigger 40 kWh battery. Similarly, you could end up paying around $16,000 to replace a 60 kWh battery pack on a Chevy Bolt.
Replacing a Tesla battery is more expensive, though, and you can expect to pay over $20,000, including labor. Alternatively, you could replace the Tesla battery modules (of which there are up to 16 in a battery pack) individually at a cost of $5,000 to $7,000 per unit.
Here is a table showing the average estimated cost for a replacement battery pack for some of the most popular EVs in 2023. Keep in mind that you will have to factor in labor costs as well.
EV Model | Battery Pack Size | Average Battery Replacement Cost |
|---|---|---|
BMW i3 | 18.2 kWh, 27.2 kWh, 37.9 kWh | $12,000 to $16,000 |
Chevrolet Bolt | 60 kWh, 66 kWh | $16,000 to $16,500 |
Ford F-150 Lightning | 98 kWh, 131 kWh | $30,000 to $35,000 |
Ford Mustang Mach-E | 68 kWh, 88 kWh | $18,500 to $24,000 |
Hyundai Ioniq 5 | 58 kWh, 77.4 kWh | $12,000 to $18,000 |
Nissan Leaf | 24 kWh, 30 kWh, 40 kWh, 60 kWh | $5,000 to $12,000 |
Tesla Model 3 | 54 kWh, 60 kWh, 62 kWh, 75 kWh, 78.1 kWh, 82 kWh | $13,000 to $18,000 |
Tesla Model S | 40 kWh, 60 kWh, 70 kWh, 75 kWh, 85 kWh, 90 kWh, 100 kWh, 104 kWh | $13,000 to $21,000 |
Tesla Model X | 60 kWh, 75 kWh, 90 kWh, 100 kWh | $14,000 to $21,000 |
Tesla Model Y | 67.6 kWh, 81 kWh | $13,000 to $18,000 |
Volkswagen ID.4 | 62 kWh, 82 kWh | $15,000 to $18,000 |
Beyond that, the cost of replacing your EV battery depends on the market’s demand and supply. According to a 2022 analysis by BloombergNEF, the average cost of replacing an EV battery pack is $151 per kWh. At the current projection, BloombergNEF estimates that the average price of replacement EV battery packs could drop to less than $100 per kWh by 2026.
In other words, it could be cheaper for you to replace your EV battery once more automakers adopt electric cars by the end of this decade. Case in point? The average cost of replacing an EV battery pack was $732 per kWh in 2013, but it dropped drastically to $151 per kWh in a span of 10 years as electric vehicles became more popular.
When Should You Replace Your EV Battery?
There is no specific timeline for when you should replace your EV battery since each use case is different. However, you should watch for the following signs that it may be time to give your car a new pack:
- Degradation brings your battery to less than 70% of its original capacity.
- When the battery takes unusually long to charge or doesn’t charge at all. This could be a sign that the charging system is faulty, so you may also want to have that checked before committing to a battery replacement.
- The battery starts overheating to the extent that it becomes a fire hazard. Some signs of a potential fire due to battery overheating include smoke, odor, swelling of the pack itself, and a hissing sound.
- The pack got damaged in an accident.
Does the Warranty Cover Battery Replacement?
In North America and Europe, automakers offer a minimum EV battery warranty of 8 years or 100,000 miles, regardless of the car model. That aside, your electric car manufacturer will replace the battery if it loses more than 30% of its original capacity during the warranty period.
EV batteries can also be replaced after the warranty has expired if they have a known product defect that could potentially cause harm, although only if the manufacturer is at fault.
However, it’s important to read the fine print of the battery warranty. This is because your battery warranty could be voided if certain conditions are not met. For instance, if you install non-approved parts on your EV battery pack or intentionally damage the battery, your warranty could be voided.
EV Batteries Are Expensive to Replace
In a nutshell, EV batteries are expensive to replace, and you will probably spend anywhere between $12,000 and $20,000 depending on the car model. Nevertheless, you should be able to drive your electric car for over 20 years without replacing the battery.
Not to mention, the cost of replacing your EV batteries could be reduced by half over the next decade as the production of electric vehicles ramps up across the globe and more advanced methods of recycling them are introduced.
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