An analysis of data from tens of thousands of electric vehicles has revealed how driver habits and external factors affect battery lifespan, infohub.kz reports.
Geotab examined real-world performance data from more than 22,700 EVs across 21 models. On average, batteries lose about 2.3% of their capacity per year, retaining nearly 82% of their range even after eight years of active driving. However, certain conditions can significantly accelerate this process, reducing a vehicle's range and its resale value.
Researchers identified regular DC fast charging as one of the key risk factors. For owners who connected their cars to fast chargers more than 12% of the time, batteries degraded at a rate of 2.5% per year, compared with 1.5% for those who used them less often. High charging power adds further strain: in cars frequently charged at stations above 100 kW, annual capacity loss reached 3%.
The environment also plays a notable role. In hot-climate regions where temperatures exceed 25 degrees Celsius on more than a third of the days in a year, wear proceeded 0.4% faster because of increased chemical activity inside the cells. The report's authors stress that gradual degradation is inevitable, but careful charging habits can significantly extend a battery's life.