Here’s a research report that reinforces what I’ve learned over the 12 years in which I’ve been driving an EV for 100% of my local driving. In 2013, as I started hearing more and more about the need to transition from gas to electric vehicles, and as I was saying how much I valued a commitment to true Sustainable Living, I thought I should “walk the talk.” So …
I bought a Mercedes 2-seat SMART e-car. It has a reported range of 70 miles per charge, so I worried about what would happen if I ran out of power …
“Walk to the nearest station for a can of electricity?”
Well, I found that batteries hold more power in warmer weather, so my real range was 60 miles in the winter and 80 miles in the summer. However, the car has a gauge, just like a gas car, telling me how much power remains. Just as I’ve never run out of gas, I’ve never run out of electricity. However …
The economic benefits were actually the most startling.
I have PV panels on my home, so powering my e-car costs nothing. It took me a while to stop looking at current gas price signs at gas stations; now, I just smile as I drive by. Plus, while my gas car always seems to run around $750 or so for an annual checkup, my e-car annual only costs $220; they check the battery, clean a filter, and check the tires and brakes. There are no spark plugs or carburetors or mufflers or tailpipes, etc., to check. What’s worse …
I’m amazed that people I know who live on very small incomes are adamant about saying “I will never drive an e-car!” Are we so stuck with our gas habit that, like the lemmings, we’ll also walk into the sea? Comments afterwards.
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Today’s EV Batteries May Last Up to
40% Longer Than Expected, Study Finds
By: Paige Bennett
Edited by Chris McDermott
EcoWatch
December 12, 2024
A new study has revealed that modern batteries in electric vehicles may last up to 40% longer than expected thanks to stop-and-go driving patterns that help recharge batteries on the go.
According to researchers, the common lab testing methods to determine battery life may not be the most accurate way to estimate how long EV batteries will last. In lab testing, batteries are often discharged at an ongoing rate, then recharged all at once.
But as the researchers pointed out, EV drivers experience different discharge rates in long spans of driving or stop-and-go traffic. These more frequent cycles of discharging the battery and recharging during braking could help preserve battery life.
Researchers tested 92 commercial lithium-ion batteries for a 24-month period, using both the constant discharge method as well as real-driving scenarios. The batteries tested under real driving methods had a better life expectancy, with about 38% improvement, compared to those tested under common lab testing scenarios. The team published the findings in the journal Nature Energy.
Simona Onori, senior author of the study and an associate professor of energy science and engineering at Stanford University’s Doerr School of Sustainability, said in a statement …
“To our surprise, real driving with frequent
acceleration, braking that charges the
batteries a bit, stopping to pop into a store,
and letting the batteries rest for hours at a
time, helps batteries last longer than we had
thought based on industry standard lab tests.”
According to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, EV batteries are estimated to last for around 12 to 15 years in mild climates or around 8 to 12 years in extreme climates. But the real battery degradation of EVs is still difficult to determine, since many EVs that are currently on the road were bought within the last few years, Recurrent Auto reported, with many EV batteries lasting well beyond the common 8-year, 100,000 mile warranty.
Although Electrek reported that battery prices just fell by the biggest rate since 2017, with a 20% drop in battery prices for 2024, the prices can still be of concern to consumers considering the switch to an EV over a gas-fueled vehicle. As the study authors pointed out, EV batteries still make up about one-third of the cost of a new electric car. Further, according to NerdWallet, replacing an out-of-warranty electric car battery can cost between $5,000 to $20,000.
But with an increased longevity for EV batteries, swapping to an EV could be a more economical choice for consumers when compared to paying for more frequent battery replacements, plus fuel, in gas-powered vehicles. As NerdWallet reported, traditional vehicle batteries cost around $60 to $300 each, with replacements necessary every 3 to 5 years, according to AAA.
As Electrek reported, electric batteries are predicted to fall even lower in the coming years, reaching around $69 per kWh by 2030.
The findings could also improve consumer confidence in secondhand EVs, considering a Green Finance Institute survey found that 62% of respondents who didn’t already own an EV said they wouldn’t buy a used electric car due to concerns over battery health.
Although the researchers noted that dynamic cycling can extend the lifespan of an EV battery compared to constant cycling, they explained that time-induced aging will still affect batteries. Proper battery charging practices and vehicle maintenance will still be important for users to consider when maximizing the lifespan of their EV batteries.
Alexis Geslin, a lead author of the study and a Ph.D. student in materials science and engineering as well as in computer science at Stanford University’s School of Engineering, said …
“We battery engineers have assumed
that cycle aging is much more import-
ant than time-induced aging. That’s
mostly true for commercial EVs like
buses and delivery vans that are almost
always either in use or being recharged.
“For consumers using their EVs to get
to work, pick up their kids, go to the
grocery store, but mostly not using them
or even charging them, time becomes the
predominant cause of aging over cycling.”
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It took me a while to get comfortable moving without noise; there’s no engine sound, as batteries make no noise when transmitting power. Over about 30 mph, the friction of air against the car body does product noise. That’s why e-car manufacturers often include a noise-maker, so pedestrians in a parking lot can hear you coming.
It also took me a while to get used to the instant power when the traffic light turned green; my e-car is far more powerful from a standing start than my gas cars were. I’m often actually pushed into the back of the seat.
Rather than taking my word for all this, as cars are often the second most expensive thing we buy, perhaps there’s a low-cost method for seeing what it’s like to drive an e-car. I’m hearing that more and more e-car dealers will let prospective customers take the car out for a drive.
If I see a new entrée or dessert at a restaurant, I’ll usually try it once before I decide to add it to what I’ll order regularly. Then I can make my own decision to try it again. Perhaps that would be the same approach to seeing if you might enjoy driving an e-car – even more than a gas car – as much as I do. And if you do, you might then enjoy the economic benefits as well.