When most people purchase a new or used car, they drive off the lot with a vehicle they hope lasts them a long time.
Drive, an Australian publication that reviews and covers "all things automotive" recently published an article detailing how long Tesla batteries last and how owners can get them to last even longer.
The outlet sourced an April 2024 report by British personal finance site NimbleFins that studied "real life" Tesla battery deterioration, compiling nine years' worth of data. NimbleFins concluded that a Tesla battery can retain around 80% of its original charging range for around 10 years.
Just because the battery has deteriorated and may not hold a charge as well, that doesn't mean the car is completely kaput. It can still provide plenty of distance, and even if you want a little extra storage to reduce range anxiety, you can always get a new one.
There are also ways to extend your EV battery's lifespan even longer than expected. Avoiding frequent supercharging, fully draining your battery, and aggressive driving can aid in elongating your battery's life.
Dr. Adam Best, principal battery researcher within Australia's National Science Agency, told Drive that doing "partial state of charge cycling" can lead to "tremendously long life cycles" for electric car batteries.
Best added, "Keeping the charge level between 20 percent and 80 percent can help to extend the life of your EV."
Additionally, a 2023 study revealed that Teslas in colder and coastal climates tend to have batteries that last longer than those in warmer climates. At least one Tesla owner has lauded their battery's longevity after driving upwards of 200,000 miles.
Drivers can save a significant amount of money driving an EV, thanks to the lower cost of charging with electricity rather than refueling with gas. Thanks to fewer moving mechanical parts, EVs require a lot less maintenance, too.
🗣️ If you were going to purchase an EV, which of these factors would be most important to you?
🔘 Cost 💰
🔘 Battery range 🔋
🔘 Power and speed 💪
🔘 The way it looks 😎
🗳️ Click your choice to see results and speak your mind
Driving an EV is also better for the environment. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, EVs typically produce less planet-warming pollution than gas-guzzling alternatives, even when accounting for the pollution produced during manufacturing.
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