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EVs are predicted to last as long - if not longer - than gas cars, but they are too new to know for sure.
The average age of light vehicles in the United States is 12.5 years. The average American drives about 13,500 miles per year and the average passenger vehicle travels about 127,000 miles in its lifetime, so most passenger vehicles last about 10 years, almost 15 if you can keep the car running for 200,000 miles.
Predictive modeling from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) suggests today’s electric vehicle batteries should last 12 to 15 years. Most EV batteries will last long enough they never need to be replaced. Based on Recurrent’s data, across all years and models, only 2.5% of EV batteries have been replaced. Most of those replacements are for cars that are more than nine years old. For newer EVs, less than 1% have needed battery replacements. Plus, every new electric vehicle sold in the U.S. comes with a federally mandated battery warranty for 8 years or 100,000 miles.
Looking beyond the battery, electric vehicles have fewer moving parts than gas cars, meaning EVs require less maintenance, are cheaper to maintain, and are ultimately more reliable than gas cars. They are also cheaper to operate in all 50 states.
Dive Deeper:
- New Updates: How Long Do Electric Car Batteries Last?
- Is the odometer really meaningless? What you need to ask about a used EV
- Do Electric Cars Need Oil Changes? All About EV Maintenance
