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Real-world EV study shows how long electric car batteries can actually last

By Abhimanyu Ghoshal
January 17, 2026
Real-world EV study shows how long electric car batteries can actually last
A new study shows that EV batteries can last 13 years before showing degradation down to 75% of their original capacity
A new study shows that EV batteries can last 13 years before showing degradation down to 75% of their original capacity
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A new study shows that EV batteries can last 13 years before showing degradation down to 75% of their original capacity
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A new study shows that EV batteries can last 13 years before showing degradation down to 75% of their original capacity
Battery degradation sees its energy capacity drop over time due to factors like charging behavior and vehicle usage patterns
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Battery degradation sees its energy capacity drop over time due to factors like charging behavior and vehicle usage patterns
While EV batteries are estimated to last 13 years, people in the US hold on to their cars for just 8 years on average
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While EV batteries are estimated to last 13 years, people in the US hold on to their cars for just 8 years on average
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We're still in the throes of transitioning away from a majority of combustion engine-powered vehicles globally, which means questions continue to abound about switching to electric vehicles (EV), and what sort of longevity we can expect from them.

Canada-based Geotab, which makes fleet management software for logistics companies, government agencies, and smart cities, has been analyzing battery degradation in light-duty EVs since 2020. In its latest study, it looked at aggregated real-world battery health data from more than 22,700 electric cars across 21 makes and models.

The 2025 study revealed a modest average battery degradation rate of 2.3% per year, which is not bad at all. The firm says this works out to a battery lifespan of 13 years or more.

That means after a considerable amount of time – more than a dozen years – on the road, you can expect an EV's battery to still have almost 75% of its battery capacity. That's not bad, especially when you consider that a 2024 study by auto insurance firm The Zebra found that people in the US own their longest-kept cars for an average of about eight years. For its part, Geotab concludes this makes EVs a viable option for use in fleets, and for individual owners.

While EV batteries are estimated to last 13 years, people in the US hold on to their cars for just 8 years on average
While EV batteries are estimated to last 13 years, people in the US hold on to their cars for just 8 years on average

Geotab noted that its data showed that battery degradation rates varied by model, charging habits, ambient climate, and vehicle usage patterns. Using DC fast chargers to add hundreds of miles of range in a matter of minutes tends to accelerate battery degradation more than slower Level 2 AC charging, as they raise battery temperatures during the charging process.

Interestingly, the firm's 2024 study noted a lower average degradation rate of 1.8% per year. Geotab ascribed this to a larger dataset for its more recent report, along with an increase in the use of fast charging in its surveyed vehicles through 2025.

Battery degradation sees its energy capacity drop over time due to factors like charging behavior and vehicle usage patterns
Battery degradation sees its energy capacity drop over time due to factors like charging behavior and vehicle usage patterns

Coupled with research showing that they start reducing their carbon footprint within just two years, this sure makes EVs look like a better choice than gas-powered cars from an environmental standpoint. We're also starting to see semi-solid-state batteries enter the fray, which promise longer lifespans. That could enable electric cars to stay on the road for more miles and hopefully hold their resale value over a longer period too.

Check out more details from the study on Geotab's site.

Source: Geotab

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AutomotiveBattery Electric VehiclesElectric VehiclesBatteries
9 comments
Abhimanyu Ghoshal
Abhimanyu Ghoshal
Abhimanyu has been a trusted voice in the science, technology, transport innovations, startup and AI spaces for more than a decade at several global outlets, including three and a half years as the managing editor at TNW. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics, Psychology and Sociology. When he's not writing about breakthroughs in science and tech, he's usually out motorcycling around South India.

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9 comments
UltimaRex
If the Donut Labs battery lives up to it's promise, it's all over. ICE isn't surviving a battery with a 50+ year lifespan.
paul314
It sounds as if these numbers will make a difference for some people, especially with what would otherwise be more longevity for EVs because fewer parts to maintain and go wrong. The folks who would otherwise keep their cars 10-15 years will see issues that may be significant. (Of course, some of those will also be the people who very seldom fast-charge or let their batteries run down to minimal levels. so they might experience less degradation.)
guzmanchinky
I agree with UltimaRex, battery tech will jump in leaps and bounds, especially with AI helping...
physics314
There are fundamental limits to the energy density of batteries, and modern batteries are coming close to these limits. It is no accident that capacities are not improving much. It is also no accident that BYD makes more PHEVs than BEVs. The remaining battery improvements will largely be in cost and degradation rates, but none of that is likely to tip the scales under most use cases.
meofbillions
It would've been nice to see an explanation of how charging patterns affect the degradation rates. I've always bought used cars, and it has always been a good experience. There's a good chance my next car will be electric, and so it would be nice to know what questions to ask of the first owners concerning their charging patterns and schedules, as a way to cash in on those patterns that produce less degradation. But from the results described, it doesn't seem that I need to be too concerned whether the batteries are still viable. I think I could live with a 75% degradation by the time I want to change cars.
BarronScout
I think now would be a good time to start getting serious upgrade/retrofit programs going. We have had several Volts abandoned after customers were presented with $10k repair to $10.5k car. I have seen battery repairs on Volkswagen's I.D. models easily surpass that dollar amount (still warranty right now). What really concerns me is in next 5-10 years when customer ditch their BEV because astronomical repair cost and these cars end up dumped into junk yards or worse.
I have been looking into used EV and biggest concern is reduced range and proprietary repair info and tools. All car makes, with ICE and EV models, have pushed back towards restricted repair info with most repairs requiring scan tools with web connections/subscriptions.
I would buy a used EV if I knew I could replace battery for less than what the car cost new and/or upgrade to new battery technology such as solid state when time is right.
Jason
TechGazer
Those degraded battery packs could have a good market as solar/wind storage. Better to sell them as cheap storage than scrapping them. How much longer could they last under good power management?
Joseph C. Pica
Shame they didn't state what the chemical make up of the batteries was. LFP04 Re noted for being safe and long lived but not the most energy dense.
ReservoirPup
The averages are misleading for a specific car. I charge mine at 1.5-3.5 kW, +10- +20 Centigrades and keep the batt between 20 and 80% full mostly. That's why my last BEV I bought was new, unlike the previous two. I did not want to buy someone else's wrecked battery. But quite a few people will not check the batt or use records, just rely on this article's wisdom. Many people in my area still buy BEVs with batts having less than 60% SOH. Poor chaps