The Longevity Gap between BEVs & ICE Vehicles Fast Closing

The new study published in Nature1 was authored by an international team of researchers from the London School of Economics, the University of Birmingham, the University of California, and the University of Bern.

Electric vehicles (EVs) are gaining popularity due to their lower emissions and operating costs compared to internal combustion engine vehicles (ICEVs). However, concerns remain regarding their lifespan and environmental impact. Here's a closer look at these aspects:

EV Battery Performance and Lifespan

The rapid growth of EVs is driving the global demand for EV batteries, which is surging. This has led to a transformative shift in the EV battery industry with advancements seen in battery formats, chemistries, and structural designs.

However, while battery prices have plummeted about 90% over the past 15 years, batteries still account for almost a third of the price of a new EV. So, it is important that battery capacity increase so that EV owners can keep using the same cars. Several studies suggest that batteries are, in fact, lasting longer than we may have thought them to be previously.

As we shared in an article late last year, a study from battery diagnostics company AVILO found most batteries to retain more than 80% of their original capacity and be usable far beyond the usual warranty period.

Geotab, a fleet management services provider, also analyzed data collected from 10,000 EVs before 2019 and reported that EV batteries only experienced an average decline of just 1.8% per year, lower than what was previously reported. The company's report from last year also showed that 75% of light commercial vehicles can be replaced by comparable EVs, which can save $15,900 per vehicle over its lifespan.

Age, extreme heat or cold temperatures, operating state of charge, frequent fast charging, and charge-discharge cycles were reported to be common factors impacting battery lifespan. So, by following best practices for charging and use, EVs can last well beyond the vehicle's useful life.

A recent research by scientists working in the SLAC-Stanford Battery Center, meanwhile, stated that subjecting the EV batteries to normal real-world use can help them last about a third longer than researchers forecast.

So, activities like short city trips, long highway trips, heavy traffic, and mostly being parked are far more beneficial for batteries than the steady simulated use new designs get tested for in laboratories. According to senior study author Simona Onori, who's an associate professor of energy science and engineering at the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability:

“We've not been testing EV batteries the right way. 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.”

This suggests that an EV owner may not need to replace their expensive battery or even buy a new car for several more years.

Now, new research is showing that the lifespan of EVs is already on par with that of ICE vehicles. By providing critical insights into the lifespan and environmental impact of EVs, co-author Dr. Viet Nguyen-Tien of the London School of Economics said:

“[The study marks] a significant step toward achieving a net-zero carbon future.”

BEVs, according to him, are no longer just a niche option but a viable and sustainable alternative to conventional gas-powered vehicles. The study also aims to help consumers make informed decisions, and regulators shape their policies and incentives.

And while BEVs have higher initial emissions from production, Professor Robert Elliott from the University of Birmingham noted that “a long-lasting electric vehicle can quickly offset its carbon footprint, contributing to the fight against climate change.”

Click here to learn about aluminium batteries.

Longevity Gap between BEVs & ICE Vehicles Fast Closing

The new study published in Nature1 was authored by an international team of researchers from the London School of Economics, the University of Birmingham, the University of California, and the University of Bern.

It analyzed more than 300 million MOT (Ministry of Transport) test records of diesel, petrol, and BEVs spanning from 2005 to 2022. Using this freely accessible data, the study found that though EVs exhibit lower reliability than ICEVs, technological advancements allow newer BEVs to accomplish comparable lifespans, even when they are used more intensively.

Compared to 16.8 years of diesel cars and 18.7 years of petrol cars, EVs have a lifespan of around 18.4 years. These numbers remove those vehicles that got scrapped in the first few years of their production, which tend to be primarily because of road traffic accidents instead of the vehicle's mechanical failure.

While petrol vehicles' expected lifespan is about 0.3 years longer than EVs, they are found to be less sturdy than EVs, which log 124,207 miles over their expected lifespan, as opposed to petrol cars clocking about 116,000 miles in their driving life.

However, it's