Why are electric cars heavier than gasoline cars?
Electric cars are heavy. Seriously. Automakers are developing new battery technologies to reduce the load.
There’s a lot to enjoy about owning an EV. Because electricity is cheaper than gasoline and electric motors are more efficient, EVs are easier to operate in the long run because they cost less to run and have lower overall maintenance costs. Studies have shown that driving is less stressful than cars with traditional internal combustion engines.
However, many people seem to hate them. One of the most common pieces of anti-EV rhetoric that is constantly shared on social media platforms and elsewhere is that batteries are unreliable. Facebook experts say they wear out in just a few years, costing tens of thousands of dollars to replace.
This largely false narrative has proven effective. a Recent research by GBK Collective We conclude that battery replacement costs are the biggest concern for people considering purchasing an EV or hybrid vehicle. But is it really something to worry about? Are new EV batteries really as fragile as new smartphone batteries? Will you really end up paying a hefty bill if they break down? Let’s find out more.
No, it’s not the same as a cell phone battery.
Most of us have experienced rapid deterioration of our cell phone batteries at some point. It seems like it only takes a few months before your new iDevice starts having a hard time getting through a single shift at work. Will EV batteries suffer the same fate since they use the same type of battery?Almost all modern smartphones (and many other consumer electronics) rely on lithium-ion batteries. This term refers to lithium, which is the main component of the cell’s cathode. (If you need a quick battery refresh, bring it here. )
And yes, the majority of EVs currently produced also use lithium-ion batteries. These tend to be the most energy dense of the currently widely available options, making them an ideal choice for cars that want to go as far as possible while minimizing battery weight. I mean, is it the same as your phone? Not exactly.
“You don’t have to worry about the kind of super steep declines you’re seeing with cell phones,” Liz Najman said. She is Director of Market Insights at Recurrent Motors, an EV-focused platform for EV owners and shoppers.
Despite using the same chemicals, EV batteries have many significant differences compared to cell phone batteries, including their quantity. Typically, a phone has one battery cell, which uses only one energy source when the phone is in use, and is kept in one location while charging. The average EV has hundreds, even thousands, of individual cells that make up the battery pack, often grouped into so-called modules. This means that the charge and discharge cycles are evenly distributed over many individual batteries, and all batteries share the load.
Temperature is another consideration. Have you ever noticed how hot your phone gets while charging? Almost all modern EVs have some sort of active thermal management to keep the battery pack in the right place temperature-wise.
It’s all about the frequency of charging. Most people drain their phones until they’re almost empty and then fully charge them each day. Modern EVs with a range of 200 or 300 miles may only need a full charge once a week. Alternatively, if you charge more often, that charge tends to be smaller. Either way, the strain on your pack will be significantly reduced and your pack will last longer. However, the biggest difference between a car battery and a cell phone battery may be the warranty.
yes, covered
When considering buying a new car, a good warranty is important, especially if it’s an unfamiliar brand. That’s doubly true if you’re considering making the leap to an unfamiliar EV.
Thankfully, battery warranties are generally generous and should make you feel protected. All EVs sold in the United States come with a warranty of at least eight years and 100,000 miles.
Do you live in California? It’s protected for even longer, up to 10 years or 150,000 miles. Something like Rivian that can go up to 175,000 miles is even better. If your battery can no longer maintain a certain percentage of its original charge (usually 70 percent) after that period, you’ll get a replacement.
Please note that if your battery does not meet the 70% threshold, there is no guarantee that you will get a new battery. You can also receive a remanufactured car, but in any case, you don’t have to worry about the cost. At least you’re guaranteed to have a car that still achieves 70% of its previous maximum range after eight years.
And you’ll probably do a better job for even longer than that. Recurrent’s latest research shows that large-scale recalls ( Chevrolet Volt debacle), only 2.5% of EVs had their batteries replaced. So it’s unlikely, but it does happen. And if your car breaks down while it’s out of warranty, replacing it may not be as expensive as you think.
Batteries are also getting cheaper
The perceived EV boom may be taking a little longer than expected, but that’s not slowing down supply chain building. It seems like every day we hear about new battery factories being built in the United States, driven by the need for domestic manufacturing to meet current federal EV rebate regulations, not to mention mitigating the potential impact of the current administration’s tariff actions.
In addition, there is a rush to procure the materials necessary for battery production domestically. as we have been doing previously reportedthere are a lot of issues with how many of these materials are sourced, so it would be even easier if they were available locally.
more Domestic production, domestic procurement In the future, the use of materials will only make these batteries cheaper. Recurrent’s Naijman believes these factors, along with the rise of more affordable chemicals such as LFP, could potentially GM’s new LMRby 2030 the cost of replacing a battery could be cheaper than replacing an engine.
We also spoke to Ian Nalivaiko, director of business development at Greentec, a company that has replaced tens of thousands of hybrid and EV batteries over the past 13 years. Nariviko said battery prices have already fallen significantly for some models. A replacement 75 kWh pack for the Tesla Model S cost $10,000 until recently. The price has now dropped to $5,999.
But that’s just one car. Let’s look at some more examples.
battery replacement cost
Just as not all engines are created equal, different cars have vastly different battery costs.
Greentec offers all types of hybrid, plug-in hybrid and EV services, some simple and some simple. Nariviko said the car they service most often is a second-generation Prius, and battery replacement costs only $1,399.
So what about a full EV? It also depends on the situation. At $5,999, the 75 kWh Tesla pack is definitely one of the more affordable options. However, a larger 100 kWh battery pack can cost as much as $15,500.
You can also change to a larger pack if you wish. Greentec says it has reverse engineered Tesla’s battery management system to enable upgrades or downgrades. “With Tesla, we basically figured it out,” Nariviko said.
Engine replacement and battery replacement
Some of the battery replacement costs may seem high at first glance, but to better understand how this adds up, it’s best to consider the internal combustion equivalent: a new engine.
Just like replacing an EV battery, replacing a modern car’s engine is not an easy task for your average shade tree mechanic. Similarly, when it comes to older cars, the return on investment is often not good.
Still, since it’s the closest cost to replacing an EV battery, we used Kelly Blue Book’s repair estimates to calculate the equivalent engine replacement cost.
KBB estimates that engine replacement costs for a Nissan Altima will range from $6,000 to $6,500, considerably more than the $5,000 cost for a new battery pack in a similarly aging Nissan Leaf EV. For Tesla, a 75 kWh battery pack for the Model S still costs about $6,000. For the Mercedes-Benz equivalent, the E400, a new engine costs between $7,500 and $8,000.
In the case of the Leaf, its replacement cost likely exceeds the value of the car. But for the Model S 75D, it’s probably still worth $20,000 or so, and $5,999 for a new pack could be a great value. If you’re willing to go to the trouble of replacing the battery, that opens the door to finding a bargain on a used car (a process that typically takes one to three weeks, according to Greentech’s Nalibaiko). “If you’re willing to get a[used EV]at a deep discount and invest that money in replacing the battery, you can get a luxury car that will last you for the next 15 years at an affordable price,” Recurrent’s Najman said.
As always, there are no absolutes when it comes to how much maintenance will cost over a car’s lifetime, regardless of powertrain. But when it comes to EV batteries, at least one thing is clear. That said, despite what you may have heard from experts on social media, the chances of paying thousands of dollars for a car, especially for a new one, are slim at best.
Photo provided by manufacturer. Illustration: Ryan Lugo
