With the deadline for zero-emission vehicles fast approaching, from 2035 100% of new vehicles sold will be electric – and even before then, 80% of new cars sold will be EV by 2030 in line with the zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) mandate.
Some of the most common questions we have from customers considering buying an electric car is around the batteries; how long do they take to charge? What types of batteries are there? Do I need a special charging point? And how long do they last?
To make your road to buying an EV easier, our EV experts have explained everything about electric batteries below, so you can feel informed and knowledgeable when it comes to switching to an electric car.
What is an electric car battery & why is it important?
Fully powered by electricity with zero environmental emissions, electric cars don’t hold just one large battery to power them – their batteries are made up of many batteries joined together that work in unison to power the vehicle.
Batteries are packed tightly together and are usually placed along the bottom of the car, underneath the seats and low to the ground. Car batteries can be heavy, so placing them here helps to keep the car grounded, while giving better efficiency.
Today, most batteries are made up of thousands of Lithium-ion battery cells, all packed into separate battery packs which are joined together.
What does an electric car battery do?
Electric cars and vans run entirely on energy from the battery pack. From starting the vehicle, to running the engine, managing brakes, internal electronic systems, door locks, air con, entertainment system, lights, and more.
Unlike combustion engines, EVs don’t need extra components such as starter motors, spark plugs, catalytic converters, exhausts, gearboxes, or a clutch. Many of these can be costly for repairs and replacements, making maintenance and servicing much easier – though the battery is of paramount importance as it drives everything. They don’t need oil either!
How does an electric car battery work?
Without all the familiar parts we know from ICE (Internal Combustion Engine) cars, without oil, exactly how do EV cars work? The key is the electric traction motor which drives the power to the wheels to drive the motion of the car and is the most important component.
The car battery works the same as you might expect a ‘normal’ battery; moving ions and electrons between positive and negative cathodes to either discharge stored energy from the battery’s stores, or in reverse when charging, to restore power back into the battery for later use.
The difference with an EV is that there are thousands of batteries working together, to deliver a greater amount of power to drive the vehicle and all its components, for long periods of time in a range of weather and temperature conditions.
What types of electric car batteries are there?
As electric cars become more popular and technology improves, their batteries do too. Most batteries used in modern electric vehicles use Lithium-ion battery technology, the most popular battery type in use today across the world.
Lithium-ion batteries can be charged and offer an excellent balance between charging time, strength of charge, weight, reliability, lifespan and safety, offering the best balance of efficiency for today’s technology.
It’s the same battery technology that powers many modern technologies; mobile phones, laptops, e-bikes and solar energy storage.
How long do electric car batteries last?
Taken the plunge on an electric car but wondering what the lifespan of electric car batteries are?
If you’ve ever owned a phone for many years, you will have noticed the battery life can shorten over time. The concept is the same for electric batteries in vehicles.
Lithium-ion batteries have one of the longest lifespans of electric batteries and can be charged and discharged many thousands of times before beginning to reduce their total battery charge.
Today, most car brands guarantee their car batteries for up to 8 years of use or 100,000 miles, whichever comes first. This covers the battery for any faults and is usually paired with a capacity guarantee, to ensure the batteries don’t fall to hold less than 70% or 80% of their charge in that time.
There are steps that EV owners can take to maximise the lifespan of their electric vehicle battery, and many car brands also offer helpful guidance on how to best maintain your battery life for longer, with charging tips and journey planning advice.
EVs are still perfectly drivable after this time, it may just be that the battery capacity and single-trip mileage is slightly reduced, and it needs charging more often.
For Hybrid electric vehicles, this lifespan is similar as the battery technology used is the same and expected to be around 100,000 miles.
What happens when my battery gets old? Is it recycled?
The total life of electric vehicle car batteries is usually 15 – 20 years, at which point the held charge and capacity is expected to reduce, meaning they’re no longer suitable for use in an EV.
As technology, lifespan, capacity, and range is still evolving as technology develops, we expect battery lifespan to increase in time.
When they do come to the end of their life as a vehicle battery, they can be recycled. This may be for a different use e.g. some businesses use these batteries for other uses, such as energy storage in buildings.
Over 90% of the elements within an electric battery can be recycled, extracting the rare metals, separating any chemicals used and using these valuable components to rebuild new EV batteries.
Most car manufacturers have established battery recycling schemes. As the number of EVs on our roads increases each year, and many electric vehicles reach the end of their life, we expect this industry to grow as more recycling companies launch, using new processes and methods to recycle batteries more efficiently.
What does it cost to replace electric car batteries?
As electric battery technology advances, more companies and car brands are widening their services and support for battery replacement. With more batteries expected to reach the end of their life over the next 10 years, replacement will become much more common.
Some car brands have begun to offer full battery replacement already, Nissan offer a full battery exchange and replacement for a Nissan Leaf for just under £5,000.
We expect to see many more car brands follow suit in the coming years with packages to exchange and replace the full suite of batteries in your EV, giving your car many more years of driving life and an increase in capacity and range.
What does the future hold for electric car batteries?
Technology in the battery world continues to be a popular area for research and development. Many different types of battery technology are being explored to speed up charging times, improve battery lifespan, make more efficient use of materials, and the manufacturing process simpler.
Proving any new electric vehicle battery technology can be suitable for worldwide use and scaled up to the many hundreds of thousands required for international use is tough. Many projects and concepts have been explored, but very few taken forward for real-life application. It’s why the current Lithium-ion battery technology is so widely used; it’s reliable, established and safe.
One of the more recent technologies to stand out has been the development of ‘solid state’ batteries. These work like existing batteries, but instead of using liquid chemicals that move within the battery to create charge, these use solid materials. This means a safer battery, better conductivity, more power and more capacity to hold charge. Once refined, the technology should result in a greater driving range when used in EVs.
Faster charging times of less than 30 minutes combined with much longer lifespans (of up to 30 years) have also been rumoured, but the technology is currently still in the early stages and has a way to go before is it ready to be trialled in the real world.
For further advice on EVs head to our electric hub or the dedicated section of our blog on all things electric and hybrid.