Many potential e-car buyers are afraid of an expensive battery replacement.
But data now shows that the batteries probably last longer than many think.
Munich – Electromobility is currently picking up speed – according to a survey, every tenth household is planning to buy an electric vehicle in the next two years.
Nevertheless, many still doubt whether an e-car is right for them.
Points of discussion include range, charging times (here are a few tips for things to do during the charging break), and charging infrastructure.
And many potential buyers are also not sure whether an electric car, or especially its battery, really lasts as long as a combustion vehicle.
But data now shows that the batteries last longer than many think.
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Researchers at the Technical University of Munich have found that the battery in the VW ID.3 probably lasts significantly longer than guaranteed.
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©Volkswagen
VW, Renault and Tesla: Electric car batteries last longer than many people think
As an energy store, the battery is the heart of every electric car, so to speak - Stellantis boss Carlos Tavares (63) has just warned of an impending battery shortage.
If the battery in an electric car breaks and has to be replaced, it costs a lot of money.
But of course such an exchange is also problematic from an environmental perspective - after all, a lot of raw materials and energy go into the production of a battery.
If it has to be replaced, that is also very bad for the eco-balance of an e-vehicle.
But apparently that's pretty seldom the case, as data now show.
Renault: 99 percent of the batteries in the Zoe are still fully functional
French carmaker Renault, for example, has announced that more than 99 percent of the batteries in the Renault Zoe, launched in 2013, are still fully functional.
The manufacturer grants a guarantee of eight years or 160,000 kilometers on the batteries in the vehicle - and also assures that over this period or the entire distance the capacity of the battery will be at least 70 percent of the value at the time of purchase.
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E-car batteries: The entire battery does not always have to be replaced
According to Renault, less than one percent of all Zoe batteries ever put into circulation in Germany fell below this mark and had to be replaced.
This also applies to vehicles whose battery guarantee has already expired.
Concerns about declining battery performance are therefore "unfounded" according to the manufacturer.
As Renault also explains, a battery does not always have to be completely replaced - repairs are often much cheaper.
For example, individual modules could be exchanged in order to bring the battery back into a “condition suitable for everyday use”.
Researchers at the Technical University of Munich: The battery in the VW ID.3 lasts significantly longer than the guarantee promises
Researchers at the Technical University of Munich had examined the batteries of the VW ID.3 in detail - and finally came to the conclusion that "a mileage and service life far exceeding the manufacturer's guarantee of 160,000 km" can be expected.
And the batteries in Tesla vehicles probably last much longer: In its "Impact Report", the electric car manufacturer states that it expects the cars to be scrapped in Europe after around 150,000 miles (equivalent to around 240,000 kilometers), in the USA - because longer distances are generally covered there - even after 200,000 miles (around 320,000 kilometers).
List of rubrics: © Volkswagen