EV battery warranties in Australia: what each brand covers

Quick answer: Most EVs sold new in Australia have a battery warranty of about 8 years or 160,000 km, and many promise the battery will keep at least 70% of its original capacity in that time. But the details differ a lot. Some brands only cover faults, not gradual capacity loss. Some cut the cover for rideshare cars. Some changed their terms partway through a model's life. On a used EV, check the exact terms for that car.

The battery is the most expensive part of an EV, so the warranty matters, especially on a used car. This guide lists the terms for the EVs most often sold in Australia. We checked each one against the manufacturer's Australian warranty documents on 6 November 2026. Terms change, so always confirm with a dealer for the car you're looking at.

Four things to check in any battery warranty

1. When it started. Battery warranties usually run from the date the car was first registered (or first sold), not the day you buy it. A 2022 car bought in 2026 may only have about four years left.
2. The km limit. It's "whichever comes first". A high-km car, such as an ex-rideshare car, can use up the km limit long before the years run out.
3. What counts as a claim. There are two very different kinds of cover:
   • Capacity cover: the battery is repaired or replaced if its capacity drops below a set level, usually 70%.
   • Defects only: the battery is covered if it fails or has a manufacturing fault, but normal capacity loss isn't covered, however much range you lose.
4. Who it covers. Some warranties exclude rideshare or other commercial use, or only cover cars sold through the brand's own Australian network. Most transfer to the next owner, but check.

Tesla

• Model 3 and Model Y, rear-wheel drive: 8 years or 160,000 km, at least 70% capacity.
• Model 3 and Model Y, Long Range and Performance: 8 years or 192,000 km, at least 70% capacity.
• Newer Model S and Model X: 8 years or 240,000 km, at least 70% capacity. Older Model S and X (before about 2020) have 8 years with defects-only cover.
• Applies to cars Tesla sold and delivered in Australia, and transfers to later owners.

BYD

• Atto 2, Atto 3, Dolphin, Seal, Sealion 6, Sealion 7 and Shark 6: 8 years or 160,000 km, at least 70% capacity.
• Doesn't cover cars imported or sold outside BYD Australia's network, such as private imports and some auction cars. Worth checking on any BYD that didn't come from a BYD dealer.

MG

MG has changed its terms twice, so the first registration date decides which ones apply:

• MG4 and ZS EV registered up to July 2024: 7 years, unlimited km, covering battery faults. MG doesn't publish a minimum capacity for these.
• Registered August 2024 to June 2025: 10 years or 250,000 km, also covering faults with no published minimum capacity.
• Registered from July 2025: 7 years or 150,000 km, at least 70% capacity.
• Cars used commercially, including rideshare at any time, get shorter terms.

Hyundai and Kia

• Hyundai Ioniq 5, Ioniq 6, Kona Electric, Inster and the older Ioniq Electric: 8 years or 160,000 km, at least 70% capacity.
• Kia EV3, EV5, EV6, EV9 and Niro EV: 7 years or 150,000 km, at least 70% capacity, for model year 2026 and earlier. Kia moves to 8 years or 160,000 km from model year 2027. Rideshare and other commercial use stays at 7 years or 150,000 km.

Polestar and Volvo

• Polestar 2, 3 and 4: 8 years or 160,000 km, at least 70% capacity.
• Volvo EX30, EX40 (XC40 Recharge), EC40 (C40 Recharge) and EX90: 8 years or 160,000 km, at least 70% capacity.

Volkswagen group

• Volkswagen ID.4, ID.5 and ID. Buzz, Cupra Born and Tavascan, Skoda Enyaq and Elroq: 8 years or 160,000 km. The minimum capacity steps down over time: 78% for the first 3 years or 60,000 km, 74% up to 5 years or 100,000 km, then 70% to the end.
• Audi Q4 e-tron and Q6 e-tron: 8 years or 160,000 km, at least 70% capacity.

BMW and Mini

• BMW i3, i4, iX and iX3 first registered before November 2022: 8 years or 100,000 km, at least 70% capacity.
• BMW EVs first registered from November 2022 (i4, i5, i7, iX, iX1, iX2, iX3): 8 years or 160,000 km, covering what BMW calls "excessive capacity loss", measured at a dealer. BMW doesn't publish a percentage.
• Mini electric models: 8 years or 100,000 km.

Mercedes-Benz

• EQA and EQB: 8 years or 160,000 km, at least 70% capacity.
• EQE, EQE SUV, EQS and EQS SUV: 10 years or 250,000 km, at least 70% capacity.
• Mercedes-Benz says the battery cover on the EQE, EQE SUV and EQS SUV doesn't apply to cars used commercially, including taxi, hire and rideshare, even part-time.

Nissan

• Leaf (2019 on) and Ariya: 8 years or 160,000 km. Instead of a percentage, Nissan covers capacity falling below 9 of the 12 bars on the car's battery capacity gauge.
• Older 24 kWh Leafs had much shorter cover. See our used Nissan Leaf guide.

Other brands

• GWM Ora: 8 years, unlimited km, at least 70% capacity. Taxi, rideshare and chauffeur use: 8 years or 150,000 km.
• Geely EX5: 8 years, unlimited km, at least 70% capacity. Commercial use, including rideshare: 8 years or 150,000 km.
• Zeekr X and 7X: 8 years or 160,000 km, at least 70% capacity. Commercial use: 8 years or 150,000 km.
• Smart #1, #3 and #5: 8 years or 150,000 km, at least 70% capacity.
• Toyota bZ4X: 8 years or 160,000 km, at least 70% capacity. It needs Toyota's scheduled battery health checks, and the capacity cover excludes rideshare and other commercial use.
• Ford Mustang Mach-E: 8 years or 160,000 km, covering defects only. Gradual capacity loss isn't covered.
• Jaguar I-Pace: 8 years or 160,000 km, at least 70% capacity.

Plug-in hybrids are often different

Many plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) have shorter battery warranties than the same brand's EVs, or only cover defects. Some, such as the Toyota RAV4 PHEV and Lexus PHEVs, extend the cover a year at a time if the car has a yearly battery check at a dealer. If you're buying a used PHEV, ask the dealer for the battery terms for that VIN.

Rideshare and ex-fleet cars

If a used EV was ever used for Uber, DiDi or other rideshare work, check the warranty carefully. Several brands, including MG, Kia, Mercedes-Benz, Toyota, GWM, Geely and Zeekr, shorten or remove battery cover for commercial use. Rideshare cars also tend to have high km, which can use up the km limit early. Ask the seller directly, and look for signs such as very high km for the car's age.

What the warranty doesn't tell you

A warranty only tells you what happens if the battery drops below the limit. It doesn't tell you where this battery is now. A car with 5 years of warranty left could be at 95% or at 82%, and that makes a big difference to range and resale value.

That's where a battery health test helps. It reads the battery's state of health, the voltage of every cell group, temperatures and stored fault codes from the car's battery management system. If you know the car's SOH and the warranty's minimum, you can see how much margin is left. Read more in what is EV battery state of health and our used EV battery checklist.

How our battery health check works

We come to the car anywhere within about 60 km of Melbourne's south-east, at the seller's place or yours. The test takes about 45 minutes through the diagnostic port. Nothing is opened up or changed. Your plain-English PDF report arrives the same day and includes the battery warranty terms we have for that car, with the source.

The price is $149 including GST, and you pay after the test.

Warranty terms were checked against manufacturer documents on 6 November 2026 and can change. The warranty that came with a particular car may differ, so confirm it with the dealer or the manufacturer before you rely on it. EV Pitstop is an independent business and isn't affiliated with any car brand.