Quick answer: Modern EV batteries wear slowly. A 2026 study of more than 22,700 EVs by Geotab found an average loss of about 2.3% of capacity per year, which works out to roughly 82% after 8 years. Battery replacements outside recalls are uncommon, especially in newer EVs. How long a particular battery lasts depends on how it's charged and used, which is why the only way to know a specific car's battery is to test it.
"How long will the battery last?" is the most common question we hear from people looking at a used EV. Here's what the large real-world studies say, and what it means in Australian conditions.
How much capacity do EV batteries lose each year?
Geotab is a fleet telematics company. It reads battery data from tens of thousands of connected vehicles. Its latest study (2026) covered more than 22,700 EVs across 21 models in North America and Europe:
- Average loss: 2.3% per year. At that rate a battery would be at about 81.6% of its original capacity after 8 years.
- Gently used cars did better: cars that rarely fast charged lost about 1.5% per year, which projects to about 88% after 8 years.
- Heavy high-power fast charging did worse: about 3.0% per year, or about 76% after 8 years.
These are averages across many cars. Individual batteries can do better or worse, and the study didn't look at battery chemistry (LFP vs NMC). Still, even the worst group stayed above the 70% minimum that most Australian battery warranties promise over 8 years. See our EV battery warranty guide for each brand's terms.
How often do EV batteries need replacing?
Recurrent, a US company that tracks battery data from more than 30,000 EVs, looked at how many had their battery replaced outside of major recalls (November 2025 update):
- Overall: under 4%, including cars more than 10 years old.
- First-generation EVs (2016 and earlier): about 8.5%.
- Second-generation EVs (such as the early Tesla Model 3): about 2%.
- Modern EVs (2022 on): about 0.3%.
Recurrent's honest summary is that nobody knows yet exactly how long modern batteries last, because most EVs on the road are still fairly new. The early data shows they are lasting well, and most replacements so far were in early models or covered by warranty.
What wears a battery faster
1. Frequent high-power fast charging. This was the biggest factor in Geotab's data. Cars that did more than 12% of their charging at DC fast chargers lost capacity faster, and the effect was strongest when much of that was above 100 kW. Fast charging on a road trip is fine. It mostly matters when a car is charged that way all the time, as some rideshare and apartment-dwelling owners do.
2. Heat. Cars that spent more than 35% of their days above 25°C lost about 0.4 percentage points more per year than cars in milder places. That's relevant across much of Australia. Our battery care in Australian heat guide has simple ways to cut the heat stress.
3. Sitting very full or very empty. Cars that spent most of their time above 80% or below 20% charge lost about 2.0% a year, against about 1.4% for cars that mostly stayed in between. Many NMC batteries are best kept around 80–90% day to day. LFP batteries (many BYDs, some Tesla Model 3/Y and MG4 versions) are different: manufacturers often recommend charging them to 100% regularly, so follow your car's manual.
4. Heavy use. Cars that cycled their battery a lot each day wore faster than lightly used ones (about 2.3% a year against 1.5%). That's no surprise for high-km cars, but it's a reason to look closely at an ex-rideshare or ex-fleet EV.
What this means for a used EV
The averages are reassuring, but a used car isn't an average. Two cars of the same model, year and km can have quite different batteries depending on how they were charged and where they lived.
The dashboard range won't tell you much either. It's a prediction based on recent driving and the weather, not a measurement of the battery. Signs that a battery needs a closer look include:
- capacity noticeably lower than other cars of the same model and age
- a big spread between the highest and lowest cell group voltages
- stored battery or charging fault codes
- one area of the pack running much hotter than the rest
A battery health test reads these directly from the car's battery management system. 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. We read the battery's state of health, every cell group's voltage, temperatures and stored battery fault codes through the diagnostic port. Nothing is opened up or changed. It takes about 45 minutes, and the plain-English PDF report arrives the same day.
The price is $149 including GST, and you pay after the test.
Sources: Geotab, "How long do electric vehicle batteries really last?" (2026); Recurrent, "New data: how long do electric car batteries last?" (November 2025). Both studies use data mostly from North America and Europe, so Australian results may differ.