May 1, 2026 - Recurrent Data Shows EV Batteries Holding Up

This is the Telemetry Transportation Daily for May 1, 2026, and I'm Sam Abuelsamid, Vice President of Market Research for Telemetry. 

For drivers who don't currently own an electric vehicle, one of the biggest concerns they have about buying one, besides the range, is how long the battery will last. After two decades of using smartphones and other devices, many of us have become accustomed to batteries just not holding up and having to at least replace the battery, if not the whole phone, after just a few years. This is one of the reasons that residual values on EVs are so low compared to similar combustion vehicles. While some early EVs, notably the first-generation Nissan Leaf, did experience major capacity degradation, especially if used in hot environments like Arizona, this was largely because Nissan chose to use an air-cooled battery. 

Used car buyers have heard horror stories of having spend $10,000 or more to replace some early batteries. The website Recurrent helps customers buy and sell used EVs and provides a service that tracks the health of EV batteries in the field. After tracking hundreds of thousands of vehicles in use globally, Recurrent has good news for drivers. Batteries are lasting far longer than anticipated.  After three years of use, 68% of EVs still go farther than their original EPA-rated range on a charge.  The average EV retains 97% of its range after three years and 95% after five years. Advances in battery chemistry, manufacturing, and especially thermal management mean they will generally still be very usable for the life of the vehicle. 

In the U.S., EV batteries have at least an eight-year/ 100,000-mile warranty, and some go as long as 10 years. As battery costs have declined over the last 15 years, the likelihood is that during an EV's lifespan, even after the warranty expires, if a battery does need to be replaced, it will probably cost less than replacing a worn-out engine. For anyone considering the purchase of a used EV, the battery shouldn't be a concern. 

Thanks for listening.