Can electric car batteries be replaced?

Can electric car batteries be replaced? 

The short answer is yes. Electric car batteries can be replaced; however, the majority of electric car owners will never need to worry about replacing their electric car batteries. Most car manufacturers provide warranties for their electric vehicles, which typically cover them up to 8-10 years or 100,000 miles. As long as you are looking for a used electric car within this range, the manufacturer's warranty will cover the battery if anything goes wrong or the performance or capacity starts to dip.  

When purchasing a used electric car, it is essential to research and check if the car battery is still under the manufacturer's warranty. We also suggest checking exactly what the warranty covers and the process if the battery becomes an issue. When buying any large, costly item, such as a used car, you should get all the possible information to avoid any problems. 

How long do car batteries last? 

The majority of car manufacturers are confident enough to cover their batteries for 8-10 years and up to 100,000 miles. This gives motorists a good general idea about how long manufacturers expect their electric car batteries to last without much deterioration. However, electric car batteries can exceed this lifespan quite considerably. Many electric cars keep their battery for the life of the vehicle. Others can last up to 20 years; most motorists would have already upgraded to a new car by this point. 

Evolution of car batteries 

Electric car batteries are evolving continuously to increase car range and battery lifespan. Currently, car batteries are at a point where they last up to 20 years before they need to be replaced. The cost of replacing an electric car battery is currently very expensive unless the manufacturer has a scheme in place to provide a new battery and the installation at a fixed cost. One of the first electric cars, the Nissan Leaf, has a battery replacement programme. It costs just under £5,000 for the replacement, plus motorists receive £1,000 back for their old battery. Nissan provides Leaf owners with peace of mind if their battery is out of warranty with this scheme. The cost of replacing other electric vehicle batteries varies considerably and can be much higher than the £4,000 that Nissan charges for the Leaf battery. Nissan is likely to be consuming a large amount of the cost for customers to encourage them to switch to electric vehicles. The cost to replace car batteries will likely become cheaper over time as the technology evolves and there is more demand for a more affordable battery replacement service. 

Why do electric car batteries need to be replaced? 

As with all rechargeable batteries, they become less efficient over the years of use. Electric car batteries will begin to lose charge more quickly after being used for many years and miles. The amount of charge they can hold will also be reduced compared to when they were new. This results in a lower range from a full charge and owners needing to charge more frequently. Most batteries have this issue, and you may have noticed it with your older mobile phones or other devices. The technology is developing at a rapid pace, and experts are working to extend the life of car batteries.  

Do I need to worry about needing to replace my electric car battery? 

The short answer is no, as long as you are buying a used car that is still in the manufacturer's warranty for the battery. Most electric car owners will swap to a newer car years before they need to consider a battery replacement. Think of it as the equivalent of replacing the combustion engine in your petrol or diesel car. It will be required eventually, but it’s unlikely in the timeframe you expect to keep the vehicle.  

If you’re looking to purchase a used electric car, you should research everything you need to know about electric vehicles. Including finding out the warranty details of the vehicles you are looking to buy. However, you shouldn't let the fear of replacing an expensive electric car battery put you off switching to an electric car. For more information, read our electric car guide.