Electric vehicle battery studies link driving style to degradation rates

New research and industry studies provide a nuanced view of electric vehicle (EV) battery longevity, highlighting how driving behavior and mileage impact capacity retention.

A study from Shanghai Dianji University, published in Scientific Reports, suggests that aggressive driving styles—characterized by frequent intense acceleration and braking—can significantly accelerate battery aging. Using telemetry from fifteen electric cars in Guangzhou, researchers found that while average speeds remained similar, the high current demand in aggressive driving resulted in a simulated capacity loss of 53.22% after 1,000 cycles, compared to only 21.15% for calm driving. This represents a degradation rate approximately 2.5 times faster for aggressive users.

Conversely, a Swedish study conducted by Carla and Aviloo offers more optimistic data regarding high-mileage vehicles. Their analysis indicates that many electric cars maintain over 90% of their original battery capacity even after reaching 100,000 km. By analyzing State of Health (SoH) indicators such as usable capacity and cell voltage, the study suggests that battery degradation is often more gradual than consumer concerns suggest, potentially stabilizing the used EV market.