Geotab study identifies factors affecting electric vehicle battery degradation

A study by fleet management company Geotab, analyzing data from over 22,000 electric vehicles across 21 models, has identified key factors influencing battery longevity. The research indicates that an average battery retains approximately 82 percent of its original capacity after eight years of intensive use, with an average annual degradation rate of about 2.3 percent.

Frequent use of direct current (DC) fast chargers is a primary driver of capacity loss. Vehicles that rely on fast charging for 12 percent or more of their charging sessions experience an annual degradation rate of roughly 2.5 percent, compared to 1.5 percent for those using fast chargers less frequently. Furthermore, charging at power levels exceeding 100 kilowatts can lead to an annual degradation rate of approximately 3 percent.