Mobile phone batteries are noticeably flat after a short time. And laptops also break down more and more quickly on the go. What does this mean for the energy storage in electric cars?
The battery is the most expensive part of an electric car. It is therefore important that she does not fail prematurely. But how long do the batteries actually last? Six questions and answers. What do the manufacturers guarantee? Eight years and 160,000 kilometers are currently the guarantee standard that most manufacturers offer. A minimum capacity of 70 percent of the initial value is guaranteed over this period or mileage. Some manufacturers also promise a little more: Toyota, as the current leader, grants 10 years or one million kilometers. To do this, however, the car has to be serviced every year according to manufacturer specifications, during which a battery check is also carried out. Other manufacturers also set somewhat vaguely formulated conditions in the small print, such as taking into account the charging instructions in the operating instructions or avoiding deep discharge. It remains to be seen how accommodating or meticulous the car manufacturers interpret their guarantee regulations in practice. So far, there are still no cases or court decisions. What does experience say? Systematic problems with the battery life of electric cars are not yet publicly known. Also because relevant numbers of new cars have only been sold since 2021. However, if you believe the statements made by e-car pioneer Renault, no major wave of defects is to be expected in the coming years. Over 99 percent of all batteries used in the small car Zoe since the start in 2013 are still fully functional, the company says with reference on your own statistics. According to this, the energy storage still has at least 70 percent of its original capacity. The information applies to all battery types and sizes – from the 22 kWh models of the first years to the current versions with 52 kWh. Independent bodies also come to comparable statements: The ADAC reports on the basis of data from its cross-manufacturer long-term tests similar results as Renault. Above all, the experts emphasize the role of intelligent battery management systems, which protect the cells as much as possible in everyday life. Incidentally, this also distinguishes e-car batteries from the storage devices in mobile phones and laptops, where probably every user has had problems with the durability.How do I recognize how healthy a battery is?Whereas with new cars one can probably assume that the battery is as fit as possible, the range of possible states in a used car is significantly larger. A battery check shows the remaining capacity of the battery in an electric car – for example during maintenance in the manufacturer’s workshop. The “state of health”, i.e. the state of health of the battery, can also be checked by various expert organizations, including the ÖAMTC. The investment of around 100 euros should be worthwhile, especially for sellers who can present the certificate they received when negotiating the price. The range specifications of the on-board computer or the manufacturer apps are no alternative to the tests that are subject to a fee. Their values depend heavily on driving behavior or the outside temperature. Can batteries be repaired or replaced? In principle, electric car batteries can be repaired, for example by replacing defective modules. However, it is unclear how often this occurs, since it is usually a matter of warranty cases, about which the car manufacturers say little. In general, the industry attaches little importance to repairability when designing and installing batteries. Errors occur too seldom to really be worth taking into account, as can be heard underhand. This is not the only reason why replacing the entire battery or even the vehicle should be the predominant approach to battery problems in the long term. There will even be no alternative at the latest when so-called “cell-to-pack” or “cell-to-chassis” storage becomes the standard. Individual modules can no longer be detached from these batteries, which are either compact or already integrated directly into the body, for small-part replacement. However, a complete battery replacement after the warranty period is likely to be expensive: the cells alone for an average 50 kWh battery today cost more than 5000 euros. Do I have to treat my battery particularly gently? How long a battery lives also depends on how she is treated. In this respect, the energy store is no different from a combustion engine. Stress factors for batteries include fast charging, long periods of standing with a very full or very empty battery, especially in the heat, and driving at full throttle. As with everything, the risk of long-term damage is low if stressing is not carried out excessively. However, independent and publicly accessible long-term studies are also missing. And also a uniform measure of how much excess is still okay. An occasional health check on the battery, like a visit to the doctor, helps to keep an eye on the risk of damage caused by careless behavior and to take countermeasures if necessary. What happens to batteries after the car’s life? Even if e-car batteries are expected to last a long time – at some point they will they have reached the end of their life cycle. As a rule, dismantling and subsequent recycling of the ingredients will then follow. The industry involved in this business is still in its infancy – it is accordingly unclear whether and how much money car owners will receive for returning a battery that contains valuable materials. Deposit systems are also being discussed, which then also have a positive impact on the overall cost balance of driving a car, but would only apply to future generations of e-cars. The use of discarded batteries in various stationary electricity storage systems is likely to be less relevant – often summarized under the term “second life”. The requirements for such applications are different from those in the car, so that more specialized batteries are likely to be used. They could be cheaper because, for example, they don’t have to be particularly fast-charging or have high temperature resilience. (Holger Holzer/SP-X)
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