As more and more electric and hybrid vehicles see the light of day, our motorways are slowly but surely becoming greener. And, with the eventual planned phase-out of petrol and diesel vehicles, the decision to move to a more sustainable form of mobility has never looked more appealing. Where traditional petrol and diesel engines use internal combustion as their power source, the engines of today are comprised of a scaled up version of lithium-ion batteries similar to those found in your mobile phone. This is how EV batteries work.

This big collection of batteries which forms the EV car battery undergoes a constant cycle of charging and discharging. When compared to traditional engines, “charging” would be filling up with fuel whereas “discharging” would be driving the vehicle and expending the fuel. However, as the EV consistently runs through this cycle, the time to charge needed between each journey increases while the distance the vehicle can travel between charges decreases.

How Much Do They Cost?

While car batteries for petrol and diesel engine vehicles can cost anywhere from around £60 to £320, things look a lot different for EV car batteries. Due to the cost of the materials which go into an EV battery – and there are a lot of each of these materials – as well as the very high demand for the materials, the average cost of an EV battery was £87 per kWh in 2021. This would mean that a new Tesla Model S battery would cost around £8,870 without factoring in removal and replacement of the old battery.

While this is worlds away from the cost of a petrol or diesel car battery, EV batteries are in fact becoming more affordable. However, they are also usually covered by very generous warranties and as we will explore below, should last you a considerable amount of time.

How Often Do They Need Changing?

The current estimate is that an EV car battery will last from between 10 to 20 years before needing to be replaced. Having said this, needing to pay over £8,000 for a new Tesla Model S battery every 10-20 years would likely encourage most to stick to their petrol and diesel engine vehicles. While this may be disheartening for some who are now questioning their choice to switch to an electric vehicle, owning and maintaining an EV is typically nowhere near as expensive as you might think.  

Currently, most manufacturers offer a five to eight-year warranty on their EV batteries. Once the battery’s performance falls below a certain level (typically 70-75% of its initial performance), manufacturers will usually repair or replace the battery. Aftermarket policies are also available, with many providers now offering this.

One important detail to acknowledge is that not all manufacturers will specify the acceptable SOH (State of Health) threshold before the battery is eligible for replacement or repair, so you may want to make sure you establish the level of cover you are being offered in terms of years and mileage before you make a purchase.

A battery falling below its eligible SOH level within its warranty period also will not always mean an outright replacement. Often times, the battery will be kept but will be restored to its original performance or range.

While we do not currently stock any EV batteries here at the RAC Shop, we do in fact offer a range of EV charging cables. To view our range, simply click here. Alternatively, to view our range of diesel and petrol car batteries, click here.