New research indicates that concerns about the rapid degradation of modern electric vehicle traction batteries are gradually becoming less relevant. The Swedish online platform Carla analyzed 9,954 battery health tests of cars sold in the country between 2022 and 2026 and concluded that even after 100,000 km of mileage, most models retain over 90% of their original battery capacity.

Kia e-Niro
Kia e-Niro
Источник изображения: Dacar

The independent diagnostic system AVILOO was used for evaluation, which determines the actual battery condition rather than relying on calculations displayed by the car itself.

The best result was shown by the Kia e-Niro with a 64 kWh battery. After 100,000 km, its battery retained 97.25% of its original capacity. The Hyundai Kona with a similar battery followed closely with 97.18%. Third place went to the Kia EV6 with a 77.4 kWh battery, retaining 95.95% of its capacity.

Among European manufacturers, the Volvo XC40 Recharge with a 69 kWh CATL battery performed best. After similar mileage, its battery retained 94.70% of its original capacity. It was followed by the Polestar 2 with a 78 kWh CATL battery, which showed a result of 94.35%.

Tesla's most successful model was the Model 3 with a 60.5 kWh CATL lithium iron phosphate battery. After 100,000 km of operation, the battery retained 93.34% of its original capacity. The Model 3 version with an LG Chem battery showed a slightly lower result of 92.83%.

The study authors note that all models in the ranking retained more than 90% of their original battery capacity after 100,000 km of operation. In their opinion, modern traction batteries are capable of lasting significantly longer than previously thought a few years ago, and for most owners, such mileage corresponds to approximately three to four years of vehicle operation.

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