I am within the technique of transferring on from it for about 1,000,000 causes, however one of many automobiles I at the moment personal is a 2002 Toyota Runner. Moreover being a rolling local weather catastrophe, the truck has one factor going for it: it is one powerful bastard. It is nonetheless going robust at 225,000 miles, and if I wished to – which I do not – I may in all probability double that with out many complications. However to many individuals, it is an open query whether or not electrical autos and their batteries shall be up for that sort of long-term punishment.
So I will flip to you all and ask: What has been your expertise with high-mileage EVs?
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I convey this up on the heels of our story concerning the Uber driver whose Tesla Mannequin 3 battery gave up the ghost after simply 15 months and 120,000 miles. We are able to all agree that driving an EV for Uber is an excessive use case; that is a automobile that may do quite a lot of miles, just about day by day, over every kind of roads with all kinds of individuals within the again seat. It is a laborious life for any automobile.
Furthermore, this Uber driver admitted he did two Supercharging stops a day, typically past 80%, neither of which is advisable for battery well being long-term. So whereas it is curious that this automobile would die as all of the sudden as the driving force claimed, it is clear that his charging habits have been suboptimal right here.
However most EV drivers do not function that method. (Not less than, I hope not.) The overwhelming majority of charging is finished at dwelling and most homeowners, even when they’re new at this, are cognizant of battery well being. And there have been sufficient older Teslas, Nissan Leafs, Chevrolet Bolts and different fashions on the highway for some time now for us to have a greater sense of how older, higher-mileage EVs maintain up.
I wager a few of you’ve got owned EVs with quite a lot of miles, or have encountered individuals with these experiences. What has that been like for you? What have you ever seen? Have you ever needed to get any battery replacements, and what have you ever accomplished to maintain your EV working long-term? I might be curious what the PHEV crowd has to say right here too.
Battery alternative prices aren’t any joke. That may get higher over time as battery manufacturing scales and chemistry and supplies enhance, to not point out as our round economic system develops higher methods to recycle batteries. (Lithium-ion ones, anyway.) Over time, that is anticipated to be much less onerous for EV drivers. For now, nonetheless, it may be an actual headache when it turns into needed.
Do you’ve got a high-mileage EV story, or know somebody who does? Inform us all about it within the feedback beneath or on our social channels.
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