A fleet managers guide to electric vehicle battery life

For fleet owners and operations managers evaluating electric vehicles (EVs), one question often comes first: How long do EV batteries last under real-world operating conditions?

Because EVs are still relatively new, EV battery lifespan estimates are generated under laboratory conditions and are not necessarily fleet battle tested. 

Many fleet managers have a reasonable fear that EV batteries will degrade faster than estimated. They worry about purchasing the wrong vehicles, assigning them to incompatible routes, improperly managing the duty and charge cycle and only discovering later that the economics do not work.

Understanding EV battery lifespan is therefore one part of a broader evaluation involving duty cycles, charging availability, route requirements and total cost of ownership (TCO).

How long do EV batteries last in commercial fleets?

Most EV batteries are expected to last about 12 to 15 years under normal conditions, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.¹ Many manufacturers also offer battery warranties covering eight years or 100,000 miles. But actual electric vehicle battery life expectancy varies by vehicle, climate, charging practices and daily use.

In fact, a researchers working in the Stanford-SLAC Battery Center were surprised to discover that the EV battery lifespan may be 40% longer under real-world driving conditions than conventional laboratory testing indicated.² The researchers found that variable driving patterns, including acceleration, regenerative braking and periods of rest, produced longer EV battery life than steady laboratory cycling in the batteries they studied.

EV batteries will wear out eventually.¹ Battery degradation is typically gradual. Rather than suddenly failing, the battery slowly loses some of its original capacity and available driving range.

For example, an EV capable of traveling 150 miles when new may cover fewer miles after several years of use. That does not necessarily make the vehicle problematic. Its continued value depends on whether the remaining EV battery capacity still supports the routes and assignments the fleet needs it to complete.

Managing EV battery life requires running a top-notch fleet. See how.

What factors accelerate EV battery degradation?

Operating conditions and EV charging practices can influence how quickly that degradation occurs. Battery management systems help regulate charging and temperature, making today's EV batteries more durable than many drivers expect.

Several factors can affect battery longevity:

• Frequent direct current fast charging (DCFC): DCFC is the most powerful EV battery charging level and an important tool for fleets that need to quickly return vehicles to service. However, relying on high-power DCFC as a primary charging method may increase battery wear compared to more routine Level 2 charging, which requires less power.³
• Extreme states of charge: Leaving a battery at a very high or very low state of charge for extended periods can place additional stress on battery cells. Follow the charging recommendations provided by each vehicle manufacturer, as optimal EV charging practices vary by battery chemistry and vehicle design.⁴
• High temperatures: Heat is one of the biggest contributors to battery degradation over time, while cold temperatures primarily reduce available driving range and slow charging until the battery warms. Modern thermal management systems help protect batteries, but climate remains an important consideration when planning fleet operations.⁵
• Time: EV batteries experience gradual calendar aging even when they are not driven frequently. For fleets, that makes vehicle utilization an important consideration. Assets that spend long periods parked may continue to lose battery capacity without delivering enough value to offset their purchase cost.⁶

The right EV charging strategy depends on how your fleet operates. Daily mileage, dwell time, vehicle availability and route requirements all influence whether Level 2 charging, DC fast charging or a combination of both makes the most operational sense.

How can you use EV battery data to support operations?

Verizon Connect can provide EV data to understand battery levels, charging activity and vehicle readiness. Telematics cannot tell a fleet exactly how many years an EV battery will last, but it can help teams manage the daily operating conditions that determine whether vehicles are available for their assigned work.

Managers can use EV fleet management platforms to:

• Monitor EV battery levels: Configurable low-battery alerts can notify operations teams when a vehicle’s charge falls below a selected threshold. This helps dispatchers identify vehicles that may need charging before another assignment.
• Review charging activity: EV-specific reports provide information about charging activity, helping managers identify whether vehicles are being connected to chargers consistently and whether charging routines align with operating schedules.
• Check charging status in near real time: The Spotlight mobile app allows managers to review EV battery levels and EV charging status while away from their desks.
• View EV locations: Combining vehicle location and battery-level information can help dispatchers make more informed assignment decisions when an EV has limited charge remaining.

The goal is not to claim control over battery degradation, but to give fleet teams practical information they can use to support vehicle availability, EV charging discipline and daily route planning.

How do you know if your current vehicles are compatible with an EV transition?

In an EV suitability analysis, Verizon Connect data scientists found that on average, a fleet could be looking at suitable replacements for more than a third of their total fleet vehicles.⁷ Here are the numbers:

• Vehicles analyzed: More than 92,000 light- and medium-duty vehicles
• Distance evaluated: More than 622 million miles
• Potential EV candidates: 42% of analyzed ICE vehicles
• Route compatibility: Daily mileage within available EV range at least 95% of the time
• Potential annual energy savings: More than $69,000 per analyzed fleet account, on average

The Verizon Connect EV suitability tool takes this analysis and applies it to your fleet. It uses historical mileage and vehicle activity to identify internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles whose current duty cycles may be compatible with available EV ranges. It considers factors such as daily mileage, vehicle activity, local fuel and electricity prices and available EV specifications.

This allows managers to focus initial investments on vehicles with operating patterns that are already well suited to electrification. A vehicle assigned to shorter, predictable routes may remain practical even after some battery degradation. A high-mileage vehicle with limited charging time may not be the right first candidate, regardless of the battery’s projected lifespan.

Starting with route-compatible vehicles can help fleets build a more realistic business case, manage range concerns and reduce the risk of investing in EVs that do not fit current operations.

Learn 5 ways to prepare for an EV transition.

Predictable EV performance starts with operational data

EV batteries are designed to provide years of service, but EV battery life expectancy alone cannot determine whether electrification will deliver a positive return for a commercial fleet.

The more useful question is whether each vehicle’s current and future range can support its assigned duty cycle. That requires an understanding of daily mileage, vehicle utilization, charging availability and operating costs.

Telematics can help you evaluate those factors before purchasing EVs and manage battery levels and charging activity after deployment. This replaces broad assumptions about electric vehicle battery life with decisions based on how the fleet actually works.

By identifying route-compatible vehicles first, planning EV charging around established operating patterns and tracking EV battery data after deployment, fleets can approach electrification as a phased strategy rather than an all-or-nothing transition.

Sources

¹ Electric Vehicle Benefits and Considerations, U.S. Department of Energy, Alternative Fuels Data Center

² Existing EV Batteries May Last up to 40% Longer Than Expected, Stanford Report 

³ Oak Ridge National Laboratory: Estimate Long-Term Impact on Battery Degradation by Considering Electric Vehicle Real-World End-Use Factors

⁴ U.S. Department of Energy: Winterizing Your Electric Vehicle

⁵ Nature Climate Change: Technological Improvements in EV Batteries Offset Climate-Induced Durability Challenges

⁶ Calendar and Cycling Ageing Combination of Batteries in Electric Vehicles

⁷ Verizon Connect aggregated customer data analysis of the routes of over 92,000 light and medium duty ICE commercial vehicles, covering a combined 622 million miles