One of the main questions most of us have about electric cars is around the batteries. How long do electric car batteries last? How long does an electric car last on one charge? Is it enough to go on a road trip on a bank holiday, or are we going to be looking desperately for a charging point after a few hours?

Much of this anxiety comes from not understanding just how far electric cars have come in recent years - literally - in terms of driving range. The days of them barely having enough charge to get you to the shops and back are long gone and they don’t need replacing every couple of years either.

In this blog, we’ll answer some of the key questions around electric car batteries to help put your minds at ease on this crucial issue.

What is the life expectancy of an electric car battery?

So, how long do electric cars last? Like any rechargeable battery, there are only so many charges in a car battery before it needs replacing. Each charge/discharge cycle in a small way impacts the amount of charge a battery can hold, which affects how far the car will be able to drive before needing charging again.

How long does an electric car battery last before recharging? The average range of an electric car is around 181 miles on a single charge, with models like the Tesla Model S offering much more with 405 miles of range available. But this is based on batteries operating at their peak, so how long do EV batteries last?

In the short term, the impact of repeated charging is minimal but over time it will become more noticeable, reaching the point where the battery needs to be replaced. Most manufacturers provide a five-to-eight-year warranty on car batteries, and current predictions are that modern batteries should last between ten and twenty years before you need to change them.

How much does it cost to replace the battery in an electric car?

With a warranty of up to eight years available and an expected life span of more than ten years, the chances are that you will be unlucky to have to pay to replace your electric car’s battery. This is just as well because while prices have come down in recent years, they can cost as much as £10,000 to replace.

How long does it take to replace a car battery? This isn’t something you will hopefully have to deal with, but the procedure shouldn’t take much longer than three hours for a car mechanic to sort for you.

How much does it cost to replace a Tesla battery?

Teslas are infamous for the costs of replacements and repairs as well as their secrecy around this area. However, costs of around £18,000 have been reported for replacing a Tesla battery, which has been priced at around £8,000 on its own.

Meanwhile, the procedure for replacing a Tesla car battery has been reported to take anywhere between three and thirteen hours to be completed.

Electric cars may be powered differently to mainstream vehicles, but they still have to be insured in order to be on the road. If you are looking to insure your EV, get a quote from us today.