Electric Car Long Term Battery Considerations

By Author: Peter Clarck
Total Articles: 19
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Long Term Ownership and Battery Issues
Electric cars have been a common sight on the road for several years now, with many owners having made their first purchase of an electric car better than five years ago. Because of the continued advances being made in electric car technology there are some electric car owners who are already into their second or third car. The majority of owners who have been questioned have been proud owners of electric cars for two or more years and have said that they are so satisfied with their cars that they are planning to purchase another electric car to replace their old one.
The common reason these owners prefer the electric car is that driving one is almost entirely stress-free. Electric cars are very easy to handle and the ride is quiet and very smooth. Driving an electric car is universally described as a pleasant and relaxing experience.
(We say “almost entirely,” though many owners will say “entirely.” This is due to the learning curve that is ...
... part of being a new driver and a funny little short term phase known as “range fixation.” It passes quickly enough into the next phase, which becomes the “entirely stress free” phase.)
The amount of money saved on fuel is one of the main reasons given for electric car preference. Add to that the convenience of never having to go to the gas station to get the tank filled up. All the electric car owner has to do is charge the car at home overnight and it is all set to go.
Range is not even an issue for most drivers. This is mainly because:

Some owners just use the electric car as a second car to a conventional or hybrid car, so they do not need to use it for long distance trips.
They are a member of a car club, or otherwise hire a car for their occasional long distance trips.
They use another form of long distance travel, such as a train.

It is not an issue for most drivers that there is no existing nationwide charging network at the moment. Few even use the existing car charging points. The prognosis that that outlook will change is expected, however, as more people choose electric over fossil fuels. A nationwide charging network will not only be used more frequently, but the demand for more charging points will lead to network growth, making car charging easier than ever and long distance travel a normal part of life.
As the batteries get older, the range of an electric car also lessens. Cold weather is also another factor that can affect its range:

The range can decrease by 25 percent in cold weather.
The range will decrease by 35-40 percent as nickel metal hydride and lead acid batteries reach the end of their lifespan.
Lithium-ion batteries will decrease in range by 20-25 percent as it nears the time when they have to be replaced.

The only main issue when owning an electric car is the cost of battery replacement. The cost is still cheaper than filling up a conventional car with gas but the huge amount of money that you have to shell out for battery replacement is a big consideration:

A Nickel Metal Hydride battery needs to be replaced every 6 to 10 years.
A lead acid battery has to be replaced every 3 years.
A Lithium Ion battery needs to be replaced every 6 to 12 years, depending on the structure.

To address this issue, a lot of electric car manufacturers have come up with the battery leasing plan. The amount of money that you shell out for these leasing plans is still cheaper, over the long term, than buying fuel for your conventional car, but also still very expensive. Leasing plans can lower the cost or make it more manageable.
Some manufacturers also offer extended guarantees for their batteries. Some guarantees are extended for up to ten years to protect owners from unforeseen battery maintenance expenses.
Another issue that some owners have is the non-existence of servicing agents for their electric cars. An electric car is typically the same as any other car, but the electronics aspect of the car requires a specialist for maintenance and repairs. Again, as this sector of transportation evolves and grows, the issues that trouble consumers are slowly being resolved. That more and more car dealers are now servicing electric cars may be the case, but this issue is still a big consideration when deciding whether to purchase an electric car or not.

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