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How Much Does An Electric Car Battery Cost? (+9 Care Tips)

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Need to replace your electric car battery?
You probably have one burning question in mind.

How much does an electric car battery cost?

Well, you’re in luck!
This article covers the battery cost of electric cars and nine tips to avoid an electric car replacement cost. We’ll also explore how an electric battery works and its various types — so you’ll know better how your EV works, whether it’s a new car or one that’s been around a while.

This Article Contains:

Let’s get started.

How Much Does An Electric Car Battery Cost

The average cost of an electric vehicle battery (EV battery) is around $3000 – $15,000
Here are some replacement battery pack prices of some popular electric cars:

Do these figures worry you?
Well, here’s some good news: you may not have to pay the battery replacement cost! 

Almost every new car has a battery warranty lasting around 8-10 years or a solid 100,000 mile warranty. You can also opt for car insurance that covers electric car battery replacement costs. 

That said, the battery cost for EVs depends on a lot of factors, such as:

That’s why smaller batteries used in cars like the Chevy Bolt are less expensive to replace than the big battery packs found in a Tesla Model S or a Hummer from General Motors.

Note: If your battery has less severe issues, you may only need to replace a defective battery cell. So get the opinion of an expert mechanic to save on any battery replacement cost.

Also, good driving habits like using swappable EV batteries and smart maintenance tips may help avoid car battery issues. Let’s check out some tips to enhance your electric car battery capacity. 

9 Solid Tips To Boost Electric Car Battery Life

As governmental organizations like the California Air Resources Board aim to increase the number of electric cars on the road, here are nine ways to boost your electric vehicle battery’s lifespan:

1. Avoid Extreme High Or Low Battery Temperatures

Although battery capacity is generally better during summers, hot weather can also be harsh on your electric car battery. Here’s why: 

If you think winter will be kind to your EV battery pack, we’ve bad news!
Freezing temperatures may:

2. Limit DC Fast Charging To Special Occasions

DC fast charging uses immense power, and daily use might strain your battery. So frequent DC  fast charging may reduce your electric car battery capacity. 

Tip: If you’re using DC fast charging, remember to stop charging when it reaches 80% charge, as EV charging slows down automatically after the 80% point. 

3. Stick To Small, Frequent Charges

To enhance your electric vehicle battery life, ensure that your battery doesn’t spend much time in 0% or 100% charge. Extremely high (100%) or low (0%) charge states stress your battery and result in battery degradation.

Some vehicles have automatic car battery management systems to prevent charging and discharging to such extreme levels. Typically, experts advise maintaining your battery life between 30% and 80% via short, frequent charges to cut the high battery price. This will help you prolong battery life and stave off battery replacement.

4. Get Your Battery To Room Temperature Before Charging

Charging your electric batteries in high or low temperatures may compromise your electric car battery capacity. 

To reduce frequent trips to the charging station and the average price spent on batteries, you’ll want the charging temperature to be around 75oF. That’ll give you around 95% to 99% battery capacity.

Most cars automatically bring batteries to optimum temperatures once plugged in. If your battery is hot, get your vehicle checked to see if you need a battery repair or have other car issues.

5. Preheat Your Car While It’s Plugged In

Preconditioning the vehicle while charging will let the vehicle preheat without using the EV battery on a cold day. EV drivers can also use seat warmers to avoid using the vehicle battery to heat their cars. 

This way, you can drive your vehicle comfortably with a 100% battery charge!

6. Accelerate Slowly To Increase Battery Range

Accelerating hard and fast might cost you a few miles of your acceleration range.

That’s because your electric vehicle battery will consume more energy when accelerating or flooring your vehicle. This will affect the electric car’s range and the battery’s life.

7.  Adopt Battery Swapping

Battery swapping allows you to exchange your depleted battery for a charged one at any designated charging station. Swappable batteries not only let EV drivers avoid long queues at the EV charging stations, but it’s also good for the battery’s health, as:

8. Get Regular Tire Services And Opt For More Efficient Tires

Did you know that your tires affect around 20% – 30% of your battery consumption?

An electric car has a heavier battery and more torque (strength of an engine) than a gasoline powered car. This may wear out your tires faster if you’ve conventional or poorly maintained ones. 

As such, it’s essential to get special ones like low-rolling resistance tires and get them checked out by experts often.

9. Ensure Optimal Battery State Of Charge During Long Storage

Storing cars at full charge can accelerate battery degradation. 

Here’s the thing: you can’t leave it empty either.

You need to retain some charge to recharge the 12V battery that powers your car’s accessories and engine. So the safest way to store your EV battery pack is to park your car with a charge of around 50%.

You now know how to extend your electric car battery life. 
Let’s find out how it functions in a car.

How Do Electric Batteries Work?

Modern electric car battery technology uses an electric motor instead of an internal combustion engine (found in a diesel or gasoline powered car). The electric motor is connected to a battery pack. 

When you press the accelerator, the car sends power to the electric motor. As a result, the vehicle moves, slowly consuming the energy stored in the electric car battery.

The electric car motor and battery technology also act as a generator — meaning your vehicle slows down by converting the forward motion into electricity. Most electric car batteries usually last long, so EV drivers rarely think about battery replacement costs.

The lithium-ion battery pack powers most electric cars, but there are other types of electric batteries. Let’s check them out.

What Are The Different Types Of Electric Car Batteries?

Here are the four different types of electric car batteries, including lithium ion batteries:

Wondering how to dispose of an electric vehicle battery?

Once old, you can use the battery cell or pack to power other devices like solar panels or electric forklifts to save on battery replacement costs. Recycling is possible for lithium ion and lead-acid batteries to a certain point, as the recycling process is still evolving. 

Wrapping Up

If you’re worried about EV battery pack prices, don’t be! 

Most batteries last for around a decade. Even if they lose their magic sooner, most electric cars have a battery warranty or car insurance covering all battery repair and replacement battery costs.