One of many first questions potential consumers ask about hybrids, plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) and EVs is, “How long will my battery last?” Naysayers all the time quote the steep battery substitute costs as a motive to keep away from electrified autos, however a latest examine from Recurrent and knowledge compiled by the federal government exhibits that you just may not have to fret. This week’s Power.gov Reality of the Week famous that plug-in hybrid batteries have proven hanging resilience after the 2015 mannequin 12 months, with a tiny variety of replacements exterior of remembers.
The info present that a mean of only one.5% of PHEVs have wanted battery replacements resulting from failure between 2011 and 2023, and that quantity dropped to simply 1% between 2016 and 2023. Options together with thermal administration and cooling techniques have extended battery life, and newer inner chemistries have confirmed extra strong than the early battery pack applied sciences.
To make clear, the variety of PHEV battery replacements was undoubtedly increased previous to the 2015 mannequin 12 months. Automobiles from the 2014 mannequin 12 months have a 3.9% substitute fee, whereas these from 2013 are at 4.4%. In 2011, that quantity was 7.5%, so it’s higher to go as new as you’ll be able to afford in case you’re purchasing on the used market.
It’s additionally essential to notice that we’re solely taking a look at 12 years, right here, and the common substitute charges may shift as extra knowledge turns into out there. Moreover, this examine doesn’t account for recall-related replacements, which will be annoying, even in case you’re not on the hook to pay for it.
The excellent news out of all of that is that, with a stable pre-purchase inspection, you’ll in all probability be in good condition shopping for a used PHEV. Automakers have additionally began lengthening guarantee protection lately, so in case you can afford a automobile from 2020 or later, you’ll doubtless see ten years or 100,000 miles of safety in opposition to battery failures. Although this knowledge definitely suggests latest used consumers and new consumers are unlikely to wish that guarantee.
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