Experts offer tips for keeping your EV battery's health in top condition

ATLANTA, Jan. 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Battery health, like engine health in a gas-powered car, is critical to keeping your electric vehicle running. Whether you are a seasoned electric car owner or considering the switch to buy one, when you keep your EV battery in top condition, the car lasts longer and retains more of its original value. But what if you're purchasing a used EV and don't have information on how well the electric vehicle's battery was maintained? To give potential buyers confidence in their purchase decision, Autotrader, a Cox Automotive brand, today announced the availability of EV battery health scores on its used electric vehicle listings, giving shoppers a fuller picture of the battery's performance, including usable range, before they buy.

Factors like climate, driving behaviors, charging habits and more, significantly impact battery degradation. Capturing VIN-level data is ground level to understanding battery health and buyers now have access to more than 19,000 listings with this information.

"Used EVs are the best kept secret in car buying since they offer cost savings, energy efficiency, government incentives, newer technology and more," said Brian Moody, executive editor for Autotrader. "Before you buy, make sure you have information on the vehicle's battery health. Just like your mobile phone or laptop battery, EV batteries can degrade over time, so understanding its performance and how it was cared for will help drivers understand when or if a used EV's battery needs to be replaced."  

According to the U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory, modern EV batteries will last anywhere from 12 to 15 years in moderate climates and between 100,000 to 200,000 miles. They can last even longer depending on how well they are maintained. Our experts recommend the following for keeping your EV battery's health in top condition.

• Use Optimal Charging Practices: Your charging habits do matter. Keeping the battery above 20% and below 80% of charge is vital to helping protect electric car battery longevity.
• Maintain Battery Temperature: Temperatures affect battery performance, EV range and longevity. Carmakers also suggest owners plug in their vehicles if they are away for an extended period.
• Keep Up with Software Updates: While you won't need an oil change in an EV, it does require over-the-air updates, including the battery management system, to keep the vehicle properly working.
• Monitor Battery Health: Watch for warning signs such as slower charging times, decreased range, or inconsistent power delivery that point to the need for a battery check. If needed, please have it inspected by a professional, like your local dealership.
• Avoid Repeated Acceleration: We admit speeding up quickly or repeatedly using that "boost" button in some EVs is tempting, it can consume more power from the battery and wear it down faster. Gentle acceleration is best.

For more information on new and used electric vehicles, including battery health usable range, pricing, photos, videos, and EV shopping advice, visit https://www.autotrader.com/. 

About Autotrader
Autotrader is the most recognized third-party car listings brand, with the most engaged audience of in-market car shoppers. As the foremost authority on automotive consumer insights and expert in online and mobile marketing, Autotrader makes the car shopping experience easy and fun for today's empowered car shopper looking to find or sell the perfect new, used or Certified Pre-Owned car. Using technology, shopper insights and local market guidance, Autotrader's comprehensive marketing and retailing solutions allow consumers to build their deal online, and guide dealers to personalized digital marketing strategies that grow brand, drive traffic and connect the online and in-store shopping experience. Autotrader is a Cox Automotive™ brand. Cox Automotive is a subsidiary of Cox Enterprises. For more information, please visit http://press.autotrader.com.

About Cox Automotive
Cox Automotive is the world's largest automotive services and technology provider. Fueled by the largest breadth of first-party data fed by 2.3 billion online interactions a year, Cox Automotive tailors leading solutions for car shoppers, auto manufacturers, dealers, lenders and fleets. The company has 29,000+ employees on five continents and a portfolio of industry-leading brands that include Autotrader®, Kelley Blue Book®, Manheim®, vAuto®, Dealertrack®, NextGear Capital™, CentralDispatch® and FleetNet America®. Cox Automotive is a subsidiary of Cox Enterprises Inc., a privately owned, Atlanta-based company with $22 billion in annual revenue. Visit coxautoinc.com or connect via @CoxAutomotive on X, CoxAutoInc on Facebook or Cox-Automotive-Inc on LinkedIn.  

SOURCE Autotrader