New Aviloo Study of 500,000 EV Battery Tests Shows Most Batteries Hold Up Well

Concerns about electric vehicle battery life are often based on misinformation and EV myths. New data from EV battery diagnostics company Aviloo suggests that, for most electric cars, that concern is largely misplaced. An analysis of 500,000 battery health tests conducted over five years shows that EV batteries generally retain a substantial amount of their usable capacity even after tens of thousands of miles.

The data also demonstrates that battery longevity can vary significantly depending on the vehicle and how it is used.

Aviloo compiled battery health results from 20 popular EV models, using tests performed on used electric vehicles between 2022 and 2026. The vehicles came from North America, South America, Europe, Asia and Australia.

The company’s state-of-health measurement represents the percentage of a battery’s original usable capacity that remains available. An EV recording 95% state of health, for example, would be expected to deliver approximately 95% of its original driving range when fully charged.

For each of the 20 models, Aviloo calculated the median battery health at 50,000 kilometers (31,068 miles), 100,000 kilometers (62,137 miles) and 150,000 kilometers (93,205 miles).

The results showed substantial differences between models, although overall battery retention was strong.

At 50,000 kilometers, the Hyundai Ioniq 5 recorded the highest median battery health in the study, retaining more than 97% of its original capacity. The Mercedes-Benz EQA followed at 96.56%. Every model included in the analysis recorded a median battery health above 90% at this mileage.

Two notable exceptions were the Renault Zoe and Nissan Leaf. Both are among the relatively small number of EVs that use air-cooled battery systems. When those two models were excluded, every vehicle in the study recorded approximately 94% battery health or higher at 50,000 kilometers.

Aviloo points to battery size as one potential factor. Smaller-battery EVs generally require more charging sessions to cover the same distance as vehicles with larger packs. Over time, the additional charging cycles can contribute to greater degradation.

The Hyundai Ioniq 5 remained the leading model at 100,000 kilometers, retaining more than 95% of its original battery capacity. The Mercedes-Benz EQA followed at approximately 95%, while the Hyundai Kona Electric and BMW i4 each recorded a median of 94.3%. The Ford Mustang Mach-E followed at 93.45%.

Once again, excluding the Zoe and Leaf, every model recorded at least 90% median battery health at 100,000 kilometers.

Battery degradation became more apparent at 150,000 kilometers, although most vehicles still clustered between 90% and 94% median capacity.

The Mercedes-Benz EQA and Hyundai Ioniq 5 were the strongest performers, recording median battery health figures of 93.97% and 93.79%, respectively. The BMW i4 followed at 93.62%, while the Hyundai Kona Electric reached 92.95% and the Volvo XC40 Recharge recorded 92.79%.

Smaller EVs again appeared toward the bottom of the rankings. The Mini Cooper SE recorded 87.11% median battery health at 150,000 kilometers, compared with 87.33% for the Renault Zoe and 86.67% for the Nissan Leaf.

Tesla’s Model Y and Model 3 landed closer to the middle and lower end of the results. Model Y vehicles recorded a median battery health of 90.3% after 150,000 kilometers, while the Model 3 reached 88.94%.

The results reinforce findings from other battery studies showing that modern EV batteries can retain most of their usable capacity after approaching 100,000 miles. Even the lower-performing models in Aviloo’s dataset retained roughly 87% of their original battery capacity after substantial use.

However, median figures do not tell the entire story. Aviloo also examined the range of battery health results covering 99% of vehicles at a particular mileage. Those figures reveal considerable variation between individual vehicles, including vehicles of the same model.

For example, Model Y battery health at 150,000 miles ranged from 82.9% to 94.9%. The BMW i4 ranged from 87.5% to 96.9%, while the Mustang Mach-E ranged from 85.3% to 96.1%. Model 3 results ranged from 80.28% to 94.53%.

That variation means some high-mileage EVs can retain an unexpectedly large amount of their original battery capacity, while others can experience considerably more degradation.

Aviloo identified several factors that can contribute to those differences. Hot climates, frequent DC fast charging and leaving a vehicle at 100% charge for extended periods can all affect battery aging. Differences in battery chemistry and vehicle engineering can also produce substantially different results even when two vehicles are subjected to similar charging habits.

“Manufacturers also use different battery chemistries with different trade-offs, so even identical charging habits can produce very different results across models,” an Aviloo representative said.

Battery degradation is also influenced by calendar age, meaning mileage is not the only factor determining the condition of an EV battery.

For EV owners and used-car shoppers, the overall findings provide encouraging evidence about long-term battery durability. An EV reaching 100,000 miles does not automatically mean its battery is nearing the end of its useful life. Based on the median results in this study, a roughly 10% reduction in usable capacity after that level of mileage is a reasonable expectation for many models, although individual results can vary substantially.

The vehicle itself, its battery technology, climate, charging patterns and how it is operated can all influence how much capacity remains over the long term.

AVILOO Brings Valuable Independent Used EV Battery Certificates to the U.S. Used EV Market

AVILOO is a global provider of independent EV battery diagnostics operating in 70 countries. The company is now offering battery diagnosis for electric cars and plug-in hybrids to the used EV market in the United States. The company released Business-to-Business (B2B) support, with consumer support to follow.