Electric vehicle (EV) battery health data from Geotab has found that modern EV batteries continue to perform strongly through their operational lifespan, even as fast charging becomes more common. In its latest study, the company analysed battery health data from more than 22,700 EVs across 21 makes and models, drawing on several years of aggregated telematics information.
The updated analysis shows an average annual battery degradation rate of 2.3%, compared to 1.8% in Geotab’s 2024 findings. The increase reflects changes in how EVs are being used, most notably a growing reliance on high power DC fast charging.
Battery lifespan can be a concern for both individual drivers and fleet operators, particularly as EV adoption accelerates across commercial and public sector fleets. By understanding how batteries age under different charging, climate and utilisation conditions, operators can better manage EV performance, protect battery health, and make more informed decisions about vehicle deployment and charging strategy over the life of the vehicle.
Charlotte Argue, Senior Manager Sustainable Mobility at Geotab, said:
“EV battery health remains strong, even as vehicles are charged faster and deployed more intensively. Our latest data shows that batteries are still lasting well beyond the replacement cycles most fleets plan for. What has changed is that charging behaviour now plays a much bigger role in how quickly batteries age, giving operators an opportunity to manage long-term risk through smart charging strategies.”
The analysis shows that charging power is now the strongest operational influence on EV battery health. Vehicles that relied heavily on DC fast charging above 100kW experienced faster degradation, averaging up to 3% per year, compared with around 1.5% for vehicles that primarily used AC or lower power charging. Other factors, such as climate, showed a smaller independent effect. Vehicles operating in hotter regions degraded around 0.4% faster per year than those in mild climates.
The data also challenges the need for strict day-to-day charging constraints. Vehicles that regularly used a wider state of charge range did not show meaningfully higher degradation unless they spent prolonged, habitual periods near full or near empty charge levels. Higher use vehicles showed slightly faster degradation, increasing by around 0.8 per cent per year compared to the lowest use group, but this is an acceptable trade-off relative to the operational and cost benefits gained from keeping vehicles in service.
“For fleets, the focus should be balance,” Charlotte concluded. “Using the lowest charging power that still meets operational needs can make a measurable difference to long-term battery health without limiting vehicle availability.”
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Rob Shepherd (author)
Rob is Consulting Editor for InstallerELECTRIC. He is a well-respected journalist with a strong history in the electrical sector.
