The most important component of each electric vehicle is the battery. It affects the range and price of the car. Available batteries may differ, so you’re well advised to explore this brief guide to the parameters of EV batteries!
In this article you will find out:
- how to choose an e-car battery,
- how to recharge EV batteries,
- how much e-car batteries cost.
Key parameters of e-car batteries
When choosing an electric car, you should consider the most important battery parameters. One of them is capacity – the maximum charge that can be stored by the battery, expressed in kWh. The higher the capacity, the longer distance you can travel on a single charge. At least theoretically. Because the range also depends on the power consumption of your car. And this is related to performance of the car drive, the weight of the car and ambient temperature or conditions on the road.
Another important parameter is battery life. Each Li-Ion battery loses its capacity over time. Modern batteries should maintain their performance level for more than 1000 charging cycles. Afterwards, cars with weaker batteries start to lose their range. The manufacturers usually offer 8-year / 160,000 km warranty on the battery.
As mentioned before, the weight of the car also affects its performance. And this parameter is closely related to the battery weight. A car battery normally weighs 200- 300 kg, but batteries with higher capacity are usually heavier. That’s why high-performance EVs may come with batteries that weigh up to half a ton!
Charging an EV battery
You need a special charger to replenish a Li-Ion battery. It usually comes with the car and can be used to connect your vehicle to a regular socket. This way of recharging is always available, wherever you are and whenever you wish to replenish your car battery. It has one disadvantage, though – the cables have a relatively low capacity, which means the whole process may take more than ten hours.
It can be faster if you use a wallbox. This is an advanced charger, which can be mounted on the wall and will replenish the battery with a power of 11 – 22 kW. And to make the charging process even faster, you can use a fast charging station – you will often find them near the road. Such stations have a power of 50 kW and more, so you can replenish your car battery in an hour or so. Wallboxes are often used to recharge an EV overnight – that’s why you mount them in your own garage.
Proper charging affects the battery life – this one is true. You should try to keep the battery level between 20 and 80% (it’s vital that the battery doesn’t remain discharged for extended periods of time) and use high quality chargers.
If you’re looking for efficient, high-performance charging accessories for Electric cars, explore Battery Empire. You can choose between standard cables with a power of 3.6 kW and advanced wallboxes with a power of up to 22 kW.
When and how do you replace an electric car battery?
Sometimes it’s necessary to replace the battery in an EV. You usually have to find a replacement because of a product defect, which is normally covered by the warranty. EV batteries are rather robust, so it’s not often that they actually break down. But if it is necessary to replace the car battery, never feel tempted to do it yourself. As a complex process, the replacement should be performed by a qualified provider indicated by the manufacturer.
If the battery in your car runs out, you should start looking for a replacement. This hardly ever happens when you’re the first owner of the EV. This is a challenge often faced by those who bought a second-hand electric car with a partially efficient battery. It’s good to remember that replacing a battery is not really cost-effective nowadays.
How much does an EV battery cost?
The battery is the most expensive element of an electric vehicle. The prices depend on the car model. Each manufacturer has their own pricing policy, so the figures will differ. This is true of original batteries – a replacement may be twice cheaper. You can also cut down on the expenses by opting for a second-hand battery. But you should remember you will have to be ready for an extra cost related to the replacement process.
EV batteries may cost anything between a few thousand and well above ten or twenty thousand euros. In fact, it’s hard to tell the average price.
While using an EV, it’s good to take proper care of the battery. If you recharge the battery regularly and keep your car in a proper place, the battery will be good for many years!
