A new study sheds light on long-term electric vehicle ownership, suggesting that the decline in electric vehicle range may be less worrying than previously thought.
According to a report from electric vehicle analytics company Recurrent, the average electric vehicle retains most of its mileage even after several years on the road. Citing recent research, Recurrent states that the average electric vehicle retains about 97 percent of its original range after three years, and about 95 percent after five years.
To help illustrate this, Recurrent notes that a 2026 model year electric vehicle with a range of 325 miles is expected to achieve a range of about 309 miles by 2031. Additionally, Recurrent also says that more than two-thirds of the electric vehicles it studied showed range above its original EPA figure within three years, a result the company said was unexpected, even for its research team.
The report also highlights that several automakers, including Cadillac, Ford Motor Company, Hyundai Motor Company, Mercedes-Benz, and Rivian, did not show “clear” declines in range during the years analyzed in the study. The report states that although battery cells naturally degrade over time, real-world performance appears to remain stable thanks to a combination of engineering and software management strategies.
Recurrent suggests that some of this stability may be due to the way automakers manage battery packs. In certain cases, manufacturers may hold back some battery capacity at launch, then gradually unlock it through over-the-air updates. Additionally, adjustments to the range estimation algorithm can help maintain consistent range numbers over time.
“The ‘reach cliff’ fear does not appear in our data,” Recurrent reports. “The battery will also last longer than many people expect.”
For those shopping on the used market, this means that a used electric vehicle doesn’t necessarily pose a huge liability, at least in terms of loss of range. This is especially important as a wave of used electric vehicles is expected to flood the market after leases expire in the next few years.
That said, we should also mention that the report doesn’t provide clear research data, so let’s take this for granted.
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