<ul><li>In general, you shouldn't worry too much about battery degradation in modern electric cars.</li><li>Still, cars from some brands appear to fare better over time as far as range is concerned.</li><li>In any EV, the battery will lose capacity over the years. According to Recurrent, Hyundais are among the best, while BMWs and Jaguars lose more range.</li></ul><div><div id="ads_6122441_EV_ev_us_Rectangle_rectangle_first_1763298084"></div></div><p>Battery degradation in electric cars is definitely real—but it's not as big a problem as many people think. Yes, any electric vehicle will lose its capacity to hold a charge over time. But no, the impact typically won't be that significant, particularly in a modern car.</p><p>Still, the technology in this industry is constantly improving, and there are some brands that appear to handle range degradation better than others. Recurrent, a company that analyzes how EVs perform over time to help guide purchase decisions, ranked 14 brands based on how much range their vehicles tend to lose after three years on the road.</p><p>Recurrent's research, which draws from real-world telematics data from actual cars, found that Cadillac, Hyundai and Mercedes-Benz fared among the best. Tesla did well too, with over 96% range retention after three years. Volkswagens, BMWs and Jaguars experienced the most range loss over time, but still retained over 90% of their original range.</p><div>                                                                                                    </div><p>Here's the rest of the data:</p><div><div id="ads_6122441_EV_ev_us_Native_native_2_1763298084"></div></div><section></section><p>Some additional context: The range benchmark for each vehicle is not its EPA-rated range, but rather the real-world range that customers experienced when the car first left the dealership. Liz Najman, Recurrent's director of market insights, told methat the sample sizes range from hundreds of vehicles to thousands, depending on the brand.</p><div><div id="ads_6122441_EV_ev_us_Rectangle_rectangle_1_1763298084"></div></div><p>With that, let's dig a little deeper into these results.One obvious question is: How come some brands exhibit zero range loss at all? There may be a few reasons for that, Najman explains. And it doesn't mean those batteries are not aging at all.</p><p>For one, car companies build in battery buffers into their cars. And over time, as the battery degrades, they can unlock access to more of the battery pack so that the end user doesn't see any change in performance. Software updates can also influence efficiency and range—by tweaking regenerative braking or acceleration.</p><div><div id="ads_6122441_EV_ev_us_Native_native_3_1763298084"></div></div><p>So this data isn't necessarily a pure measure of an EV's quality or longevity. However, there are definitely differences in the ways automakers approach things like heat management or charging. All of that can impact how a battery performs over time.</p><section>        <span class="svg-search">                                                </span>                            <img src="https://imageproxy.pbkrs.com/https://cdn.motor1.com/images/static/16x9-tr.png?x-oss-process=image/auto-orient,1/interlace,1/resize,w_1440,h_1440/quality,q_95/format,jpg" alt="2026 Cadillac Optiq V" width="16" height="9" original-src="https://imageproxy.pbkrs.com/https://cdn.motor1.com/images/static/16x9-tr.png"/>        <div><p>Cadillacs have some of the best range retention over three years, according to Recurrent.</p></div>    <div>Photo by: Kevin Williams/InsideEVs</div></section><div><div id="ads_6122441_EV_ev_us_Rectangle_rectangle_2_1763298084"></div></div><p>I can think of a few other explanations for the variety of outcomes here. Chevrolet may be ranked lower than Cadillac—despite the brands sharing a parent company in General Motors—because of the Chevy Bolt. It uses older technology that's probably more prone to age-related issues, versus the Cadillac EVs that all use GM's latest tech.</p><p>Similarly, Jaguar's I-Pace launched way back in 2018, so it isn't using cutting-edge tech either. BMW's results may be dragged down by the i3, an early electric effort it sold from 2014 to 2022.</p><p>It's important to note, too, that EVs typically have a predictable degradation curve. They bleed range more quickly in their first few years of life, then lose capacity gradually from then on. So the capacity loss an owner witnesses early on will be most of the damage they see over a vehicle's lifetime.</p>    <section>        <div>            <img src="https://imageproxy.pbkrs.com/https://cdn.motor1.com/custom/share/evus_newsletter_widget_logo.svg?x-oss-process=image/auto-orient,1/interlace,1/resize,w_1440,h_1440/quality,q_95/format,jpg" alt="logo" original-src="https://imageproxy.pbkrs.com/https://cdn.motor1.com/custom/share/evus_newsletter_widget_logo.svg"/>        </div>        <div>            <div>Get everything you need to know about the EV transition sent to your inbox daily.</div>                        <div>                <div></div>                back            </div>                                             Subscribe                <span class="widget-newsletter__legal">For more info, read our Privacy Policy &amp; Terms of Use. </span>                    </div>    </section><p>Although there are variations across brands, the bottom line for buyers based on Recurrent's research, Najman told me, is that you really don't have to worry about losing range.</p><div><div id="ads_6122441_EV_ev_us_Rectangle_rectangle_3_1763298084"></div></div><p>&#34;We found that most EVs actually exceed their EPA rating for the first year or two at least that they're on the road,&#34; she said. &#34;So even though the batteries are aging, and even though the car is getting older, the range really should stay at or above the EPA range for several years, which should be a very wonderful surprise and a great driving experience for a lot of people.&#34;</p><p><em>Contact the author: Tim.Levin@InsideEVs.com</em></p><section> <p>More EV Battery Stories</p> <div> <div>                    Sodium-Ion Batteries Have Landed In America. Now Comes The Hard Part </div> <div>                    Some Plug-In Hybrid Batteries Degrade Much More Slowly Than Others </div> <div>                    The 800-Volt Volvo EX60 Will Be Cheaper Than You Think </div> <div>                    Toyota's 40-Year Solid-State Battery Could Change Everything We Know About EVs </div> </div> </section>                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                <section><p><span>We want your opinion!</span></p><div><p>What would you like to see on Insideevs.com?</p>Take our 3 minute survey.</div><p>- The InsideEVs team</p></section>                                                                                                    <div>                                <div>                                    Share this Story                                </div>                                <div>                                    <ul>                            <li>                                                                                                                        Facebook                                                    </li>                                    <li>                                                                                                                        X                                                    </li>                            <li>                                                                                                                        LinkedIn                                                    </li>                            <li>                                                                                                                        Flipboard                                                    </li>                                                    <li>                                                                                                                        Reddit                                                    </li>                            <li>                                                                                                                        WhatsApp                                                    </li>                            <li>                                                                                                                        E-Mail                                                    </li>                                                            </ul>                                </div>                                                                                                            <div>                                            <div>                                                                                                                                                                                                    <span class="top-counter-comments-label">GO TO COMMENTS</span>                                                                                                     <div>                                                        <span>(</span>                                                        <div></div>                                                        <span>)</span>                                                    </div>                                                                                            </div>                                        </div>                                                                                                </div>                                                            <div>                                    <div>                                        <span>Got a tip for us? 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TSLA

<p>A study by Recurrent reveals that modern EVs generally maintain their range well over time, with brands like Hyundai, Cadillac, and Mercedes-Benz performing best. Tesla retains over 96% of its range after three years. BMWs, Jaguars, and Volkswagens experience more range loss but still retain over 90%. Battery buffers and software updates help mitigate range loss, and most EVs exceed their EPA ratings initially. Buyers need not worry about significant range loss in modern EVs.</p>

- Battery degradation in modern electric vehicles (EVs) is a real but often overstated concern, with some brands performing better than others.  
- Research by Recurrent indicates that Cadillac, Hyundai, and Tesla show strong range retention after three years, while BMWs and Jaguars experience more significant range loss.  
- Overall, most EVs maintain or exceed their EPA-rated range for the first few years, providing a positive driving experience despite battery aging.

Tesla vs. The Rest: Which EVs Have The Most Range After 3 Years