The price of batteries for electric cars has caused controversy since the beginning of electromobility. High replacement costs mean that electric vehicles have as many supporters as opponents. In reality, however, the price of car batteries depends on many factors - not all options are very expensive. What's more, they can be replaced for free. How? You can find out everything in this text!
Electric car battery - what is it?
"Electric car battery" is a colloquial, umbrella term for an essential component of electric vehicles. In order to understand what the price of electric car batteries depends on, it is first necessary to clarify what they are, as well as their types.
What is an electric car battery?
In fact, the cells installed in electric cars are not batteries, but rechargeable batteries. Both types of cells produce electricity. The difference between the two is that batteries are disposable cells, whereas rechargeable batteries can be charged repeatedly. Due to the popularity of the term 'electric car battery', however, we will use it in the remainder of this text - interchangeably with the terms 'battery' and 'cell'.
The cells used in electric vehicles are therefore batteries, not rechargeable batteries. This is because when the energy stored in them is depleted, it is replenished. Over time (usually several years), the battery loses its original capacity. Shorter and shorter distances can be covered on a single charge, making it necessary to replace or recondition the battery by replacing individual cells.
Battery types for the electric car
Batteries for electric cars are divided into two types: lithium-ion and nickel-hydride. Both types of cells are susceptible to the so-called memory effect, i.e. a gradual decrease in original capacity. This effect depends on whether and how often the battery is charged. For this reason, the two cell types are used differently in automotive applications.
Lithium-ion batteries for electric cars have a slow memory effect and do not require regular charging. In their case, it is only important to maintain an energy level of 20-80%. This is why they are fitted to fully electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles.
Nickel-hydride cells tend to degrade more quickly. To prevent this, they need to be recharged regularly. The easiest way to ensure this is by recovering the thermal energy generated during braking and converting it into electrical energy through a recuperation process. For this reason, this type of battery is a useful auxiliary drive for use in conventional hybrid vehicles (HEVs). Nickel-hydride batteries have the advantage of lower production and replacement costs. They also remain cheaper to operate due to their longer service life.
Battery types for an electric car - what does the price depend on?
How much an electric car battery costs therefore depends, among other things, on what type of battery is used in the car in question. The price is also influenced by its condition. New batteries are understandably more expensive than used ones. Ensuring the right amount of energy, i.e. high cell efficiency, is linked to capacity. Car batteries, like the cells that power laptops, are able to last longer and under a higher load if they are large enough.
The more capacious the battery, the higher its cost, as can be seen from the examples of batteries with different capacities used in the same car model. The price of batteries for electric cars will therefore vary depending on the weight of the vehicle, the maximum range assumed by the car manufacturer and the power of its engine.
Electric car battery pricing - what costs should you be prepared for?
Depending on the model and the aforementioned factors, its cost can range from PLN 20 000 to even over PLN 150 000. At the lower end are remanufactured batteries, at the highest - the most expensive new batteries for premium cars. An example is the price of a battery for the popular Nissan Leaf electric car. A remanufactured cell for this car model costs around 26,000 PLN for a 36 kWh battery. A slightly larger battery (40 kWh) costs a thousand zloty more. Importantly, in the case of post-warranty installation, the amount of labour must also be added. This usually amounts to PLN 2-3 thousand. A way around this problem is to rent batteries. Such an offer involves paying a monthly subscription fee of several hundred zlotys.
How much does a new battery cost for an electric car?
The price of electric car batteries that are brand new is significantly higher than remanufactured cells. At this point, the example of the Nissan Leaf car can be cited again. The cost of replacing the battery in this car is around 60-70 thousand PLN. Even more will come to pay for replacing the cell in Tesla's luxury cars. For example, the battery for the Model S costs PLN 80 thousand. A similar amount must also be paid for a new battery for the Renault Zoe. In comparison, a battery for a BMW i3 electric car is an expense of around PLN 90,000. The price for a cell for the prestigious Jaguar I-Pace is even higher: as much as PLN 160,000.
Nickel-hydride batteries for hybrids are cheaper. The lowest cost in post-warranty service is incurred, among others, by users of the Toyota Prius model. In this case, a new battery is an expense of PLN 1,500. For a new cell for a Honda CR-V, we will have to pay around 3-4 thousand zlotys. High-end car models, such as the BMW 5 series, the BMW M sports car or the BMW X SUV have batteries, for the replacement of which you will have to shell out around 10-15 thousand zlotys.
The price of electric car batteries - how often to replace them?
The answer to this question depends on how long the manufacturer says the battery should last properly. An electric car usually requires repair when the performance of the cells drops to 60% of the initial capacity. Electric vehicles that have been purchased from a dealership are covered by warranty conditions that allow owners to replace the battery after a manufacturer-specified time or mileage.
The warranty for an electric car battery is generally eight years. Battery replacement can also take place after the first 160,000 km. Usually, the free installation of a new cell depends on which of the warranty conditions is fulfilled first. To prevent early degradation of the battery, it is important to operate it properly. A good way to do this is to avoid fast chargers. If the battery is equipped with an active liquid cooling system, remember to top up the coolant regularly.
The price of batteries for electric cars is the Achilles' heel of this branch of technology. Lithium-ion cells in particular require an expense that many drivers cannot afford. It remains to be hoped that these costs will come down in the coming years, so that electromobility can be popularised.
