In recent years, electric vehicle (EV) battery technology has advanced rapidly — making EVs not just an environmentally conscious choice, but a smart financial one, too.

With longer range, around 40% lower maintenance costs¹, and improving infrastructure, EVs now rival petrol and diesel cars in performance and convenience.

The distance an EV can travel on a single charge has improved considerably, as has the lifespan of an EV battery.

A bit more on the performance of modern EV batteries

In Australia, the travel range of an electric vehicle can vary a lot, depending on the model, but many can achieve at least 400km on a single charge, with some capable of offering over 600km². The Polestar 2 Long Range Single Motor, for example, can travel 654km. That’ll get you from Canberra to Perisher to Bega and home again.

Considering the average Australian travels between 30-38km per day², most EVs have enough range to last several days before needing to be recharged.

The expected lifespan of an EV battery

Recent Australian data on the performance of second-hand electric vehicles has revealed that older batteries are comfortably outperforming their warranties, even after considerable mileage and years on the road.

According to a recent study by Australian auction house, Pickles, an electric car battery should retain more than 90% of its range after a decade, based on figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) that show the average Australian driver travels 12,100km annually.

This means if you’re buying a used electric vehicle, it’s unlikely that you’ll need to replace the battery – which is usually a significant portion of the car’s value, sometimes more.

The performance of all EV batteries inevitably depletes over time, but here are some ways in which you can ensure you get the most out of yours:

• Establish a regular charging routine to help slow down battery degradation.
• Do not discharge more than 80% of your battery as this can reduce its performance over time.
• Avoid heavy acceleration which can cause a reduction in range.

How constant innovation is increasing the benefits associated with EV ownership

The electric vehicle industry is always at the forefront of innovation, with new breakthroughs happening every year that make owning an EV even more attractive.

The latest is V2G (Vehicle-to-Grid), which is a new energy solution that enables your EV to store energy and send it back to your home or the grid. Your EV can charge as usual, but being able to send power back will allow you to use stored energy when it matters most.

This technology is not yet standard across all EV chargers, and isn’t currently available in Australia, but soon will be.

How ActewAGL can make the switch to EV even more appealing

Our evEnergy Saver plan is a great-value option for electric vehicle owners in the ACT who want to maximise savings on charging, making EV ownership even more financially rewarding.

As well as a four-hour FREE EV home charging window every weekend³, this plan also offers low overnight energy usage rates.

To find out more about the financial viability of making the switch to an EV, and to get an idea of just how much you could save with ActewAGL, check out our evEnergy Saver plan.

Sources

1. https://www.transport.nsw.gov.au/projects/electric-vehicles/why-buy-an-electric-vehicle
2. https://electricvehiclecouncil.com.au/docs/a-thing-in-category-1/
3. Available as two hours on Saturdays and Sundays between 12pm and 2pm (AEST) using electricity imported from the grid and excluding controlled load.