By Brenda Shanahan, Director of Sales Europe, ZeroMission

Battery degradation has long been used as a stick to beat electric vehicles with. We've all heard the stories, that EVs lose their range rapidly, that they’re only good for a few years, and that replacing a battery is as expensive as replacing the vehicle.

But here’s the reality: those fears just aren’t backed up by the evidence.

The Real-World Data Tells a Different Story

Recent studies from organisations like Geotab, Generational, and Arval, covering thousands of vehicles and millions of days of operational data, paint a much more encouraging picture.

Average battery degradation is just 1.8% per year.
That’s significantly less than what’s often portrayed in public discourse.

Even more impressively:

2023 EV models maintain 86% battery health at 90,000 miles, compared to 76% for 2016–17 models.
Arval’s analysis of 8,300 vehicles found 93% average battery health after 44,000 miles, and even vehicles over 120,000 miles were still close to 90%.
The best-performing EVs show just 1% annual degradation.

This kind of performance doesn’t just silence the naysayers, it builds confidence in EVs as long-term, operationally viable assets for fleets.

Why This Matters for Fleet Managers

Battery health isn’t just a technical detail, it directly affects:

Total cost of ownership (TCO)
Residual value and resale prospects
Confidence in second-life or used EVs
Range predictability and uptime

For fleet operators, any perception that EV batteries become “unusable” after a few years can undermine investment in electrification. But when degradation is both slow and predictable, you gain years of reliable performance and predictable planning cycles.

And with modern battery management systems reducing stress from fast charging and deep discharges, longevity is only going to improve with every new EV generation.

Burying the Battery Myths

It’s true that all batteries degrade over time, through a combination of calendar ageing and usage (cycling). But the key point is that the rate of degradation is far slower than many people assume, and far less of a limitation for most real-world driving patterns.

At ZeroMission, we work closely with fleets transitioning to zero-emission vehicles. Our digital twin technology and fleet planning tools ensure that we right-size vehicles and match battery capacities to actual duty cycles, taking the guesswork out of fleet electrification.

When data, not myths, backs your decisions, you’re not just making a brave choice, you’re making a smart one.

Closing Thoughts

So, the next time someone says “EV batteries don’t last,” you’ll know the truth:
• The data proves otherwise.
• The technology keeps improving.
• And for fleet managers, EVs are proving to be reliable, long-term workhorses.

At ZeroMission, we’re proud to support fleets making the transition, not just with the right software, but with the insights and confidence to make it count.

Case Study Snapshot: Battery Longevity in Action

Client: UK-based logistics company
Fleet Size: 50+ electric vans
Use Case: Urban delivery, 7 days/week
Insight: After 2 years of daily use, tracked via ZeroMission’s platform, the average battery health across the fleet is 94%, with no range-related downtime reported.
Result: The company is now scaling to 150 EVs, confident in long-term performance.

If you'd like to learn how we can help your fleet thrive, get in touch. We’ll show you the data behind the decisions.