According to The Wall Street Journal, citing industry analytics, modern electric vehicles retain about 95% of their original range after five years of use. This is significantly higher than previous projections, which the industry relied on during the early stages of the market’s development.
The analytics firm Recurrent reports that the percentage of vehicles requiring a battery replacement has dropped sharply. For electric vehicles manufactured after 2022, this figure stands at about 0.3%. For vehicles from 2011–2016, it was significantly higher—roughly one in twelve vehicles.
Experts attribute this to cumulative technological progress. Battery chemistries have improved, thermal management systems have become more precise, and software algorithms for energy consumption control have become more efficient. All of this has helped slow the rate of degradation and extend battery life.
At the same time, consumer concerns remain. The main one is the potentially high cost of battery replacement, even though such cases are becoming increasingly rare.
The industry is also gradually shifting its approach to repairs: instead of completely replacing battery packs, individual modules are increasingly being replaced. An additional factor has been the more than 90% drop in battery costs since 2010.
Operating conditions also play an important role. Regular fast charging and consistently charging to 100% can accelerate wear and tear, whereas more moderate usage patterns help preserve battery life.
According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), there are currently approximately 60 million electric vehicles in operation on roads worldwide. In 2025, sales of new electric vehicles exceeded 20 million units.
China ranks first in the world in terms of the number of electric vehicles. According to IEA estimates, more than 20 million electric vehicles are in operation in the country, making it the largest market for electric vehicle transportation. China accounts for more than half of all electric vehicles worldwide.
The United States ranks second, with about 7 million electric vehicles in use. Germany rounds out the top three, with approximately 1.4–1.6 million electric vehicles on its roads.
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