Would-be electric-vehicle buyers have a lot of concerns. And that makes sense for any new and scary technology. There’s range anxiety. There’s charging anxiety. There’s sticker shock to contend with, too.
One thing you probably shouldn’t worry about? Battery degradation. Studies show that modern EV batteries can last a helluva long time without meaningful deterioration. And an increasing number of owner experiences back that up.
But not all owners are Tom Moloughney, our good friend, OG EV expert and host of the State of Charge YouTube channel. Tom put his 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning through the ringer when he first got it just over three years ago. And, for a recent video, he ran back those tests again after putting 38,000 miles on the truck.
The results should provide some relief to EV buyers suffering from battery-longevity panic. From a battery and range perspective, Tom’s F-150 is indistinguishable from the day he took it home. For Tom’s full take, check out his video. But I’ll run down the basic facts and figures.
In an early 70-mph range test, Tom’s F-150 Lightning with the Extended Range battery went 270.3 miles. Three years later, on the same route, it went farther: 286.7 miles. Tom chalks up the gains to worn tires and warmer weather.
Charging tests show that the Lightning’s battery capacity is unchanged as well. When he first got the Lightning, it took a little over 136 kWh to fill it up from flat to full. In Tom’s most recent test, it took a little over 135 kWh. Considering that charging losses and weather can impact that stat, once again we can say that the results are practically identical.
It’s important to note here that there has to be some capacity loss happening over time—just like you’d notice with a phone or laptop. But the end result is the same: Drivers won’t see any difference after putting this amount of mileage on their Lightnings. That’s especially true as more automakers build “buffers” into their batteries, allowing them to slowly unlock more of the battery to counteract any degradation.
“Ford must be slowly opening up more capacity,” Moloughney says in the video. “But that really should give people confidence that electric vehicle batteries last. They’re not something that after four or five years you need to buy a new battery.”
Do you have your own experiences with EV battery longevity—or lack thereof? Let me know in the comments below or shoot me an email. I’d love to hear about it!
Contact the author: Tim.Levin@InsideEVs.com
