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Geotab Study Links Fast Charging and Heat to Faster EV Battery Degradation

A Geotab study of more than 22,700 EVs links frequent DC fast charging, high charging power and hot climates to faster battery capacity loss, with average annual degradation at about 2.3%.

AI News Feed · 2026-10-27 08:41

Geotab, which provides fleet tracking and management services, has published studies on EV battery degradation since 2020. For the April 2026 edition, it analyzed more than 22,700 EVs across 21 models using real-world telematics data. Geotab said the average annual degradation rate for EVs is about 2.3 percent, a decline that can affect driving range, performance and resale value. Because the data is aggregated and averaged, individual vehicles may degrade faster or slower depending on the battery and how it is used.

The study identified DC fast charging as one main factor. Ford says fast charging is useful when drivers need to get back on the road quickly, such as on a road trip, and DCFC can typically bring a battery to about 80 percent in 20 minutes to an hour. Geotab found that EVs that used DCFC more often lost capacity faster: vehicles that fast-charged for 12 percent or more of their sessions had an annual degradation rate of 2.5 percent, compared with 1.5 percent for those that did so for less than 12 percent of sessions.

Charging power also mattered. Geotab described power as the 'punch' the battery receives during charging sessions. Cars charged more frequently, meaning more than 12 percent of total sessions, at higher power, with more than 40 percent of sessions above 100 kW, saw an annual degradation rate of about 3 percent. That compared with 2.2 percent for high-frequency, low-power charging and 1.5 percent for low-frequency charging. The study said the issue matters partly because more people are relying on fast charging.

Temperature was another factor. Heat increases chemical activity, which puts more stress inside the cell, though EV batteries have internal battery management systems that help regulate temperature. The study found EVs in hotter climates, where more than 35 percent of days were 77 degrees Fahrenheit or above, saw 0.4 percent faster degradation than those in milder conditions. Geotab called this a moderate effect and acknowledged that its dataset does not account for climates at the colder end of the spectrum.

The findings come as more consumers consider EVs. Data from Kelley Blue Book cited by Engadget shows EV ownership rose over the last five years, with some dips. A little more than a year before the report, EVs made up about 10 percent of new car sales in the United States. After the federal tax credit for EV purchases expired last year, sales fell to roughly 6 percent or lower, but recent Kelley Blue Book data shows a rebound.

Geotab said battery degradation is inevitable, but it said paying attention to the circumstances that make it worse can help EV owners get more out of their batteries.