Study links aggressive EV driving to faster battery degradation, smooth style can extend life
Chinese researchers found that aggressive EV driving can cause battery aging 18.4 times faster than eco-driving, suggesting smooth driving styles to prolong battery life.
The researchers analyzed a year's worth of driving data from 15 electric vehicles in Guangzhou in 2022, collecting data every 10 seconds on metrics such as speed, current, and state of charge to determine the overall smoothness of acceleration and deceleration, as well as driving intensity. The data was compiled into profiles, with the smoothest category dubbed "eco-driving" and the most aggressive category covering scenarios where the vehicle drew very high electrical current from the battery, including repeated high-torque demands at relatively low speeds.
Instead of simply looking for correlations between factors like acceleration and battery stress, the researchers developed machine learning frameworks to separate driving behavior from other factors that can adversely affect long-term battery performance, such as temperature, battery state of charge, and time spent idling.
The paper is clear that the dataset did not include directly measured long-term battery state-of-health or capacity-fade data, instead using a model to predict long-term degradation. It found that the most aggressive driving category produced a battery aging rate 18.4 times higher than the most economical driving style. Longer term, the battery-aging model estimated a 53.22% capacity fade after 1,000 cycles for the most aggressive driving style, compared with 21.15% for the most economical.
This does not necessarily mean that the fastest drivers will wear out their EV batteries sooner, but those who regularly launch their vehicles from traffic lights or constantly plant the throttle only to brake hard a few seconds later could be putting substantially more stress on their battery packs. TechRadar's analysis also noted that other factors, such as charging methods, vehicle load, terrain, and traffic conditions, could contribute to battery degradation over time.
Nevertheless, driving smoothly is generally wise not only to maximize EV range but also potentially to preserve long-term battery health.