New study makes surprising discovery about Tesla longevity — here’s what you need to know
If the price tag on that new Tesla is giving you second thoughts, you might want to take a look at some new longevity data published in Nature Energy.
The data was collected from vehicle inspections in the United Kingdom, and it found that the electric vehicle brand consistently ranked first for lifespan and mileage, Teslarati reported. While the average electric car is expected to cover approximately 124,000 miles in its lifetime, Tesla cars consistently cover an average of 204,000 miles, per a new report from Allt Om Elbil.
If you tend to evaluate purchases based on usable years rather than miles, Tesla is ahead there too. Its average EV lifespan is 20.3 years, whereas the average electric vehicle has a lifespan of 18.4 years. By comparison, the average gas-powered vehicle’s lifespan is 18.7 years.
Electric cars are catching up to conventional internal combustion engine vehicles across the board. As Teslarati explained, while early EVs may have lagged behind in reliability and longevity, they’re quickly closing — and in many facets, have already closed — that gap.
For example, Tesla batteries are now expected to outlast their vehicles. This fact has prompted researchers to examine how these batteries could be repurposed to extend their usable lifetimes. Utility Dive reported that used EV batteries are now being put to use as grid storage to extend clean energy in the transportation sector and beyond. According to the report, a used EV battery may still have several years of viable use in such a placement.
While the study’s biggest numbers were favorable for Tesla, the news is encouraging for the EV landscape more broadly as well, with other brands beginning to make ground on Tesla in market share and ratings from expert outlets such as Consumer Reports. When it comes to consumer benefits, the advancement of EV technology will continue to provide cost savings.
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For example, while the average diesel driver spends roughly $9,500 on fuel over five years, a comparable EV driver spends closer to $4,000. The more charging stations that are built — and the more efficient they are — the more affordable that charging will become as well.
And considering the fact that significant tax rebates and incentives are still available, that EV price tag can start to look less intimidating — and more like an excellent and worthwhile way to spend money wisely, reducing your own environmental footprint at the same time.
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