Overview
- Australia set a national EV sales record in June 2026, with battery electric vehicles accounting for nearly one in four new cars and more than 32,500 deliveries.
- New large-sample analytics from Recurrent show the average EV retains about 95% of its original battery capacity after five years, and replacement rates for cars built from 2022 are roughly 0.3%.
- Experts link the improved longevity to advances in battery chemistry, thermal management and battery-management systems, while telematics firm Geotab finds frequent high-power DC fast charging and extreme temperatures still accelerate range loss.
- Manufacturers now commonly offer long battery warranties and increasingly use modular pack designs that allow cell or module repairs, which cuts the risk and cost of full pack replacements and enables second-life uses and recycling.
- Independent tests find real-world range falls short of sticker claims by about 5–11% under WLTP-style measures, and lingering consumer fear over out-of-warranty replacement costs plus patchy charging infrastructure are driving calls for standardised battery-health disclosure for the used market.