- A Hyundai Ioniq 5 has driven over 500,000km on its original battery
- Battery health degradation is considerably lower than many predicted
- Models from Nissan, Tesla and Chevrolet can be found with high mileage
News has surfaced this week of a Hyundai Ioniq 5 owner in South Korea who clocked up a staggering 360,000 miles (579,363 km) on their EV’s original battery.
Rewind the clock to 2011 and the introduction of the first-generation Nissan Leaf and industry experts were worried that EV batteries wouldn’t last five years before they need replacing… at a huge cost.
However, the Hyundai Ioniq 5 owner, who regularly posts on a Facebook Group called “Mileage Impossible”, claims he covers around 10,000 miles, reaching 360,000 miles before Hyundai offered to replace the battery for free, despite it being well beyond its warranty period.
Perhaps most amazing of all is that the original battery pack was still showing 87% of its original health, despite the owner reportedly only using DC fast charging to top up the battery packs, according to Electrek. This was likely so Hyundai could run tests on the battery pack for its own data records.
Still going strong, the Hyundai Ioniq 5 has now hit 666,255km (413,991 miles) and counting, although it hasn’t been completely free of issues. The owner reported that the Integrated Charging Control Unit (ICCU) broke, meaning it can’t be charged on Level 1 and Level 2 low-powered AC outlets, while standard maintenance and general wear and tear will have likely thrown up some bills.
But the high-mileage Hyundai is a shining example of how robust and reliable a modern EV can be if it is taken care of properly. And it isn’t alone…
Electric vehicles keep rolling
For data nerds, the high-mileage Hyundai example is an anomaly and it is much better to look at numbers sourced from the wider EV industry to get a more reliable picture on battery and electric motor health after vehicles reach very high mileage.
That said, the news isn’t awash with reports of EV batteries failing after just a few years (you know it would be if that was the case). And there are numerous reports of owners maxing out their mileage in a number of electric vehicles with very little issue.
Here are just a handful of examples…
1. Tesla Model S 70D
Inside EVs ran a story about how one Tesla owner, who used the vehicle as a taxi service, covered a mammoth 70,000 miles (112,650km) a year. At the last count, the car showed a staggering 424,000-miles on the clock (682,361km).
According to the report, the battery pack was replaced under warranty at 250,000 miles (402,335 km), as well as a new front motor 380,000 miles (611,550 km).
Amazingly, it still uses its original rear motor unit but, like any combustion engine counterpart, it has also received a number of new parts to keep it roadworthy.
Rear axles, suspension components and the AC compressor all required replacing, which is understandable on a vehicle that has gone that sort of distance. We bet this isn’t the only example of a Model S managing to out-last combustion engine counterparts.
2. Tesla Model 3
Although it lacks the video evidence of the previously mentioned Model S, one Model 3 owner took to Twitter in 2022 to post an image of their Model 3 Long Range Dual Motor hitting 500,000km (or 310,685).
According to the owner, it was still using the original battery pack, motors and even brakes, which is slightly concerning. Although the owner admitted that they drove 90% of the time at highway speeds.
The only maintenance, aside from tires and other commonly replaced parts, was a new drivetrain oil pump at 286,000 miles (460,000 km), which reportedly cost just 250 Canadian Dollars ($194).
3. BMW i3
BMW put out a press release in 2019 to celebrate Shaun Maidment’s achievements, an i3 owner in South Africa who had clocked up 200,000km in a first generation 60Ah model in just three years of ownership.
According to an update in 2022, the vehicle had amassed 187,000 miles (301,998 km). However, it is worth noting that Shaun’s i3 was the range extender variant, so the smaller battery pack is capable of 126 miles on electricity alone, with petrol used to power the range extending system to around 200 miles.
Regardless, it’s another great example of a car that wasn’t designed to hit such lofty mileage proving the naysayers wrong.
4. Chevrolet Bolt
The Chevy Bolt forums are awash with members trying to outdo each other on mileage, but one video surfaced that showed an owner managing a staggering 138,000 miles (222,089km) on its original battery, with the second still going strong at a further 122,000 miles (196,339km).
The vehicle is still cruising happily at 300,000 miles and counting, with the content owner documenting the life of his 2019 model in various videos on YouTube.
5. Nissan Leaf
A driver in Washington managed to rack up 150,000 miles in his first-generation Nissan Leaf, with the original battery pack managing to go the distance, despite the owner reporting that the battery fade has been considerable.
But considering the battery technology is now 16 years old, it is amazing that the packs still offer 60% capacity, which is good for around 35 miles of range in warm weather.
Owner Steve Marsh told Inside EVs that he now has a newer 2014 Leaf for everyday use, with the the last few clicks to hit 150,000 miles on his original model more a “proof of capability” than a conscious decision to use the car.
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