Recurrent, a Seattle-based startup that provides independent reports on the condition of used EV batteries, has released the first two in a planned series of EV battery guides for consumers. The two public guides offer an analysis of overall battery performance over time in the Tesla Model 3 and the Chevrolet Bolt.

Buyers of used EVs need a way to compare battery life across vehicles, as replacing or repairing the batteries is costly. Recurrent’s EV shopping guides break down key information for consumers and industry professionals to provide a better understanding of how age, temperature and mileage impact each model’s range.

“Our goal with this information is to give people the confidence to purchase a pre-owned electric vehicle,” said Scott Case, co-founder and CEO of Recurrent. “Everyone has owned a smart phone long enough to know that the battery wears down over time, and there’s a fear of the unknown when it comes to used EV batteries.”

Recurrent’s Tesla Model 3 guide analyzed data from more than 1,500 cars in the US whose owners signed up to share their data with Recurrent over the course of 7 million combined miles. In the first 20,000 miles, the Tesla saw an average decrease in range of 40 miles, but after the 20,000-mile mark, range degradation leveled off.

The Chevy Bolt guide analyzed data from 1,000 cars, which logged 4 million combined miles. The data shows that the Bolt’s real-world range can be both longer or shorter than the EPA range estimate, depending on conditions.

For both vehicles, the actual range may be slightly below what the car’s dashboard gauge indicates in very hot or very cold weather.

“The estimated EPA range is wrong on day one of a new EV,” says Case. “Weather and driving style variability, and even small manufacturing differences, mean that every buyer of a new EV experiences maximum range differently.”

Recurrent plans to follow these two guides with editions for other EV models.

Source: Recurrent