Why do we buy ICE cars based on distance driven and not total engine revolutions?
Because both are dumb and distance is a reasonable proxy for usage level. Almost regardless of the specific kwh/km efficiency, an EV that has driven distance X has had Y cycles within a range of values that aren’t different enough to matter.
Well if we were measuring only engine wear, total revolutions would perhaps be more useful than distance driven, but we usually buy an entire car, and the suspension wears the same regardless of whether you’re gunning down main street in first gear or fourth, as does the driver’s seat, as do most things other than the drivetrain.
If we’re only measuring gradual battery wear, which this article is about, charge cycles and fast charger usage matter a ton more than when buying a used EV. Not all charging is equal and smart enough battery management systems know this, I would hope they increase cycle count faster when needed.
At the end of the day none of it matters anyway. Degradation isn’t really an issue for new EV batteries. Worst case scenario you’re stuck with like 90% of the initial capacity after 10 years, boo hoo. The unsolved issue is bad cells which can develop after one charge cycle or after two thousand charge cycles and there’s no way to predict them as of yet. They also take down the entire pack until changed, though individual cells can be replaced by qualified technicians outside of dealerships (dealerships will never do it for you).
Why do we buy ICE cars based on distance driven and not total engine revolutions?
Because both are dumb and distance is a reasonable proxy for usage level. Almost regardless of the specific kwh/km efficiency, an EV that has driven distance X has had Y cycles within a range of values that aren’t different enough to matter.
Well if we were measuring only engine wear, total revolutions would perhaps be more useful than distance driven, but we usually buy an entire car, and the suspension wears the same regardless of whether you’re gunning down main street in first gear or fourth, as does the driver’s seat, as do most things other than the drivetrain.
If we’re only measuring gradual battery wear, which this article is about, charge cycles and fast charger usage matter a ton more than when buying a used EV. Not all charging is equal and smart enough battery management systems know this, I would hope they increase cycle count faster when needed.
At the end of the day none of it matters anyway. Degradation isn’t really an issue for new EV batteries. Worst case scenario you’re stuck with like 90% of the initial capacity after 10 years, boo hoo. The unsolved issue is bad cells which can develop after one charge cycle or after two thousand charge cycles and there’s no way to predict them as of yet. They also take down the entire pack until changed, though individual cells can be replaced by qualified technicians outside of dealerships (dealerships will never do it for you).