Thanks for reading Recurrent’s EV newsletter. Each edition brings you clear, data-driven insights from 1 billion miles of EV driving to help you better understand your car and the market.
The headline finding from our new range retention study is that the average EV holds 97% of its range after three years and 95% after five.
Battery cells are always aging in every EV, including the one in our driveway. But the range we experience holds up far better than the degradation curves suggest. After three years, 68% of EVs still exceed their original EPA-rated range.
That's the part that surprised even our PhD researchers.
Five brands in particular show no apparent range loss across the years we've measured: Cadillac, Ford, Hyundai, Mercedes and Rivian.
If you've ever wondered why your three-year-old EV's range readout looks suspiciously similar to the day you bought it, that's part of the answer.
Some of that is engineering and battery pack selection.
Some of it is software. Automakers are releasing reserved battery capacity over the air, or tuning the range algorithm itself, to keep the range steady as the car ages.
Here's why this matters for an owner.
If you're holding onto your car: The "range cliff" fear isn't showing up in our data. The battery will also last longer than many originally expected.
If you're shopping used: A 3-year-old EV at $20K isn't a discount on a worn-out asset. It's likely still 97% of the car it was new.
If you're shopping new: A 325-mile EV today will be a 309-mile EV in five years. There’s a lot to like about that.
One important caveat we don't want to bury: range retention is not the same as battery health. We measure both, and we'll keep publishing both. But the decision in front of most owners is range. And the data on range is better news than most of the market has caught up to.
From the Market
Used EV prices are at a point that dealerships across the country are leaning in and reaching audiences the EV story often skips.
Case in point: a franchised dealer group in the Dallas-Fort Worth area told us that 50-60% of their used car sales this year are electric. They're moving hundreds a month in Texas.
Used EV prices have continued to ease even after the federal tax credit expired on September 30. Our models suggest that 1 million EVs will come off lease across 2026 and 2027. That supply isn't going to flip the whole used market on its own, but in dealer pockets that have figured out how to sell these cars, it's already creating real momentum.
Ask Recurrent
Q: Why is EV efficiency going down on average?
Despite steady improvements in EV technology, average EV efficiency has actually declined since its 2018 peak. The market has shifted toward larger SUVs, trucks, and crossovers to match shopper interest. The average EV now uses more energy per mile than the compact cars and sedans that dominated the early EV years.
Within each vehicle class, though, efficiency is still improving.
The top performers come in at 23 kWh per 100 miles. That means best-in-class EVs travel roughly 40% farther on the same energy as the average.
Aerodynamic sedans lead the efficiency charts, with compact crossovers close behind. The common thread among top performers: low drag, optimized powertrains and smart energy management.
We're rebuilding our used EV guides. What data would actually help you find the right vehicle?
Take a look at our Tesla Model X guide as an example, then hit reply with what you'd add, change or cut. We read (and value) every response!