Skepticism of electric vehicle ownership has spawned many comparisons, tests, and global studies of new and used EVs. A study performed by AVILOO, an Austrian company pioneering battery health diagnostic tools, revealed the battery condition of 20 different models using data collected from 2022 to 2026, across five continents.
Smaller batteries in vehicles with short ranges were found to degrade faster than vehicles with much longer ranges, but the biggest variations weren’t found comparing one model to another. Individual cars varied in battery health, providing a range of data points for each model tested and leading to a peak variation of 13.5% between the best and worst examples of one specific model. After 500,000 different data points were crunched, the math was published for both owners and companies to compare notes.
How Hyundai, BMW, And Even Climate Beat Tesla’s Battery Retention Numbers
AVILOO EV battery health and range testing dataAVILOO
Of the 20 models included in the test, more than half were sold in the US: the BMW i4, Volkswagen ID.4, Hyundai Ioniq 5, Nissan Leaf, Tesla Model 3, Tesla Model Y, Ford Mustang Mach-E, Polestar 2, Audi Q4 e-tron, and Volvo XC40 Recharge. The Mini Cooper SE and Hyundai Kona EV were canceled after 2024 and 2025, respectively, though both were sold new in the US and were part of the AVILOO study. Participating vehicles were tested at three different mileage intervals: 50,000 km (31,068 miles), 100,000 km (62,137 miles), and 150,000 km (93,205 miles).
At the first interval, the Hyundai Ioniq 5 came out on top with an average remaining battery health of 97.13%, followed by the 96.20% posted by the Hyundai Kona EV and the BMW i4, with an average of 95.60%. The variation between the worst and the best examples of each ranged between 90/91% to 99%, meaning there were significant differences in each depending on where the vehicles came from. Climate plays a big role in battery health, too. Hot and cold climates affect range and battery health, limiting the operating capacity and damaging components, something the study took into account, ensuring a spread of vehicles from different corners of the globe.
By the 150,000 km mark,the Ioniq 5 (93.79%) was still ahead of the pack (excluding the Mercedes-Benz EQA sold abroad)and followed close by the i4 (93.62%). The variation was far more noticeable. Smaller EVs like the Mini Cooper SE returned 77.46% on the low end and 93.85% on the high end of battery health.
The Nissan Leaf and Renault Zoe (a compact EV sold in European markets) also had similar spreads in data variation, with all three retaining 86%–87% of their battery life. Larger EVs like the Ford Mustang Mach-E and Polestar 2 scored almost identically with an average remaining battery life of 92.5% (of an 85–96% spread).
Remaining useable battery life is important in estimating values of used EVs. Despite being just a few years old, each vehicle can vary heavily based on climate and location, two factors which pertain more to far older vehicles when rust is of concern. Combustion engine powertrains don’t noticeably degrade like EV powertrains, but the main question posed by AVILOO gives us an answer as to which cars are going to retain as much battery life as possible.
Why Tesla Model Y Owners Face The Most Range Uncertainty – And Leaf Owners The Least
Of the four models studied in depth, the Tesla Model Y showed the highest variation in real-world range – a gap that matters enormously when pricing a used EV. The Hyundai Ioniq 5, Nissan Leaf, Tesla Model Y, and the Volkswagen ID.4 were chosen to compare and contrast their batteries’ state of health, estimated range derived from lab testing, and real-world observed range.
The Nissan Leaf was observed in both instances to have the least amount of variation between values, meaning there’s a greater chance each model is more similar than not when it comes to overall battery health and useable range.
AVILOO EV battery health and range testing dataAVILOO
The Tesla Model Y varied the most during lab testing and out on the road. This means a greater chance of variation between individual models. The Ioniq 5 and ID.4 sat between the Leaf on the low end and the Tesla on the high end, with slimmer distances separating the least amount of range observed and the most. While the data might look like these range estimates are closer than not, the remaining useable range of an EV determines how frequently it will need to recharge. More importantly, models are not marketed with an expected range after so many years, which is something that is becoming increasingly important to ascertain used values.
Equally important is the sample of which the data is built from. This is the largest test of EV battery health performed to date, covering popular models across many countries around the world. This was enough to build a report representative of different battery types and vehicle sizes, though more testing will likely be needed to understand how new US EVs with more than 500 to 600 miles of range will hold up after a few years.
The average observed range dropping from 235 miles to 224 miles from the Model Y’s 78.8 kWh battery pack between 30,000 miles and 90,000 miles is nothing to be ashamed of, so what does this mean for the value of used EVs?
Used EV Prices Versus Expected Remaining Battery Life
2025 BMW i4 M50 from the front three-quarter angleBMW
New EVs today are projected to lose more value than gas cars after five years or more of ownership. CarEdgeestimates a new Hyundai Ioniq 5 will depreciate 51% after five years of ownership, leaving a value of $22,888 (based on a $45,000 selling price and 12,000 miles traveled annually). Compare that with a Hyundai Tucson with an MSRP of $30,800, that will retain 57% of its value after five years and 12,000 miles annually. Similarly, the BMW i4 will lose an estimated 53% of its value in the same circumstances, whereas a gas-powered 4 Series will lose 46% of its value.
We’ve covered how used EVs lose upwards of 60% of their value in just three years, losing only 7% of their range. Data published by Geotab earlier this year stated that EV battery capacities drop only 2.3% per year, with data shared bythe Generational 2025 Battery Performance Index showing a drop of just 1.8% over the same period. Once an EV’s battery total capacity drops between 70–80%, it’s deemed unusable. It might not reliably hold a charge, cutting range estimates significantly. The looming depreciation cliff that nearly all EVs sold to this day will face is keeping buyers from purchasing used EVs, opting for new ones instead, drawn by their warranties and fresh battery packs.
According to AVILOO’s test results, only a handful of models that were two to four years old with over 93,000 miles on the clock had data points edging closer to the end of their useable life. They were the Mini Cooper SE, Nissan Leaf, Renault Zoe, and the Tesla Model 3 – though the average score for each was well above the estimated danger zone. Right now, used Teslas with equal or more mileage are below $20,000, with used Mini Cooper SE models listed between $22,000–25,000 (though rarely any in the US have reached the mileage observed for testing).
EV battery life might drop by only 10–15% over a short period of time, but values are halved almost instantly because of the market’s perception of electric vehicles and resistance to the average sale price of a new vehicle, now on the north side of $50,000. It’s easy to measure the usable life of ICE and hybrid vehicles with an abundance of data points and service history, but the usable life of a fully electric vehicle can only truly be determined by testing the battery capacity.
This varies from vehicle to vehicle rather than model by model, for a multitude of reasons, but it may be the most accurate way to determine the real value of an EV at this point in time.Before buying a used EV, demand a battery health report – this data shows it’s the single most important number on the sticker.
Base Trim Engine
EV
Base Trim Transmission
Automatic
Base Trim Drivetrain
Rear-Wheel Drive
Base Trim Horsepower
168 HP
Base Trim Torque
258 lb.-ft.
Base Trim Fuel Economy Equivalent (city/highway/combined)
127/94/110 mpge
Base Trim Battery Type
Lithium ion (Li-ion)
Infotainment & Features
9 /10
Sources: AVILOO, CarEdge, Generational Battery Performance Index.
