Since 2016, my country's new energy vehicle batteries and other core components have implemented an 8-year or 120,000-kilometer warranty period in accordance with regulations. This year, the first batch of new energy vehicle batteries with an 8-year warranty are gradually entering the "out-of-warranty period". If the power battery of an electric vehicle decays to 80% of the state of a new battery, it will lose its meaning of continuing to serve as a power battery for new energy vehicles. At this time, it should be replaced and put into the cascade utilization link. There are two forms of replacement, one is to directly scrap and replace a new car, and the other is to replace the power battery. So for new energy vehicles that have passed the warranty period, should you replace the battery or the car?

How long can new energy vehicles last?

As the new energy vehicle market continues to expand, consumers are paying more and more attention to its core component, the power battery. As we all know, since 2016, the core components of my country's new energy vehicles, including power batteries, have been stipulated to enjoy an 8-year or 120,000-kilometer warranty period.

The 8-year warranty period for power batteries of new energy vehicles means that within 8 years after the purchase of the new energy vehicle (or reaching a certain mileage, such as 120,000 kilometers, whichever comes first), if the battery pack has performance degradation or failure without external damage, the manufacturer will be responsible for repair or replacement according to the actual situation.

In 2016, the production and sales volume of new energy vehicles in China exceeded 500,000 units. Based on the 8-year warranty period, a large number of new energy vehicles will face "out of warranty" this year. Once out of warranty, the battery is severely degraded or there are some problems caused by bumps, and the battery needs to be replaced, and the cost may be as high as tens of thousands of yuan. However, if the power batteries are not replaced, they will face the problem of performance degradation. Many owners who bought new energy vehicles around 2016 reported that their vehicle power batteries had obvious degradation, so whether the power batteries can continue to be used after the warranty period has become an urgent question to be answered.

Whether the power battery can continue to be used after the 8-year warranty period mainly depends on the health of the battery and the user's usage.

In fact, the life of new energy vehicle power batteries is affected by multiple factors. Different types of batteries, such as lithium iron phosphate batteries and ternary lithium batteries, have differences in their charge and discharge characteristics, cycle life and safety. Lithium iron phosphate batteries usually have longer cycle life and higher safety, while ternary lithium batteries have higher energy density and shorter charging time.

The number of times a battery can be charged and discharged is limited. For example, common lithium batteries such as ternary lithium batteries can provide about 1,400 charge and discharge cycles, and the cycle life of lithium iron phosphate batteries may be as high as 2,000 times or even more. Frequent charging and discharging will accelerate the attenuation of the battery. The 2,000 times here does not mean that the battery cannot be used after reaching this number, but that the battery capacity will drop to 80% of the initial capacity, resulting in a reduction in the range of electric vehicles. At the same time, the depth of discharge has a great impact on the battery life. Deep discharge consumes more cycle life. If the discharge is controlled within 50%, the cycle life can be as high as 3,000 times.

Temperature is one of the key factors affecting battery life. High temperature will accelerate the internal chemical reaction of the battery, causing electrolyte evaporation, material aging, etc., thereby affecting the charging speed and life of the battery. Low temperature will reduce the internal chemical reaction speed of the battery, reduce capacity and charging speed. According to the frequency of charging 1-2 times a week, and considering the calendar life of the battery, there is no problem in using the power battery for 8-10 years.

How to deal with power batteries after 8 years?

After the battery is out of warranty, the performance degradation is an objective fact that we have to face. At this time, many people are also hesitant about whether to change the car or the battery? For this question, let me first tell you about the important reasons why the battery price is difficult to reduce.

The main components of power batteries such as diaphragms, electrolytes, positive electrode materials, negative electrode materials, etc., of which about 70% of electrolytes, diaphragms and positive electrode materials still rely on imports, especially in the high-end market, which makes it difficult to reduce the cost of raw materials. At the same time, only a few companies in China can produce diaphragms, which are high-tech materials, and their performance is different from that of international giants. The international market is basically monopolized by a few companies, which further pushes up the cost of raw materials.

So the cost of replacing the battery will not be low. Not long ago, a new energy car owner in Yiwu, Zhejiang posted a battery replacement quotation of up to 226,000 yuan on a social platform, which aroused heated discussion among netizens. In addition, the battery replacement list shared by a certain brand of new energy vehicle owners shows that the price of a 100kWh battery of a model of this brand has reached 199,747 yuan, and the price of an 86kWh battery is also 149,214 yuan. Therefore, the price of replacing batteries for new energy vehicles is often as high as more than 50% of the vehicle price, which makes many electric vehicle owners complain.

If the battery is in good condition, it can continue to be used safely; if the battery does not meet the vehicle standard but still has value, the owner can recycle it and use it in a cascade, that is, apply the battery to other fields such as energy storage; finally, if the battery has no value, it is best to recycle it to ensure environmental protection and reasonable use.

However, according to industry statistics, the mileage of ordinary people driving a car in a day is generally less than 50 kilometers. Even if the cruising range is less than 200 kilometers, it is enough for ordinary people to use. There is no problem with commuting to get off work, picking up children, and buying groceries. In fact, the car replacement cycle in China is getting shorter and shorter. Generally, there are few users who can drive a car for 8 years. Now the general car replacement cycle is 4 to 5 years, especially for young car owners, the replacement cycle is even shorter. The functions of new energy vehicles are updated very quickly. Many functions of new energy vehicles bought 8 years ago are basically outdated compared with the current level. From the perspective of technological development, many car owners also hope to replace their cars.

Therefore, whether to replace the power battery or replace a new car after the warranty period of new energy vehicles depends on the purpose of the vehicle. If you are a private car, replacing a new car is a good choice. Not only the price of new cars is getting lower and lower, but the technology is also constantly improving, the intelligent technology configuration experience is richer, and the safety performance is also higher. The use of the car is more comfortable and more secure than the original pure electric car. If you have other commercial purposes for buying a car, the cost of replacing the power battery is lower than buying a new car, and the power battery replacement solution is more worth considering.