Expectations exceeded by electric car batteries

Photo: Sille Annuk

Estonia so far lacking experience with durability of electric car batteries, a better-than-expected result has now been posted by involved parties.

The first taxi purchased by Elektritakso (Tartu) within state support programme Elmo has covered close to 100,000 kilometres in 16 months, its battery capacity only decreasing by ten percent.  According to CEO Ermo Kontson, the vehicle – in constant motion and often charged – serves to refute the myth of electric cars being short-lived. «The tests showed 10 per cent loss of battery capacity after 95,000 kilometres; while driving, one does not feel it at all, however,» said he.

Considering a typical family car rides about 20,000 km a year, it would take five years for battery capacity to shrink by a tenth.

Without an internal combustion engine, an electric car comes with mush fewer parts that wear out; battery life, therefore, is its main feature.

Battery outlasts warranty

To carry its clients, Elektritakso uses tens Nissan Leafs. According to marketing manager Henri Daum of Nissan Nordic Europe, seller of said Leafs to the taxi company, no notable problems have occurred, the batteries doing better than expected.

«I don’t know whence the fear that batteries won’t last, but generally it is thought that as battery warranty is five years, therefore they only lasts five years and will then have to be thrown away,» commented Mr Daum.

Meanwhile, with ordinary cars, nobody thinks: the car’s warranty is three years, afterwards it must be thrown away. Or with a mixer with two-year-warranty – that it only lasts two years.

Mr Daum thinks an electric car battery could be usable for ten years, after which capacity is probably down 30 per cent and that being too little for electric cars.

According to Mr Daum, it would not make sense to equip a ten-year-old car with an expensive new battery pack, so the company does not sell battery packs separately. With minor faults, it is still possible to purchase battery pack modules separately.

Purchase supported by program

Mr Daum did not want to tell the precise price of battery packs; probably, it may be estimated at €10,000-15,000. Talking about the future of battery packs no longer suitable for cars, Mr Daum said they will probably face a new cycle of life, used in wind farms for instance.

The electric cars program, enabling Elektritakso to buy its vehicles, was launched two years ago by contract signed between government of Estonia and Mitsubishi, whereby state sold the company CO² quotas, birthing the programme Elmo.  

Within Elmo, about 500 electric Mitsubishis were brought to Estonia to start with, for social work performed by local governments. The second part of the programme being to cover Estonia with a quick-charging network, completed in February 2013.

The third part of the programme – payments of purchasing support – continues. The maximum grant amounts to €18,000. New Nissan Leafs are priced €34,000, €37,000 or €40,000, according to specs.

This year, more interest has been shown towards the grants than in 2012; by mid-October, 232 applications have been filed via the programme to purchase all-electric cars and plug-in hybrids.

According to Estonian Road Administration, 720 electric cars rode Estonian roads as at end of September.