A Canada-based group of researchers working for Tesla Inc. and their fellows from Dalhousie University have submitted an article on a new technology proposed for traction battery design. The authors claim nickel-based cells can last up to 100 years.
A special chemical composition of the battery grants it longevity no less than that of the common lithium-ion-phosphate cell. At the same, high energy density translates into more driving range.
In theory, these state-of-the-art cells can have a service life of up to a century, as long as their temperature stays close to +25 degrees Celsius (+77 ºF) throughout the entire period.
The electric vehicles of today have yet to reach an age when serious conclusions can be made about their battery longevity. Many automakers promise at least 8 to 10 years of service. Some Tesla EVs have already covered between 700,000 and 1,000,000 kilometers. Their owners reported having to replace the batteries after 250,000–300,000 kilometers of use or, sometimes, even less frequently than that.