Replacing an e-car battery: Complex and expensive!

The battery is the heart of every electric car, but as with all batteries, the performance of an electric car battery also decreases over time. But when does it make sense to replace the battery and how expensive will it be? In this guide, we explain why and when it may be necessary to change the battery, what factors influence the costs and whether there may be cheaper alternatives.

You can also find out how you can maximize the life of your battery and when it is really necessary to replace it in order to continue to benefit from the full performance of your electric car.

⏰ Summary

• Battery replacement extremely rarely necessary
• Tips to extend service life
• Defective module can cost several thousand euros
• Battery warranty of the manufacturers lasts a long time
• Exchangeable battery stations on the rise?

If you are interested in a new car, here are a few offers:

 

When is a replacement of the e-car battery an option?

Let's start with something positive: The batteries of most e-car manufacturers can be repaired very often in the event of a defect because the batteries are modular. Several battery cells are combined into one module in an intermediate housing, so defective battery cells can be replaced and not the entire battery.

Even if it happens rarely, it may be that a repair is no longer sufficient. If the capacity of the battery has decreased significantly, you can think about replacing the battery. However, the high costs are only worthwhile if the car is not yet old. Initially, the battery (and also the wear and tear!) is covered by the manufacturer's warranty. If a problem occurs during this time, the manufacturer would have to be liable.

Leistungsverlust & Lebensdauer der E-Auto Batterie

Der Akku eines E-Autos hält länger als gedacht – und auch länger, als die Hersteller ihre Garantie geben. Doch mindestens 8 bis 10 Jahre sind in der Akku-Garantie abgedeckt und die Speicherleistung soll mindestens bei 70 Prozent liegen. Neueste Erkenntnisse zeigen, dass die Batterie aber durchaus auch deutlich länger halten kann – bis zu 300.000 Kilometer und bis zu 20 Jahre. Doch das ist noch nicht vollkommen ausgetestet.

 

Lebensdauer verlängern: Das hilft

• Kein zu häufiges Schnellladen
• Extreme Temperaturen vermeiden
• Akku möglichst im Bereich von 20 bis 80 Prozent halten

Der Unterschied zwischen AC-Laden und DC-Laden ist vor allem, dass der Akku beim DC-Laden schneller voll wird – dafür schadet die Schnellladung den Batteriezellen auch mehr als das Laden an der heimischen Wallbox oder an öffentlichen Wechselstrom-Ladestationen.

Ein E-Auto Akku fühlt sich am wohlsten zwischen 20 und 25 Grad Außentemperatur – in Deutschland hat man dieses angenehmen Temperaturfenster eher selten. Meist ist es wärmer oder kälter, Ladeleistung und Reichweite können sich dann verringern und es kann zu Ladeverlusten kommen. Natürlich haben die Batterien der E-Autos für heiße Tage Kühlsysteme und an kalten Tagen ist ein Wärmepumpe sinnvoll. Wenn möglich versuche dein E-Auto nicht zu extremen Temperaturen auszusetzen.

Manchmal lässt es sich nicht vermeiden, gerade wenn man mit dem E-Auto in den Urlaub fährt. Aber im normalen Alltag ist es am besten für den Akku, wenn du ihn nicht unter 20 Prozent fallen lässt und ihn nicht über 80 Prozent lädst. Das schont die Batteriezellen und verhilft dem Akku zu längerer Haltbarkeit.

E-Auto Akku tauschen: Diese Kosten fallen an!

Für den relativ unwahrscheinlichen Fall, dass du den Akku deines E-Autos tauschen lassen musst, solltet du einiges an Geld auf der Seite haben.

 

Was kostet eine Batterie für ein E-Auto?

The cost of an electric car battery varies greatly. The main thing here is the capacity – the higher it is, the more expensive the battery becomes. A complete battery can easily cost 20,000 euros. However, that you have to have the complete battery replaced is a very unlikely scenario. If there are problems, individual battery cells can also be replaced. This is not cheap either, but it is still within the realm of possibility if necessary.

Here are a few examples from manufacturers:

• Price for a module at VW: approx. 1,450 euros
• Price for a module at BMW: approx. 1,800 euros
• Price for a module at Renault: approx. 1,500 euros

However, these prices are purely the cost of the spare parts – the installation costs extra again.

Complicated installation

Working time is expensive and the installation of battery modules in e-cars is complicated. The manufacturers hardly give any concrete prices for the installation, because the effort depends heavily on where the defective module is installed. Some time ago, BMW had estimated a workload of 2.5 hours for the i3, which is no longer available, to remove and install the high-voltage battery and replace a module. That would bring us to about 500 euros.

Renault stated six to twelve hours of working time – here you would certainly be at 1,000 to 2,000 euros. So in the end, it can quickly become very expensive.

 

Battery wear or defect: Does the warranty apply?

Even if you may have to swallow for a moment now, you will only be threatened with the costs when the warranty period has expired. In addition, the manufacturers give warranties for the battery, which usually include 8 years or 160,000 kilometers. If the battery breaks down within this time or loses so much capacity that it falls below 70 percent health, the battery warranty applies. The manufacturer must then take over the repair.

 

Nio Power Swap: How exchangeable battery systems work

The Chinese car manufacturer Nio was the first manufacturer to bring swappable battery systems into play. In China, Nio has already built up a good infrastructure of exchange stations. These look like a garage and the replacement of the battery is fully automated. You drive your car into it and then the battery of the electric car is removed from the underbody and a new battery is inserted.

Supposedly, the whole procedure takes only five minutes - significantly shorter than a fast charge. In a swap station, your empty battery is exchanged for a full one and recharged there. When it is full, it can be used in another vehicle.

E-cars with replaceable battery: The advantages and disadvantages

Advantages:

• You get to a full battery very quickly
• Exchange is fully automated
• Comfortable

Disadvantages:

• Hardly any (or no) stops in Germany yet
• System can only be used within the brand
• Only a few cars benefit from it

Which manufacturers are working on exchangeable batteries

Nio is of course the pioneer in terms of exchangeable batteries, but BYD has also already built swap stations in China and MG electric cars could also change the battery. Currently, it is only Chinese car manufacturers that are dealing with the issue of battery replacement at stations.

How widespread are these interchangeable systems in Germany?

Nio is the only manufacturer that has ever built swap stations for its vehicles in Germany. Currently (as of December 2024), there are around 31 Nio Power Swap stations in Germany. More are currently being built. There are exchange stations in Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg, Lower Saxony, Rhineland-Palatinate and North Rhine-Westphalia.