The Hyundai Ioniq 5 has been identified as the electric vehicle with the most durable battery, according to a comprehensive global study. The research, which analyzed data from over 500,000 battery State of Health (SoH) tests conducted between 2022 and 2026 across multiple continents, aimed to assess how well EV batteries perform over time.
A SoH rating indicates the remaining capacity of a battery compared to its original state. A 97.13% SoH, for example, means the battery retains 97.13% of its initial range.
The study found that none of the 20 most popular EV models tested exhibited a median SoH decline of more than 10% within the first 50,000 kilometers (approximately 31,000 miles). This suggests that EV batteries generally age better than some public perceptions indicate.
Top Performing EVs
The Hyundai Ioniq 5 crossover SUV topped the rankings with a median SoH of 97.13%. It was followed by the Mercedes EQA, which recorded 96.56%, and the Hyundai Kona in third place with 96.27%.
Other notable models in the top ten included the Audi Q8 e-tron (fourth, 95.71%), BMW i4 (fifth, 95.60%), Volkswagen ID.4 (sixth, 95.24%), Volvo XC40 Recharge (seventh, 95.15%), Skoda Enyaq (eighth, 95.14%), Ford Mustang Mach-E (ninth, 95.09%), and Audi Q4 e-tron (tenth, 95.04%).
The Polestar 2 ranked eleventh with a 94.96% SoH, followed by the Cupra Born (12th, 94.76%), Volkswagen ID.3 (13th, 94.57%), and Tesla Model Y (14th, 94.42%). The Peugeot e-208, Vauxhall Corsa Electric, and Mini Cooper SE also scored above 94%.
The Tesla Model 3 was ranked 18th with 93.77%, while the Renault Zoe (19th, 91.64%) and Nissan Leaf (ZE1) (20th, 91.23%) rounded out the top 20.
Battery Degradation Factors
The study indicated that EVs with smaller battery packs tend to experience higher levels of degradation. This is attributed to their need for more frequent charging cycles, which incrementally reduce battery capacity over time.
For instance, the Nissan Leaf and Renault Zoe, both equipped with relatively smaller battery packs, showed the highest degradation levels among the top 20 models. Conversely, vehicles with larger batteries, such as the Hyundai Ioniq 5 with a battery over 80kWh, achieved the highest median SoH scores.
However, the study also highlighted significant performance variations between individual cars of the same model. Marcus Berger, CEO of AVILOO, noted that while EV batteries are aging well, the most crucial finding is the substantial variance in battery health, which can impact a vehicle's range, resale value, and reliability.