What about engine degradation?

[ksa8907]

So the discussion on EV's always leads to battery degradation and most if not all EV naysayers use it as the punchline to why EV's are alleged terrible vehicles. But what about combustion engine efficiency degradation?

If an EV gets 238 miles per charge and loses 1% battery capacity every 8 thousand miles, as I have read in another thread, over a 5 year life that vehicle will be reduced to 214 miles of range. Is that any different than a standard non-electrified vehicle losing engine performance and efficiency as it ages?

For instance, a 2008 Cadillac CTS that rated 17/20/26 with an 18 gallon tank would have a max range of 360 miles in mixed driving. Is it normal to expect that over a 5 year life, 80k miles using 16k/yr, that vehicle will now only achieve 324 miles and 18mpg in mixed driving? I would not be surprised by that.

So why is it we have an immediate shock when we realize an EV loses range and battery capacity as it ages?


*For these calculations I have assumed linear degradation.

[redpoint5]

Part of the perception probably is irrational. When your tank takes hours to refill though, losing range is a more immediate issue. Degradation might bother non-EV owners more, but it seems EV owners biggest complaint is the winter range loss, which can be 1/3 or more.

[ksa8907]

I goofed on the math, I'll update the original post soon.

Updated, changed life from 10yr and 150k miles to 5 yr 80k miles.

[mpg_numbers_guy]

I've never witnessed any efficiency degradation in any ICE vehicle besides from general maintenance like spark plugs and the like, regardless of age or mileage.

[ksa8907]

Originally Posted by mpg_numbers_guy

I've never witnessed any efficiency degradation in any ICE vehicle besides from general maintenance like spark plugs and the like, regardless of age or mileage.

I can't say I have either, then again I've never purchased new.

From what I can tell in my volt, overall it may have lost some range feom new but since I have owned it and 50k miles now I have had no change in the battery. Used 9.8 kwh today and supposedly had 10kwh useable capacity when new.

[Mustang Dave]

I bought my Mustang new. At 90K miles, its fuel economy (and range) are still increasing.

The range of my bladder on the other hand.....

[freebeard]

Originally Posted by mpg_numbers_guy

I've never witnessed any efficiency degradation in any ICE vehicle besides from general maintenance like spark plugs and the like, regardless of age or mileage.

Never driven air-cooled VWs then. Once they age to the first rebuild, you're dependent on rebuilders. It's never quite the same.

I just had one cylinder down to 90lb of compression. Fortunately re-torquing the head brought it back.