EV Battery Degradation: What’s Normal And What’s A Warranty Issue?

Why EV Battery Degradation Scares So Many Owners

For many drivers, the EV battery is the most worrying part of the car. It is expensive to replace and there is constant talk about range loss. The truth is that all lithium batteries lose capacity slowly over time. The key question is whether the loss is normal ageing or a sign of a defect that might qualify as a warranty issue.

Understanding the difference helps you plan your ownership better and avoid unnecessary fear every time the range estimate changes by a few kilometres.

What Normal Battery Degradation Looks Like

Normal degradation is slow and steady. The car loses a small percentage of capacity each year depending on use, climate and charging habits. Many owners see a noticeable drop in the first couple of years followed by a slower decline. This is similar to how phone batteries behave, but on a much larger and more carefully managed scale.

Normal patterns often look like:

• A small reduction in range compared to brand new figures
• Gradual change over years, not a sudden jump in a single month
• The car remaining within the capacity levels that the manufacturer describes as acceptable

Manufacturers build this into their design, which is why they talk about capacity retention levels instead of promising that the battery will stay at 100 percent forever.

How Manufacturers Define Battery Warranty Thresholds

Most EV makers now publish capacity thresholds in their battery warranties. A common pattern is that if the battery capacity drops below a set percentage, such as around 70 percent of its original usable capacity within a certain time or distance, they treat it as a warranty case rather than normal ageing.

Typical structures might include:

• Warranty periods of several years or a high kilometre limit for the battery pack
• Capacity retention guarantees worded in terms of percentage of original capacity
• Conditions that require normal use and proper maintenance

This means you can expect some loss. The warranty is there to handle unusual or excessive loss compared to what the brand considers normal.

Signs That Degradation Might Be A Warranty Issue

Not every capacity drop is normal. Some patterns can point to a defect or a problem with individual modules or cells. These are the types of cases a manufacturer or third party might treat differently from ordinary wear.

Warning signs include:

• Very rapid loss of range over a short period without a clear change in use
• Big differences between cells or modules when viewed in a diagnostic report
• The car’s own battery health indicators showing values below published thresholds

If you see these signs, it is worth raising a formal case while your original battery warranty is still active or discussing options with a provider like GE Warranty if you are using extended protection.

How Climate And Use In UAE Affect Degradation

Heat is one of the most important factors in battery life. In the UAE, high ambient temperatures and strong sun load put extra stress on packs, especially if the car is parked outside for long periods. Fast charging also increases heat. Combined, these factors can speed up normal degradation, even when everything works as designed.

Practical steps to reduce this effect:

• Park in shade or covered areas where possible
• Use scheduled charging at cooler times of day
• Avoid leaving the battery full or very low for long periods in heat
• Balance fast charging with calmer AC home charging when you can

These habits will not stop ageing, but they keep the rate closer to the lower end of what is normal for hot climates.

What Warranty Usually Does Not Cover

Battery warranties normally exclude issues that come from misuse or conditions outside specified limits. That often includes:

• Damage from accidents, flooding or physical impact
• Problems linked to unauthorised modifications or non approved chargers
• Capacity loss within the manufacturer’s defined “normal” range

The aim is to protect against defects, not to guarantee that the battery will stay like new no matter how it is used. This is why good charging and parking habits are still important even when the car is under warranty.

Where Extended Protection Fits In

Once the original battery warranty expires, some owners consider extended protection. Not every plan includes high voltage systems, so you need to read carefully. Some will include selected battery related issues or specific components such as contactors, cooling systems and control units, but not normal capacity loss.

Providers like GE Warranty can help clarify:

• Which EV components are included in a given plan
• How claims are handled for high voltage parts
• What behaviour is required to keep coverage valid

The goal is to manage the financial impact of serious failures, not to cover every small shift in range that comes with age.