China Has Found That Aggressive Driving Can Significantly Accelerate the Aging of Electric Vehicle

The research, conducted by Shanghai Dianji University, analyzed real-world driving data collected from 15 electric cars over the course of a year. Data on speed, battery current, charge level, voltage, and temperature were recorded from the vehicles every 10 seconds. Using machine learning, the researchers classified the driving styles into five categories, ranging from calm to aggressive.

Notably, aggressive driving in this study does not mean traveling at high speeds; rather, it refers to frequent high-torque accelerations at low speeds and drawing high electric current from the battery. The team also isolated other factors affecting battery aging, such as temperature, charge level, and idle times. The results showed a stark difference between the two extreme driving styles: battery aging stress in the most aggressive driving style was measured at 18.4 times higher than in economical driving.

The average current in the aggressive driving group was 66.02 amperes, compared to 20.56 amperes in the economical group. Modeling a scenario where only the driving style was changed from aggressive to economical, while keeping other conditions constant, the researchers calculated that short-term battery aging stress could be reduced by 91.3 percent. The study also projected long-term effects: after 1,000 charge-discharge cycles, vehicles driven economically were predicted to lose about 21.15 percent of battery capacity, while the most aggressive driving style could see a capacity loss of 53.22 percent—roughly 2.5 times higher.

The researchers note that these figures are estimates, as they analyzed real driving data through a battery aging model rather than directly tracking 1,000 cycles. Still, the study highlights that high current demands can accelerate battery degradation.