High-Power Fast Charging Is The Leading Cause Of EV Battery Degradation: Report

"Batteries in electric vehicles that regularly use 100-plus-kilowatts fast chargers degrade faster than those that rely primarily on slow charging, a new study suggests. Using fast chargers more frequently can cause some packs to lose nearly a quarter of their capacity in eight years, it claims. We've seen other studies suggest that fast charging has little impact on long-term battery health, so it's not a settled debate."

"Rather, the study outlined specific charging patterns where the cells experience significantly more stress than they would with slower charging. The study outlines that frequently using Level 3 charging stations that deliver over 100 kilowatts of power can lead to double the degradation rates compared to regularly plugging in at slower Level 2 charging stations or fast chargers that deliver under 100 kW of power."

Analysis of over 22,700 EVs across 21 models found high-powered public fast-charging stations are the largest contributor to accelerated battery aging. Frequent use of Level 3 chargers above 100 kW can double degradation rates versus regular Level 2 or sub-100 kW charging. Vehicles that fast-charged in fewer than 12% of sessions showed about 1.5% annual capacity loss, while those exceeding 12% reached 2.5% annually. Owners using 100+ kW stations for more than 40% of sessions experienced roughly 3% annual degradation. Rapid public fast-charger deployment increases convenience but may increase long-term battery stress.

Read at insideevs.com