Ford EV Batteries Show Minimal Wear After 100,000 Miles

WHO:

CNET - The article concerns 2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E electric SUVs and their battery health.

InsideEVs - Ford collected battery-health data from about 36,000 2021-model-year Mustang Mach-E SUVs sold in the United States and Canada.

InsideEVs - Kevin Vander Laan, Ford’s technical leader of high-voltage battery cells and systems, discussed the results in an interview.

InsideEVs - All Mach-Es in the study had nickel-cobalt-manganese (NCM) battery packs; Ford did not introduce a lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) Mach-E battery until the 2023 model year.

WHAT:

CNET - Ford’s study found that the vehicles retained most of their battery capacity and range after years of use and thousands of miles.

InsideEVs - The vehicles had traveled an average of 55,000 miles over 5.2 years and retained 92% of usable battery capacity on average.

InsideEVs - A top-trim 2021 Mach-E with 305 miles of EPA range would, based on the average retention, have an estimated range of about 280 miles.

InsideEVs - More than 2,000 vehicles with over 100,000 miles retained more than 91% of battery capacity.

InsideEVs - More than 30 vehicles with over 200,000 miles had 88% battery health.

InsideEVs - Ford reported that 95% of the 36,000 vehicles had battery-health results between 87% and 97%.

InsideEVs - Recurrent reported that participating EVs retained an average of 97% of their original observed range after three years and 95% after five years.

InsideEVs - Aviloo reported results from 500,000 EV battery tests; after 150,000 kilometers (about 93,000 miles), most models had 90%–94% battery health. The Hyundai Ioniq 5, BMW i4 and Mercedes EQA were near the upper end; the Mach-E measured 92.5%, the Tesla Model 3 88.9%, and the Model Y 90.3%.

InsideEVs - Vander Laan said, “So here we are with a five-year report card, and it looks great,” and described the work as “really continuous learning.”

WHERE:

InsideEVs - The studied Mach-Es were sold in the United States and Canada.

InsideEVs - The article says EVs in the hot American Southwest tend to age more rapidly than those in more temperate climates.

WHY:

InsideEVs - The study was presented as evidence addressing car buyers’ concerns about EV battery degradation and battery lifespan.

HOW:

InsideEVs - Ford gathered battery-health data from vehicles in use; Vander Laan said the company also tests cells in a lab and uses computer models to predict degradation before a model launches.

InsideEVs - Ford recommends parking in the shade on hot days, preconditioning the cabin while plugged in, using Level 2 charging for daily driving, and limiting Level 3 DC fast charging.

(UPDATED November 10, 2026 02:02 UTC)

Ford found Mustang Mach-E batteries retained 92% of their capacity, on average, after years of use. Many vehicles with more than 100,000 miles still retained over 91%. Ford advises avoiding heat and limiting fast charging.