If you’re ready to say goodbye to gas, you’ll want to understand how electric vehicle batteries work — not to mention important factors like how much they cost and how long they last

This article is Sponsor Content presented by Hyundai Canada

Investing in a new vehicle requires due diligence to understand exactly what it is you are buying. In the case of an EV, sometimes that means a total re-education.

The major difference between battery electric and combustion vehicles is just that: the battery.

The battery’s purpose is to drive the power train, but it’s also a major piece of advanced technology.

Hyundai invests heavily in battery technology and research.

In 2024 Hyundai will begin manufacturing its own battery cells — enough to supply 150,000 vehicles annually. We are also investigating solid state technology to see how and when this battery type (more on those later) could play a role in our EV line up.

How long will my EV’s battery last?

Hyundai’s EV batteries are covered by an industry-leading warranty for eight years or 160,000km. But the science says they will last much longer than that.

While many things can impact the lifespan of a battery, the marketplace experience is that the longevity of a battery greatly outlasts the actual vehicle itself.

Increasingly EV batteries are seeing second and third life applications by going into grid energy storage. And, on top of that, the technology is only getting better with increasing range and lifespan.

Each automaker is pursuing their own battery strategy. But Hyundai is looking into solid state batteries as a promising future technology. We are actively exploring and testing these types of batteries to see if they bring more longevity (life and distance) and, if so, if they will have a place in our EVs one day.

How do I take care of my battery?

There is one very important thing to do for your EV’s battery health: battery pre-conditioning.

What is pre-conditioning, you ask? It is the practice of giving your EV battery the chance to reach optimum performance temperature before driving it. So, in the winter it’s warming up and in a heatwave it’s cooling down. Preconditioning only takes about 10 minutes.

And preconditioning your Hyundai Kona or Ioniq EVs is simple with Hyundai’s dedicated app. You can be in your office, grocery shopping or still having your morning coffee when you turn your vehicle’s preconditioning setting on.

By the time you are ready to go, so is your vehicle.

What happens if my battery needs to be replaced?

Battery technology is very reliable and, with just 20 moving parts in an EV motor compared to over 2,000 in a combustion vehicle engine, the chance of anything going wrong is much lower.

But, sometimes things happen.

Don’t worry, the battery (or the battery cells) can be replaced if there is a problem. Should this rare issue occur Hyundai is confident that with a eight year or 160,000km warranty just for the battery EV drivers will be protected.

Can my battery be recycled?

EV battery recycling is an exciting emerging area of the EV supply chain.

There are many companies that recycle EV batteries and Hyundai is partnered with Quebec-based Lithion Recycling to make sure all of the Kona, Ioniq and future EV batteries Hyundai manufactures are properly dealt with when they have reached end of life.

Lithion’s process means that up to 95 per cent of the components in an EV battery can be recovered, treated and fed back into the supply chain. This means the need to mine battery minerals in future will be lessened.

What types of EV batteries can I choose from?

The most common batteries powering EVs are lithium-ion. They come in different forms (packs or cylinders) and depending on the automaker contain different chemistries.

But, whichever battery technology is the latest and greatest being used, Hyundai’s secret sauce is our electric Global Modular Platform (e-GMP). This is the EV platform architecture all Hyundai IONIQ family vehicles use since 2021.

The platform leverages all the advantages of a battery power train to ensure not only does your vehicle give top of the line performance, but that your battery continues to meet and exceed your needs.