One of the biggest concerns surrounding electric vehicles is how long their expensive battery units will last, but new research from Ford suggests they could be considerably more durable than many buyers expect.

The brand has released battery health data from more than 36,000 examples of its Mustang Mach-E medium electric SUV, which have collectively travelled more than 3.2 billion kilometres across the United States and Canada. The results make for encouraging reading as the average five-year-old Mustang Mach-E retained 92 per cent of its original usable battery capacity.

The research examined vehicles manufactured in 2021, with an average age of 5.2 years and around 88,000km on the odometer.

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Importantly, Ford found that 95 per cent of the vehicles retained between 87 and 97 per cent of their original battery capacity. More than 2000 Mustang Mach-E owners had exceeded 160,000km on their original batteries, with those vehicles retaining an average of more than 91 per cent capacity.

Meanwhile, a smaller group of more than 30 vehicles that had travelled over 320,000km still retained an average of 88 per cent. Of that group, one noteworthy example is a 2022 Mustang Mach-E owned by an American driver which had travelled more than 640,000km on its original battery.

The findings are significant because battery degradation remains one of the biggest concerns for prospective EV buyers, particularly those considering a second-hand electric car. As lithium-ion batteries age, their ability to store energy gradually decreases, potentially reducing the vehicle’s driving range.

However, these results suggest that battery degradation may be less severe than some buyers fear, at least in the case of Ford’s electric SUV. Ford says its broader electric vehicle fleet is also performing well, with batteries across its North American EV range retaining an average of more than 90 per cent capacity after 160,000km.

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For Australian buyers, the results could provide some reassurance about the long-term durability of electric vehicles, particularly as more early examples enter the used car market.

While the findings don’t mean EV batteries are immune to degradation or failure, they provide further evidence that modern EVs can retain much of their original driving range after many years of use. For buyers concerned about facing a battery replacement after just a few years, that’s welcome news.