In this era of surging new energy vehicles, the words "lifetime warranty" seem to be a reassuring pill thrown by electric vehicle manufacturers, so that many consumers tend to the latter when swinging between fuel vehicles and electric vehicles. However, behind this seemingly tempting promise, there are many subtle details that insiders will unveil and take you to find out.
Battery life virtual standard:
When we talk about electric vehicles, the topic that can't be avoided is battery life. The official range figures for electric vehicles on the market are often eye-catching, but when they are air-conditioned in the summer or warm in the winter, those numbers are mirage-like. In actual driving, the range is often greatly reduced, and people can't help but worry about every long journey. This is not only a test of the limits of battery technology, but also a challenge to consumers' psychological expectations.
Battery attenuation:
Just as the battery performance of smartphones has declined over time, the batteries of electric vehicles have struggled to escape decline. With the cycle of charging and discharging, the cruising range decreases year by year, from the initial insignificance to the later significant changes, people can't help but sigh that the years urge "electricity" to get old. Some electric vehicle batteries only decay a few dozen kilometers after three or five years, while some drop hundreds of kilometers, behind this difference is a direct reflection of battery quality and maintenance.
Lifetime Warranty:
It is in this context that the words "lifetime warranty" seem particularly tempting, as if providing a good antidote to the problem of battery decline. However, it's not that simple. If you look closely, you'll see that there are a series of "small print terms" hidden behind this service. First of all, the lifetime warranty is usually limited to the first owner, and once the vehicle changes hands, this guarantee comes to an abrupt end, which undoubtedly affects the used market value of electric vehicles. In addition, many restrictions such as "non-human damage" and "non-accidental damage" make it very rare to be able to enjoy warranty services.
When you walk into a 4S store full of hope and ask for a test or replacement of the battery, what awaits you is often a "Tai Chi" response. Test results often point to a problem that is not the battery itself, or that your battery always seems to be "healthy" by various standards. In this case, replacing the battery is almost a fantasy. Even the warranty of parts on fuel vehicles often encounters similar difficulties, such as oil leakage in shock absorbers, which is obviously an obvious quality problem, but is always blamed on "not meeting the replacement standard".
Battery Replacement:
Considering that the cost of batteries accounts for 20% or more of the total price of the vehicle, large-scale replacement of old batteries is tantamount to a financial black hole for manufacturers. Even if there are car owners who are eligible to exchange for batteries, the so-called "new" batteries may only be the product of refurbished old batteries, designed to ensure basic use, rather than the standard of brand new delivery. After all, battery recycling and remanufacturing has become a mature chain in the industry, and manufacturers are naturally more inclined to cost control.
Rational Choice:
To sum up, the "lifetime warranty" may be a beautiful misunderstanding, it shines on the marketing battlefield, but it is full of thorns in actual operation. As a consumer, it's crucial to understand the details behind these. If you can accept the current state of electric vehicle range, battery degradation and relatively low value retention, then embracing green travel is a forward-looking choice. On the contrary, fuel vehicles, with their mature market and technology, still provide a stable and reliable choice. In the future, you must make the most suitable decision according to your own needs. In this era of change, the light of reason illuminates the way forward.