We’ve had our 2023 EV6 for about 5 months, bought through Hertz Car Sales. It had about 8k miles when we got it, and we’re now at 20k. We recently took a long 2k-mile trip, using Electrify America’s 350kW Hyper Chargers. On the trip, we charged to 80% to avoid stressing the battery.
Lately, though, we’ve noticed our range has dropped significantly. When we first got the car, we’d typically get more than 200 miles going from 80% down to around 25% SoC, which was about 10% less than what the Range Estimator predicted. But now, even though the weather has been better, we’re only getting around 160 miles for the same charge range. Additionally, the Range Estimator has become less accurate—it predicted 213 miles, but we got only 160.
Could we be seeing battery degradation already at just 20k miles?
0% to 25% is 25%, and 80% to 100% is 20%, which adds up to 45%. So you’re getting 160 miles from 55% of your charge, which is about right. If you double that, you’d be at around 320 miles for a full charge. As people have mentioned before, the Range Estimator is just an estimate, influenced by your recent driving habits.
Peggy said: @Peggy
P.S. I bought my 2023 RWD EV6 Wind from Hertz Car Sales too. Picked it up in February with about 16k miles, now at 20k.
Hertz Car Sales was great for us! We got both our cars (Audi A4 and EV6) from them. We even got an unexpected discount on the EV6 because of their price reduction day. The original price was $28k, but we got it for $26.5k, plus an extra $500 off for being returning customers. Total savings: $2k!
Your battery is probably fine; it’s more likely that your recent driving is less efficient. Pay attention to your miles per kWh (mi/kWh), as that will give you a better idea of your actual range. Range estimates are more about your driving efficiency than battery degradation, especially at only 20k miles. Even at 100k miles, a well-maintained battery should still retain around 92% capacity, which would only mean a slight decrease in range—maybe 20 miles on a full charge.
Check your tire pressures. Also, are you doing more highway driving? Speed makes a big difference in range—the faster you go, the less efficient the car is.
The Range Estimator works by averaging your recent driving efficiency and comparing it to your current battery level. If you’ve been driving faster or more aggressively, the estimate will reflect that.
If you’re curious about the battery health, you can use the Car Scanner app and a $30 Bluetooth OBDII reader to check the battery’s state of health and other diagnostics. Plus, the reader can integrate with A Better Routeplanner (ABRP) for real-time trip planning.
Lastly, don’t worry too much about using DC fast chargers—they won’t harm your battery as much as some sources suggest.
@zendaya
Yes, that’s the right app! Your tire pressure might be a little low—check the door jamb for the manufacturer’s recommended pressure, but it should be around 38 PSI. I personally run mine at 42 PSI for better efficiency.
There’s a list of compatible OBDII readers on the app, so you can find the one that works best for Hyundai/Kia vehicles.
The batteries in these cars are very durable. Even with a bad cell, it’s unlikely you’d notice an issue right away. I’d recommend checking your tire pressure and alignment, especially with all the ADAS functions—alignment issues can cause a big drop in range. You might also want to have the hubs and bearings checked, which should still be under warranty.
Efficiency is key. Keep an eye on your mi/kWh, and adjust your driving accordingly. In the city, use Level 3 regen and Auto mode, and on the highway, use Highway Driving Assist (HDA). Also, driving over 70mph will really cut into your range.
Try charging to 100% on an AC charger (slow/trickle charger). This can help reset the Range Estimator and recalibrate the battery’s charge level. The manual recommends doing this about once a month.
Ronald said:
Try charging to 100% on an AC charger (slow/trickle charger). This can help reset the Range Estimator and recalibrate the battery’s charge level. The manual recommends doing this about once a month.
Thanks! I’m actually doing that now, charging to 100% to see if it helps.
Yep, the manual says to charge to 100% once a month to recalibrate the battery estimator. If you drive mostly above 55mph, the estimate will adjust to reflect that, so it depends on your driving habits too.