LONDON: Worries about how long the battery of an electric car will last before it needs replacing are deterring many motorists from switching to zero-emission motoring, say experts.

But one battery analytics company says it can now accurately predict battery lifespan of an electric car using a "digital twin" proven in a nine-month, on-the-road trial.

The physical battery is linked to a virtual equivalent packed with comparative data from real-time EV operation. This allows researchers to analyse how the real battery is performing by comparison and to predict how long it will last.

"This really is the holy grail," said Pete Bishop of Britain-based Silver Power Systems.

"Understanding how an electric vehicle’s battery is performing right now - and predicting how it will perform over the coming years - is absolutely critical for many sectors. But to date there has been a lack of data and predictive modelling has been largely lab-based."

The digital twin battery is linked to cloud data showing how the batteries in 50 taxi EVs and a new Watt electric sports car held up while covering a total of 500,000 kilometres since January.

The lifetime of a battery in an electric vehicle is hugely influenced by the way the vehicle is driven and charged. Along with range anxiety - the distance covered between charges - it is a major concern to potential electric car buyers.

Owners can expect a battery life of between 10 and 20 years but manufacturer's battery warranties are usually much shorter since lifespans depend on so many variables.

 - dpa