QUESTION: Electric vehicles: how to calculate range and battery degradation?

Electric vehicles are rapidly gaining popularity on the market; however, purchasing or leasing them requires a fundamentally different approach to calculating key operating parameters compared to classic internal combustion engine vehicles. The first thing every future owner of battery-powered transport faces is the need to accurately calculate the real driving range and predict the degradation of the traction battery over time. The autonomy figures stated by the manufacturer often differ from actual performance because they are heavily influenced by weather conditions, driving style, terrain, and the intensity of climate control systems.

To gain a deep understanding of an electric vehicle's condition and its real-world capabilities on the road before purchase or long-term leasing, it is necessary to conduct a comprehensive basic inspection. This includes reviewing the service history booklet, analyzing maintenance records from an official dealer or specialized service center, and verifying the legal clarity of the documents. Special attention is paid to the condition of the high-voltage battery, whose residual capacity is measured using specialized diagnostic equipment and expressed as a percentage of the factory nominal value. Based on the data obtained, an individual operational profile for the car is compiled.