Gemini tells me:
Based on reports of the test conducted by
Morgan Stanley Research, here is the breakdown of how it was done and the reality behind the "1.25 million miles" figure.
Did they actually drive 1.25 million miles?
No, they did not physically drive a single car for 1.25 million miles (approx. 2 million km) for this specific report. Doing so would take roughly 15–20 years of continuous driving (e.g., driving 300 miles every single day).
Instead, the 1.25 million mile figure is a
projection based on real-world data. The study analyzed the degradation curves (wear and tear) of batteries currently in use to forecast how long they would last before losing too much range.
How was the test done?
The "test" was actually a data analysis of real-world fleets rather than a controlled track experiment.
- Source: Morgan Stanley Research analyzed data from ride-hailing (taxi) fleets operating in four major Chinese cities.
- Sample Size: They tracked 12 different EV models and analyzed 100 battery samples.
- Methodology:
- They monitored the battery health and range loss of these high-usage vehicles over time.
- Because taxis accumulate mileage much faster than personal cars, they provide excellent data on battery longevity.
- Using this data, analysts calculated a "degradation curve" for each battery type.
- The Result: The data showed that CATL batteries degraded so slowly that they were projected to still retain a usable driving range (about 250 miles / 400 km) even after hitting the 1.25 million mile mark. In contrast, batteries from rival manufacturers were projected to have significantly less range (around 217 miles / 350 km) or fail earlier at that same distance.
Summary
The report is a statistical analysis of real-world fleet data. While the cars themselves haven't driven 1.25 million miles
yet, the wear patterns observed in the high-mileage taxis indicate the CATL batteries are durable enough to reach that milestone with plenty of life left, beating their competitors.
interestingengineering.com
