Why EVs and Asset Trackers Both Pursue Longer Battery Life

Why EVs and Asset Trackers Both Pursue Longer Battery Life

Across the technology landscape, from smartphones to electric cars, manufacturers are relentlessly pushing battery longevity to meet growing consumer and commercial demand.

Electric vehicles (EVs) have recently made remarkable strides in extending range, but the need for durable batteries extends far beyond the automotive sector. In the IoT world, asset trackers must keep operating for years without frequent battery swaps.

Businesses want real‑time visibility of high‑value assets—inventory, equipment, vehicles—but battery replacements every few months slow adoption. The solution lies not just in larger cells, but in smarter energy‑management within the tracker itself.

Energy Consumption: The Key to Longevity

For EV owners, how efficiently a car uses energy determines how often it must charge. The same principle applies to asset trackers: the amount of power drawn while idle can quickly deplete a small battery.

EV batteries now average around 200,000 miles before replacement—roughly 17 years of use or 12,000 miles a year. In the IoT space, Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) tags, especially when powered by patented XLE technology from Link Labs, can stretch battery life to seven years.

Take a CR2032 coin cell: at 2.9 V and 220 mAh, it stores about 0.51 Wh (510 mWh) of usable energy—enough for roughly 500,000 location updates. If the tag reports once per day, that translates to over five years of service. The secret to reaching seven years is how the tag manages the idle period between updates.

Reducing Idle Energy Consumption

Imagine an electric car losing charge while idling in the parking lot—an undesirable reality that modern EVs mitigate by entering a low‑power “shut‑off” mode. Asset trackers adopt a similar strategy with their XLE tags, operating in on‑demand mode.

In on‑demand mode, the tag only sends a location update when the user interface explicitly requests it. This approach cuts power usage in two key ways:

1. The accelerometer is powered down, removing about 40% of idle current.
2. Unnecessary scans triggered by accidental movement—common on a busy warehouse floor—are eliminated.

For example, tracking a tool that updates once daily can achieve seven years of battery life, a significant improvement over the five‑year baseline. Most competitors do not offer this on‑demand strategy, giving Link Labs a distinct advantage.

Does Size Matter?

Battery capacity is directly tied to size. While EVs can house large packs behind the hood, asset trackers must balance size against endurance. A larger cell naturally extends life, but the size must still fit the asset.

Link Labs’ E9 tag addresses high‑frequency use cases. Equipped with a CR2477 cell and on‑demand mode, it can deliver seven years of life even with 288 updates per day (every five minutes). The device measures just 58 × 40.6 × 17.5 mm—roughly the size of a half‑dollar—and still offers a staggering update capacity.

What’s Your Use Case?

No matter your industry, an energy‑efficient asset‑tracking solution can enhance compliance, streamline processes, and reduce maintenance costs. To see how the Link Labs XLE (Xtreme Low Energy) platform performs in real‑world scenarios, book a demo today.