It's unexpected because batteries are rated based on full charge/discharge cycles.

But in reality it's comparatively very rare for those full cycles to happen. People overwhelming drive <40 miles a day and top off the battery regularly.

I'm not an expert but I've designed stuff with batteries for a long time.

A large battery with proper charge and thermal management will last much longer under light service. Which is exactly what you have with longer range EV's. A battery rated at a 1000 full discharge cycles will probably last 5,000 light duty cycles.

However people are mostly used to batteries in consumer products which utterly abuse cheap batteries to save money.