Condition assessment of used EV batteries has been introduced – will it convince people to buy used EVs?

According to the Green Finance Institute (GFI), “fear of poor battery health is the biggest barrier holding back the used electric vehicle market.”

But that could soon be a thing of the past as a battery health rating system has been introduced for the first time in the UK used electric vehicle market.

Used car dealer BCA has launched its own electric vehicle battery assessment service to help drivers buy electric cars with more confidence. But is this enough to convince you to go green?

The BCA Battery Health Assessment will give customers a clear picture of the health of an EV’s traction battery through an easy-to-interpret rating system.

The letters A through E will be accompanied by the AVILOO “FLASH Test” battery score number.

When a customer purchases a used BCA EV, the battery condition rating will be displayed in a quick reference format on the vehicle detail page, vehicle search results and on the live bidding screens at BCA auction houses.

Buyers also gain access to a full post-sale FLASH test report that will extend throughout the rest of the retail process, including to local used car dealers. This will help sellers and buyers have more confidence in a transparent market, and will also allow dealers to discuss battery health issues with customers and hopefully resolve them.

BCA chief operating officer Stuart Pearson said: “BCA’s new battery condition classification helps our customers bid on electric vehicles with complete confidence and make more informed purchasing decisions.

“The service provides complete transparency, unbiased testing and evaluation, providing a reusable report that will further aid the retail process.”

The Battery Health service is currently available through BCA auctions and should soon begin filtering through the used car network.

How does the AVILOO battery test work?

AVILOO, BCA’s battery quality partner, provides unbiased, independent testing by connecting the test unit to the vehicle’s OBD interface.

The detailed report shows the remaining battery capacity from 0 to 100 and displays “red flags” in case of faulty battery modules.

The A to E rating system is similar to vehicle condition ratings, allowing buyers to quickly understand it.

Markus Berger, CEO of testing company AVILOO GmbH, commented: “AVILOO’s battery health testing covers 95 percent of all available EV brands, meaning it fits perfectly with BCA’s extensive online remarketing programs in the UK and Europe.

“Increasing trust, as well as a transparent process, remain key to the continued development of the used electric vehicle market.”

Why is the health of used EV batteries such a big barrier to adoption?

In June 2023, GFI found that 62 percent of consumers would not buy a used electric vehicle due to concerns about battery life.

A year later, Starline’s Used Car Tracker study found that 87 percent of potential used electric vehicle buyers said it was important to obtain an independent, certified assessment detailing the condition of the vehicle’s battery as used by previous owners.

House of Lords Environment and Climate Change Committee Report 2024 Electric vehicle strategy: fast charging is essential stated that “consumer confidence in the used market is currently undermined by uncertainty and concerns about the condition of electric vehicle batteries.”

Startline Motor Finance CEO Paul Burgess said: “Probably the biggest fear consumers have when buying a used electric car is that the battery will fail or otherwise fail very quickly.

“They know it could cost thousands of pounds to buy a replacement and the value of their car would plummet.”

While these concerns are “largely unfounded” as “battery degradation typically occurs much more slowly than expected and complete battery failure, while not unknown, remains a rare occurrence,” Burgess understands that “used car buyers are clearly want assurances” in the form of formal guarantees. testing.

It is likely that EV battery health testing will become commonplace in the used EV market in the future, as it was one of the key promises in the Labor Party manifesto.

The Labor Party has announced its intention to standardize the information provided on the condition of electric vehicle batteries to support buyers of used electric vehicles.

The Labor Party said it would introduce an “EV Confidence labeling requirement” on new electric vehicles, similar to the Monroney sticker used in the US.

New health certificate for electric vehicle batteries – which manufacturers are already introducing them?

From 2027, any new electric vehicle sold in the EU will require an “EV Battery Data Sheet”.

The passport will confirm the origin of the raw materials contained in the battery, how much of the contents are recycled, and the carbon footprint of their life cycle, including production and transportation.

Volvo Cars has already released the “world’s first electric vehicle battery data sheet” for its flagship EX90 SUV, which is set to go into production in the US.

While these battery data sheets will be mandatory for all electric vehicles sold in the European Union (and UK) from February 2027, one major car brand has already achieved success.

Volvo Cars has already released the “world’s first electric vehicle battery data sheet” for its £100,000 flagship EX90 SUV.

The passport was developed by Volvo, owned by China’s Geely, in partnership with British startup Circulor.

It uses blockchain technology to map companies’ supply chains and took more than five years to develop.

Volvo’s head of global sustainability Vanessa Boutani told Reuters that introducing the passport almost three years before the rules came into force was aimed at providing transparency to car buyers as the carmaker plans to produce only fully electric cars by 2030.

“It’s really important for us to be a pioneer and a leader,” Bhutani said.