88% of car buyers want battery health check before purchasing an EV

Almost nine out of 10 people say they want an independent, certified assessment of an electric car’s battery health before making a purchase, according to new research.

August’s Startline Used Car Tracker found that 88% of consumers view an independent health check as important, while 81% want to know how much capacity the battery has lost since the car was new. A further 78% are keen to understand how much charge the battery currently holds.

The study also highlighted wider concerns about battery condition. 88% of respondents want details of how the battery has been cared for by previous owners, while 83% would like to know how long it now takes to fully charge and 83% also want an indication of future capacity loss.

Paul Burgess, CEO at Startline Motor Finance, said the findings reflect growing awareness among consumers about the potential risks and costs linked to EV batteries.

“As the motor industry is learning more and more about the long-term reliability of electric cars, it’s becoming clear that battery failure and even rapid decline in battery capacity are rare occurrences. However, when things do go wrong, it can be very expensive,” he explained.

“Our data shows this message has reached consumers and there is a very strong desire to find out as much as possible about the battery of any car they are considering buying – and for this check to have a high degree of credibility. No-one wants to run the risk of having to pay a bill running into many thousands of pounds for battery repair or replacement.”

Burgess added that while some companies already provide battery health checks in the UK, the absence of an industrywide standard leaves a “credibility gap.” Similar schemes already exist in some European markets, he said, and introducing one here could boost confidence in the used EV sector.

Interestingly, the latest results show little change from last year. “Sentiment has barely moved at all,” Burgess noted. “This suggests battery health checks are something car buyers very much want, and the market should be moving faster to meet that need.”

The Startline Used Car Tracker, launched in April 2022, provides monthly insights into attitudes in the used car market. Each edition surveys 300 consumers and 60 dealers, examining buyer behaviour, fuel choices and the challenges facing the trade. The research is conducted by APD Global Research, a specialist in business intelligence reporting and customer experience programmes for the motor industry.