Calls for EV battery health certificates as survey shows ‘lack of understanding’

Ministers are being urged to introduce a formal battery health certificate for used electric vehicles (EVs) after a survey indicated there is widespread lack of confidence in them.

Some 2% of respondents to a poll of 11,833 AA members whose main car is not an EV said they believe the batteries typically last longer than petrol and diesel engines.

This is despite research finding modern EV batteries achieve comparable longevity with internal combustion engines.

Ginny Buckley, chief executive of EV advice website Electrifying.com – which partnered with the AA in conducting the survey last month – said the “significant gap between perception and reality” of EV batteries demonstrates the need for standardised tests and documentation.

She told the Press Association: “When you sell a house, buyers expect to see an energy performance certificate (EPC), it’s a simple way of understanding its energy efficiency.

“There’s no reason why electric cars shouldn’t work the same way.

“A clear, standardised measure of battery health, independently checked and updated at MOT stage once a car is over three-years-old, would take much of the fear out of buying a used EV – and unlock the used market faster than short-term incentives.”

Ms Buckley said the “lack of understanding” about EV batteries is a large factor in why just 3% of respondents said they feel confident buying a used EV.

She accused the Government of “overlooking” the used EV market, saying its policy on encouraging the switch to electric motoring “continues to focus almost exclusively on new cars”.

The next phase in boosting the uptake of EVs will be driven by “building trust and confidence in the used cars that most drivers buy”, she said.

The Government introduced grants of up to £3,750 for the purchase of new EVs in July last year.

Some 44% of survey respondents said incentives towards the purchase of used EVs – such as the interest-free loan funded by the Scottish Government – would make them more likely to buy one.

AA president Edmund King said the conditions that support the shift to EVs “remain challenging”.

He said: “A big uptick in the sales of used EVs would be a game changer.

“Drivers need convincing on battery longevity before buying used EVs.”

Mr King noted that under the Government’s zero-emissions vehicle mandate, EV manufacturers are required to provide a battery replacement warranty if its capacity falls below 70% in the first eight years or before 100,000 miles have been driven, whichever is sooner.

Mark Smith, head of fleet and used cars at car-maker Tesla UK and Ireland, which sold the two most popular new EVs last year, said: “We understand that there may be some unwarranted scepticism across the industry.

“All our vehicles have a built-in tool for checking the health of the battery.

“We hope other manufacturers adopt this thinking, to benefit the transition to sustainable energy.”

The Department for Transport was approached for a comment.