New test developed to certify battery health of used EVs

EV batteries can degrade quickly if rapidly charged too often, charging even when the battery is nearly full or leaving it plugged in for long periods.

Altelium, a UK-based startup, has come up with a test and certificate to determine the state of health of EV batteries.

The test is said to be launching this year across 7,000 EV car dealers in the USA and 5,000 dealers in the UK via service providers like Assurant & GardX. Alex Johns, Business Development Manager, Altelium, highlighted the importance of these battery health tests by stating, "If the second-hand car market doesn't work properly, the new car market doesn't work properly and the electric transition won't happen."

A battery's health is determined by multiple factors. EV batteries can degrade quickly if rapidly charged too often, charging even when the battery is nearly full or leaving it plugged in for long periods.

Aviloo, an Austrian startup, which has also developed a test for dealers & private individuals found that after 1,00,000 km, EV battery health can vary by up to 30%. It means that a customer looking for second-hand EVs with 90% of its charge when new could end up buying one with just 70% due to the bad charging habits of the previous owner. Marcus Berger, CEO of Aviloo, stated, "With an EV, mileage and age don't tell you anything. It's all about the battery."

Reports state that while carmakers provide in-vehicle EV range information, the data is often excessively rosy, which makes independent tests vital.

Source: Autoblog