Assessing the Health and Longevity of Batteries in Used Electric Vehicles

The BBC article explores the challenges and advances surrounding battery health in used electric vehicles (EVs), an increasingly important factor for buyers as the second-hand EV market grows. It follows the story of Kerry Dunstan, who bought a 2021 Nissan Leaf with a 93% state of health (SOH) battery, and examines how battery performance, degradation, and management influence the value and reliability of pre-owned EVs. While age and mileage have traditionally dominated car assessments, the battery’s condition now plays a central role, especially given that frequent fast charging or lack of proper cooling can shorten lifespan. Companies like Aviloo and ClearWatt provide independent battery health certificates that offer buyers and sellers a more transparent evaluation of an EV’s condition. Aviloo’s data-driven tests can measure battery SOH with high precision and sometimes reveal discrepancies with manufacturer-reported figures. Experts argue that even EVs with below 80% SOH can still be valuable if priced accordingly. Advances in battery chemistry have extended lifespan dramatically, from 1,000 to up to 10,000 charging cycles in newer cells. Moreover, degraded EV batteries can find a ‘second life’ in industrial energy storage. The article underscores the need for clearer standards on how manufacturers report SOH, and emphasizes that modern battery technology is becoming more durable, reliable, and adaptable than early predictions suggested.